The top three teams in the Friday Night Drive Power Rankings held strong in the semifinal round, but that's where the stability ended. Check out the new rankings here.

Join hosts Matt Rodewald and Steve Soucie as they break down what we saw in the Illinois high school football playoff semifinals, talk about Mt. Carmel coach Jordan Lynch's recent comments, and look ahead to the state title games

Getting a strong sense of deja vu when looking at the lineup of state championships? That's understandable considering the group has collectively made 115 title game appearances previously. Steve Soucie takes a look at what we learned in Week 13.

Here are the championship game pairings for the 2025 IHSA playoffs.

Amboy/LaMoille/Ohio defeated Polo 30-20 to win the 8-man I8FA championship game on Friday, Nov. 21, 2025 at April Zorn Memorial Stadium in Monmouth. This is the Clippers third straight championship.

Wilmington continues to storm its way through the 2A field, can anyone slow down the Wildcats? Steve Soucie breaks down the semifinal round of the 2025 IHSA Class 2A playoffs.

A trio of power teams continue to roll through the playoffs while the upstarts still continue to emerge shaking up the Friday Night Drive Power Rankings. Check out the new rankings here.

The quarterfinal round was an absolute breeze for some teams while others experienced significantly more stress in keeping their postseason runs alive. Steve Soucie takes a look at what we learned in Week 12.

The Dwight football team had its season come to an end with a 44-0 loss at Stockton on Saturday night in the IHSA Class 1A playoff quarterfinals.

Here are the semifinal round pairings for the 2025 IHSA playoffs.

Dwight in 1A and both Morris and Coal City in 4A are preparing for quarterfinal IHSA playoff matchups.

A playoff field that started with seven undefeated teams is down to just three. But the group is still chock full of teams that can make a serious run to the title. Steve Soucie breaks down the quarterfinal round of the 2025 IHSA Class 2A playoffs.

The NUIC and WIVC conference hold five of the eight spots in the 1A quarterfinals, are the two conferences heading toward a state final showdown? Steve Soucie breaks down the quarterfinal round of the 2025 IHSA Class 1A playoffs.

Congratulations to these 22 Illinois high school football players who were voted onto Friday Night Drive's Team of the Week for Round 2 of the 2025 high school football playoffs

A Roxana High School proposal that would expand the playoffs and provide a regional schedule model has released regional mockups for Class 7A and Class 8A. See the proposed regions here.

A number of ranked teams bowed out in the second round of the playoffs shaking up the Friday Night Drive Power Rankings considerably. Check out the new rankings here.

More from the Times-area’s sidelines from Week 11 (the second round of the IHSA football playoffs), including notes on Seneca and Dwight's second-round games and quarterfinal matchups.

Here are the quarterfinal round pairings for the 2025 IHSA playoffs.

High seeds had a rough go of it in Round 2 of the playoffs, while the CCL/ESCC flexed its muscles in numerous classifications. Steve Soucie takes a look at what we learned in Week 11.

Each week, we’ll have 22 players – 11 on offense, 11 on defense – to make the Friday Night Drive Team of the Week. Vote for your favorite players for Round 2 of the playoffs!

Wilmington rushed 54 times for 418 yards and six touchdowns and held host Seneca to just 42 total yards in a 42-0 rain-soaked victory on Saturday in the second round of the Class 2A playoffs.

Wilmington shut out Seneca 42-0 on Saturday, Nov. 8, 2025 at Seneca High School. Check out photos from the game by MaKade Rios.

Here is a look at the second-round playoff matchups awaiting Seneca, Morris and Dwight this weekend.

The Class 2A field remains chock full of quality teams and the group has a collective record of 147-13 as we move into Round 2. Steve Soucie breaks down the second round of the 2025 IHSA Class 2A playoffs.

The Northwest Upstate Illini Conference and the Western Illinois Valley Conference are already stealing the headlines in the Class 1A postseason. Steve Soucie breaks down the opening round of the 2025 IHSA Class 1A playoffs.

A Roxana High School proposal that would expand the playoffs and provide a regional schedule model has released regional mockups for Class 5A and Class 6A. See the proposed regions here.

Congratulations to these 22 Illinois high school football players who were voted onto Friday Night Drive's Team of the Week for Round 1 of the 2025 high school football playoffs

Ranked teams did what they should do largely rolling to easy first round victories in the state playoffs. Check out the new rankings here:

Matt Rodewald, Steve Soucie, and John Sahly break down what happened with a fifth down in the PORTA vs. Fairfield first-round playoff game, and review what else happened in Round 1 in the IHSA football playoffs

Princeton coach Ryan Pearson wanted to make sure seniors Casey Etheridge, Gavin Lanham and Ryan Jager all got in the end zone in Saturday's playoff game. BCC star Valshun Powe said it was a "team win." Amboy prepares to hit the road, doesn't care about seeds.

More from the Times-area’s sidelines from Week 10 (the opening week of the IHSA playoffs) of the football season, including notes on Seneca, Marquette and Dwight's first-round games and second-round matchups.

If you like points being scored the opening round of the playoffs was definitely worth tuning into. Steve Soucie takes a look at what we learned in Week 10.

Each week, we’ll have 22 players – 11 on offense, 11 on defense – to make the Friday Night Drive Team of the Week. Vote for your favorite players for Round 1 of the playoffs!

Here are the second round pairings for the 2025 IHSA playoffs.

Coal City's Logan Natyshok rushed for 272 yards and five touchdowns while the Coalers defense allowed Sterling just 100 total yards in a 49-7 victory in Saturday's Class 4A playoff first-round game in Coal City.

Seneca outscored visiting Port Byron Riverdale by 14 points in the second quarter, ultimately the difference in the Fighting Irish's 35-21, first-round Class 2A playoff victory.

Seneca defeated Port Byron Riverdale 35-21 on Saturday, Nov. 1, 2025 at Seneca High School. Seneca will play Wilmington next Saturday at home. Check out photos from the game by MaKade Rios.

After struggling to establish the run early, Gibson City-Melvin-Sibley relied on explosive plays through the air and a lockdown defensive effort to beat the Marquette Crusaders in a 1A first-round playoff game Saturday.

Amboy began its quest for a third straight Illinois 8-Man state championship with a 68-8 win over Milford-Cissna Park on Saturday.

Bloomington Central Catholic defeated Princeton 41-20 during the first round of the IHSA Class 3A football playoffs on Saturday, Nov. 1, 2025 at Central Catholic High School.

Gibson City-Melvin-Sibley defeated Marquette 28-6 on Saturday, Nov. 1, 2025 at Gibson City-Melvin-Sibley High School.

After receiving feedback from IHSA membership schools, a Roxana High School proposal to change the postseason structure and regular-season scheduling process has some alterations.

Join hosts J.T. Pedelty, Sam Ramirez and Eddie Carifio as they preview Round 1 of the IHSA football playoffs in the western and southern portions of northern Illinois

Here is a look at the opening-round playoff matchups awaiting Seneca, Marquette, Dwight and Flanagan-Cornell/Woodland this weekend.

Join hosts Josh Welge and Steve Soucie as they preview the first round of the IHSA football playoffs.

A Roxana High School proposal that would expand the playoffs and provide a regional schedule model has released regional mockups for Class 3A and Class 4A. See the proposed regions here.

Class 3A's North Bracket is chock full of impressive programs setting up some very early titanic matchups. Steve Soucie breaks down the opening round of the 2025 IHSA Class 3A Playoffs.

Seven of the state's remaining 26 undefeated teams reside in the Class 2A field and along with some other daunting teams the draw looks as deep as any classification. Steve Soucie breaks down the opening round of the 2025 IHSA Class 2A playoffs.

Congratulations to these 22 Illinois high school football players who were voted onto Friday Night Drive's Team of the Week for Week 9 of the 2025 high school football season

There's always the usual suspects in 1A, but some new names look poised to potentially crash that party. Steve Soucie breaks down the opening round of the 2025 IHSA Class 1A playoffs.