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.

Join hosts Matt Rodewald and Steve Soucie as they review Week 9 in IHSA football and look ahead to Round 1 of the playoffs.

More from the Week 9 sideline across The Times area, including notes on Ottawa, Flanagan-Cornell/Woodland and more.

The race to filling the field of 256 teams took some surprising twists and turns. Steve Soucie takes a look at what we learned in Week 9.

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 Week 9!

Here are the first round pairings for the IHSA playoffs.

Here are the 2025 IHSA football playoff pairings for Times area teams.

A look at the first-round playoff games for Princeton and Amboy.

Check here for live updates and changes to Steve Soucie's IHSA football playoff projection for all eight classes.

The St. Bede, Mendota, Fieldcrest and Bureau Valley football teams lost their finales, while Amboy improved to 8-1.

The playoff bound Marquette and Seneca football teams both finished up the regular season strong with decisive victories on Friday, while the Ottawa’s girls tennis team of Zulee Moreland and Yaquelin Hernandez-Solis finish 3-2 at 1A state. Plus, more from around the Times area.

La Salle-Peru committed four turnovers that led to 17 points for O'Fallon as a seven-point game at halftime turned into a 34-0 loss for the Cavaliers.

Princeton scored on all five of its first-half drives - two set up by interceptions - and the Tigers rolled to a 48-0 rout of playoff-bound Erie-Prophetstown.

Princeton defeted Erie-Prophetstown 48-0 on Friday, Oct. 24, 2025 on Bryant Field at Princeton High School. Check out photos from the game from Mike Vaughn.

The Ottawa football team rushed for 445 yards, scored touchdowns on their first three possessions and put up points eight of the 10 times they had the ball against Granite City in a dominating 52-0 triumph on Friday night at King Field in Ottawa.

Early turnovers led to a three-touchdown deficit that Hall-Putnam County couldn't overcome in a 48-21 loss to 2A No. 1 Rockridge on Friday.

O'Fallon shut out L-P 34-0 on Friday, Oct. 24, 2025 at Howard Fellows Stadium. The Cavs end their season with a record of 2-7. Check out photos of the game by MaKade Rios.

Similar to how its regular season has finished, Manteno progressively improved as the game went on in its 33-6 victory over Streator in the regular-season finale Friday night.

The playoffs don’t begin until next weekend, but Logan Ruddy and the rest of the Flanagan-Cornell/Woodland Falcons looked to be in postseason form Friday in their 64-20 dismissal of Bushnell-Prairie City

Rockridge defeated Hall/Putnam County 48-21 on Friday, Oct. 24, 2025 at Richard Nesti Stadium. Hall/Putnam County ends their season with a 3-6 record. Check out photos from the game by Jen Heredia.

Ottawa shut out Granite City 52-0 on Friday, Oct. 24, 2025 on King Field at Ottawa High School. The Pirates end their season with a record of 3-6.

Final scores in Illinois high school football for Week 9 of the 2025 season. This will be updated as more scores come in

Erie-Prophetstown and Princeton finished their regular football seasons Friday, Oct. 24, 2025. Photos by Jessie Ottens -Shaw Local News Network

155 teams are already assured of hearing their names called on IHSA pairings night. Steve Soucie walks through how the other 101 teams will secure their places on the bracket board.

Join hosts J.T. Pedelty, Sam Ramirez and Eddie Carifio as they preview Week 9 in Illinois high school football in the western and southern parts of northern Illinois.

A look at all the Week 9 football games in the NewsTribune area.

Join hosts Steve Soucie and Josh Welge as they preview Week 9 in Illinois high school football and look ahead to the games that will matter the most for playoff pairings

A look at Week 9 across The Times coverage area, including games lined up for Marquette, Flanagan-Cornell/Woodland, Seneca, Sandwich, Streator, Ottawa, Dwight and Fieldcrest.

A Roxana High School proposal that would expand the playoffs and provide a regional schedule model has released regional mockups for smaller schools programs (Class 1A and 2A). See the proposed regions here.

Some bubble teams took the opportunity to seize their own fate with surprise wins in Week 8 and altered the field in multiple ways. Steve Soucie's latest playoff projection can be found here.

With regular season finales this week, here’s where Illinois Valley football teams stand in their quest to make the IHSA and the I8FA playoffs.

Congratulations to these 22 Illinois high school football players who were voted onto Friday Night Drive's Team of the Week for Week 8 of the 2025 high school football season

Two top five teams stumbled in Week 8 leading to a significant scramble of the Friday Night Drive Power Rankings. Check out the shuffled rankings here:

Join hosts Matt Rodewald and Steve Soucie as they review what they saw in Week 8 of Illinois high school football and go over the two latest IHSA playoff proposals