Friday Night Drive: Ogle County newsletter
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.
Byron downed Elmhurst IC Catholic 28-6 in 3A quarterfinal action at Byron High School on Saturday, Nov. 15, 2025. With the win, the Tigers advance to the semifinals against Richmond Burton.
Here are the semifinal round pairings for the 2025 IHSA 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.
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.
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!
The Polo Marcos downed St. Anne in I8FA playoff action on Saturday, Nov. 8, 2025 at Polo High School.
The powerhouses will look to keep rolling through the bracket as big-time matchups loom. Steve Soucie breaks down the second round of the 2025 IHSA Class 3A 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
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.
After Rochelle denied Geneseo's two-point conversion with 47 seconds left, the Maple Leafs recovered an onside kick and Carson Peters' 36-yard field goal gave Geneseo a 16-14 win in a classic to open the playoffs.
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 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.
Enrollment changes lead to the 4A draw looking a bit different than it has in the past few years. Steve Soucie breaks down the opening round of the 2025 IHSA Class 4A Playoffs.
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.
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
Join hosts Matt Rodewald and Steve Soucie as they review Week 9 in IHSA football and look ahead to Round 1 of the playoffs.
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.
Check here for live updates and changes to Steve Soucie's IHSA football playoff projection for all eight classes.
Roman Villalobos and Tyler Gensler each rushed for over 100 yards, and Brode Metzger had five tackles and forced a fumble as Rochelle beat Waterloo 27-6 for the Hubs' sixth win.
Final scores in Illinois high school football for Week 9 of the 2025 season. This will be updated as more scores come in
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.
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.
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
After a few relative stable weeks, chaos hit in a big way to premier programs around the state. Steve Soucie takes a look at what we learned in Week 8.
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 8!
In Rochelle's first home game since junior Dylan Manning's head injury, a crowd full of Hubs fans donned shirts in Manning's support as they watched Rochelle down Ottawa 42-3.
Final scores in Illinois high school football for Week 8 of the 2025 season. This will be updated as more scores come in
Another proposal has been put forth to the Illinois High School Association in attempt to modify the football postseason. Monticello High School has submitted a proposal that will add a week the postseason structure and increase the playoff field from 256 to 384 teams.
Join hosts Steve Soucie and Josh Welge as they preview Week 8 in Illinois high school football and dig into where we are heading into the playoffs with only two games left
Some unexpected results led to a lot of seeding changes in this week's projections. It did not, however, lead to a lot of new teams breaking into the field. Steve Soucie's latest playoff projection can be found here.
A proposal has been put forth to the IHSA to expand the playoff field by 96 teams and introduce a flexed regional scheduling concept to ease the pressures for teams having difficulties putting together a full football schedule
Congratulations to these 23 Illinois high school football players who were voted onto Friday Night Drive's Team of the Week for Week 7 of the 2025 high school football season
In a week that seemed to be a less challenging one for ranked teams, that did not come to fruition as several ranked teams were upset. Check out the shuffled rankings here: