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.

Caden Considine showed off what he called "explosive-play ability," rushing for 287 yards and five touchdowns, and Byron beat host Richmond-Burton 44-10 in a Class 3A state semifinal game Saturday in Richmond.

Richmond-Burton faces Byron in an IHSA Class 3A smifinal playoff football game on Saturday, November 22, 2025, at Richmond-Burton High School, in Richmond.

East St. Louis continues to power its way through the bracket. But three different CCL/ESCC teams hope to take them down. Steve Soucie breaks down the semifinal round of the 2025 IHSA Class 6A Playoffs.

Richmond-Burton linebacker/fullback Blake Livdahl plays bigger than his 5-foot-7 frame. A state finalist in wrestling last winter, he rushed for a season-high 122 yards and two TDs in the Rockets' 31-6 win over Monmouth-Roseville in a Class 3A state quarterfinal.

The Class 5A bracket certainly has some unexpected teams still alive in the draw. Steve Soucie breaks down the semifinals of the 2025 IHSA Class 5A Playoffs.

Richmond-Burton's football team will host Byron in a Class 3A state semifinal Saturday afternoon. Check out our game preview.

Join hosts Steve Soucie and Josh Welge as they preview the semifinal round of the Illinois high school football playoffs

Two middle classification powers lock horns in one side of the bracket while two long time rivals battle on the other. Steve Soucie breaks down the semifinal round of the 2025 IHSA Class 3A Playoffs.

Here is the All-Fox Valley Conference football team for the 2025 season, as selected by coaches. 

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.

Join hosts Matt Rodewald and Steve Soucie as they break down the quarterfinal round of the Illinois high school football playoffs and look ahead to the semifinals

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.

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

Monmouth-Roseville was able to keep its Class 3A quarterfinal against Richmond-Burton competitive early on, but the Titans had no answer for the Rockets' running game led by Hunter Carley and Blake Livdahl in a 31-6 victory for R-B.

The Fenwick Friars slowed down a potent Burlington Central offense in a 49-21 Class 6A quarterfinal victory Saturday afternoon.

Richmond-Burton faces Monmouth-Roseville in an IHSA Class 3A quarterfinal playoff football game on Saturday, November 15, 2025, at Richmond-Burton High School, in Richmond.

Belvidere North got an early defensive score and never trailed in beating host Cary-Grove 17-10 in a Class 5A state quarterfinal game Friday night. C-G defeated Belvidere North in the quarterfinals last year.

Cary-Grove faces Belvidere North in an IHSA Class 5A quarterfinal playoff football game on Friday, November 14, 2025, at Cary-Grove High School, in Cary.

Burlington Central senior quarterback Landon Arnold almost quit football his first two years of high school. Saturday, the dual-threat QB leads the Rockets into their Class 6A state quarterfinal game against Fenwick.

Nazareth and East St. Louis are still on track for a titanic showdown, but other upstarts are hoping to derail that plan. Steve Soucie breaks down the quarterfinal round of the 2025 IHSA Class 6A Playoffs.

Class 5A was probably the most wide open field to try to analyze in the state playoffs, and with the ousting of one of the favorites, Prairie Ridge, that wide open feel remains. Steve Soucie breaks down the second round of the 2025 IHSA Class 5A Playoffs.

Three teams in the Northwest Herald coverage area - Burlington Central, Cary-Grove and Richmond-Burton - are still alive in the state football playoffs. Get a preview of each team's quarterfinal game.

Join hosts Steve Soucie and Josh Welge, along with Mason Schweizer as they preview the quarterfinals in the Illinois high school football playoffs

It appeared early on that the Class 3A bracket was going to provide some blockbuster matchups in later rounds. That time has arrived now. Steve Soucie breaks down the quarterfinal round of the 2025 IHSA Class 3A Playoffs.

The Illinois High School Football Coaches Association announced its All-State teams this week, and several players in the Northwest Herald coverage area were selected.

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.

Join hosts Matt Rodewald and Steve Soucie as they break down the second round of the Illinois high school football playoffs

Richmond-Burton, Burlington Central and Cary-Grove marched on with second-round wins, while Fox Valley Conference champion Prairie Ridge and Jacobs ended their seasons over the weekend.

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!

Landon Arnold didn't want to give the ball up, and the Burlington Central senior QB delivered. Arnold ran the ball seven times for 80 yards on a game-clinching drive as the Rockets topped Harlem 24-14 to reach the quarterfinals for the first time since 2006.

Harlem faces Burlington Central in an IHSA Class 6A second-round playoff football game on Saturday, November 8, 2025, at Burlington Central.

Logan Abrams, Jackson Berndt and Leo Zavala each rushed for two touchdowns, while Jason Ritter Jr. had two interceptions as Cary-Grove dominated St. Patrick 55-21 in the second round of the IHSA 5A playoffs Saturday evening.

Like it did three years ago, Brother Rice made its way up to Algonquin for a playoff matchup and came away with a 46-0 win over Jacobs in a Class 7A second-round game Saturday night.

Prairie Ridge faces St. Francis in an IHSA Class 5A second-round playoff football game on Saturday, November 8, 2025, at St. Francis High School, in Wheaton.

Peyton Shipley made the biggest play of St. Francis' season as he forced a fumble late in the third quarter. St. Francis recovered and seized control in a 41-38 victory to knock off the previously unbeaten and Class 5A top-seeded Prairie Ridge.

Derek Franzen had multiple tours of duty overseas as a U.S. Marine from 2017-2021. His experiences eventually led him to coaching. He's in his second season as an under-level football coach at McHenry Community High School.

Hunter Carley rushed for two touchdowns and caught one, as No. 1 seed Richmond-Burton rolled to a 57-7 win over host Aurora Central Catholic in a Class 3A second-round playoff game Friday night.

Richmond-Burton faces Aurora Central Catholic in an IHSA Class 3A second-round playoff football game on Friday, November 7, 2025, at Aurora Central Catholic High School.

Most of the high seeds advanced in the opening round which creates a number of very intriguing second round matchups. Steve Soucie breaks down the second round of the 2025 IHSA Class 7A Playoffs.

Higher seeds were largely undeterred in the opening round of the 6A playoffs, but considerably bigger threats come from the under seeds in Round 2. Steve Soucie breaks down the second round of the 2025 IHSA Class 6A Playoffs.

A clear favorite in the Class 5A draw still hasn't emerged. Will Round 2 provide some clarity on that topic? Steve Soucie breaks down the second round of the 2025 IHSA Class 5A Playoffs.

Five Northwest Herald teams – Burlington Central, Cary-Grove, Jacobs, Prairie Ridge and Richmond-Burton – remain in the IHSA state playoffs. Here is a preview of each team's second-round game.

Join hosts Steve Soucie and Josh Welge as they preview Round 2 in the Illinois high school football playoffs.