Join hosts Eddie Carifio, Sam Ramirez and J.T. Pedelty as they preview Week 8 in Illinois high school football in the western and southern portions of northern Illinois

Sterling has a big home game against Quincy, No. 5 Newman hosts Kewanee on Saturday, No. 10 Dixon heads to Streator, Fulton and Morrison face off for the Wooden Shoe trophy and more in this week's Sauk Valley football slate.

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:

Rock Falls seeks more leadership from key players after a promising start against IVC led to another loss. Dixon's Landon Knigge had a five-TD first quarter, and Sterling is looking for another bounceback in this week's Sauk Valley football notes.

The CCL/ESCC had a number of fantastic matchups this week further proving the power possessed by the strongest conference in the state. Steve Soucie takes a look at what we learned in Week 6.

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 7!

Erie-Prophetstown football defeated Orion 40-14 Friday, Oct. 10, 2025. Photos by Jessie Ottens - Shaw Local News Network

Dixon and Newman each got their sixth wins after earning road victories. Oregon fell to Stillman Valley, Morrison and Fulton won and more in Friday's Sauk Valley football roundup.

Rock Falls controlled the ball and the clock in the first half, but an inability to score allowed Illinois Valley Central to pull away in the second half for a 28-0 win on Friday night at Hinders Field

A Brady Hartz kick return and Ryan Gebhardt field goal were Sterling's only points in a 31-10 loss at Geneseo. The Maple Leafs beat Sterling for the first time since 2014

The Grey Ghosts of Illinois Valley Central traveled to Hinders Field in Rock Falls on Friday, October 10, 2025 to take on the Rockets. IVC won the contest 28-0.

Final scores in Illinois high school football for Week 76 of the 2025 season. This will be updated as more scores come in

Sterling has a big game at Geneseo, Dixon heads to Winnebago riding four straight shutouts, Newman plays at upstart Riverdale and Rock Falls faces winless IVC in this week's Sauk Valley football slate.

Here are the Associated Press IHSA Week 7 football polls released Wednesday for all eight classes.

12 new or returning teams joined the projection this week but week over week the projection was fairly stable. Steve Soucie's latest playoff projection can be found here.

Join hosts Steve Soucie and Josh Welge as they preview Week 7 in Illinois high school football and take a look at what the brackets could look like come playoff time

Dixon's defense continues to have eye-popping numbers after a fourth straight shutout in the Big Northern Conference. Sterling is on a roll heading into a big matchup, and Matthew Blackert helped get Newman back on track in this week's Sauk Valley notes.

Congratulations to these 22 Illinois high school football players who were voted onto Friday Night Drive's Team of the Week for Week 6 of the 2025 high school football season

It was another strong week for the teams at or near the top of the Friday Night Drive Power Rankings as three new or returning teams joined the group. Check out this week rankings here:

Matt Rodewald and Steve Soucie break down what they saw in Week 6 of Illinois high school football

The CCL/ESCC had a number of fantastic matchups this week further proving the power possessed by the strongest conference in the state. Steve Soucie takes a look at what we learned in Week 6.

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 6!

Not often does a team score touchdowns on offense, defense and special teams in one game, but Matthew Blackert did that in one half for Newman on Saturday in a 46-7 home win over Mercer County.

E-P won a nail biter on homecoming week over local rival Riverdale Friday, Oct. 3, 2025. Photos by Jessie Otten - Shaw Local News Network.

Newman hosts Mercer County Saturday, Oct. 4, 2025, for week 6 football action. Newman won 46-7.

Eastland-Pearl City beat Forreston, Fulton got in the win column, Oregon won big, E-P held on against Riverdale, Polo won and more in Friday's Sauk Valley football action.

Dixon dominated both sides of the ball in a 55-0 Homecoming victory over Big Northern Conference foe Stillman Valley on Friday night at A.C. Bowers Field. Dixon's defense has not given up a point in four straight games

Final scores in Illinois high school football for Week 6 of the 2025 season. This will be updated as more scores come in

Sterling took the win over Alleman 55-13 Friday, Oct. 3, 2025.

Dixon football takes on Stillman Valley for their homecoming game Friday, Oct. 3, 2025. Dixon womped Stillman 55-0.

Join hosts Eddie Carifio and JT Pedelty as they preview Week 6 in Illinois high school football in the western and southern portions of northern Illinois

Dixon hosts Stillman Valley, Sterling hosts Alleman, Rock Falls heads to Winnebago and Newman faces Mercer County on Saturday in this week's Sauk Valley football slate. Here are previews for all 14 games.

Here are the latest Associated Press IHSA football polls released Wednesday for all eight classes.

As we move past the half way point, the edges off the playoff field start to become clearer. But a few small upsets can cause quite an adjustment which bore out after Week 5's games. 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 5 of the 2025 high school football season

Previously ranked teams in the Friday Night Drive Power Rankings went 22-3 collectively in Week 5 as the top teams officially start to separate themselves from the pack. Check out this week rankings here:

Join hosts Steve Soucie and Matt Rodewald as they break down what happened in Week 5 in Illinois high school football

More undefeated teams fell and statewide the losses are stacking on a lot of programs you aren't used to see them with. Steve Soucie takes a look at what we learned in Week 5.

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 5!

Forreston held on to beat Galena 22-20 after stopping a two-point conversion on the final play. Erie-Prophetstown bounced back with a win over Mercer County, Milledgeville won 60-28, Amboy and Polo both rolled and more in Friday's Sauk Valley football roundup.

Dixon had a punt return touchdown for its first score, then opened the second half with a kickoff return touchdown on the way to a 56-0 win over Oregon in their Big Northern Conference game Friday night at Landers-Loomis Field

Rockridge won in the trenches in a 26-6 win over Newman in a state-ranked battle in the Three Rivers Rock. Cullen Schwigen had a rushing score just before halftime and threw two long TDs to help the Rockets pull away in the second half

Sterling posted its second shutout of the season after a 48-0 Western Big 6 Conference home win over Galesburg as the Golden Warriors rushed for five touchdowns and threw for two more

Final scores in Illinois high school football for Week 5 of the 2025 season. This will be updated as more scores come in

The Galesburg Silver Streaks traveled to Sterling to take on the Warriors at Prescott Memorial Field at Roscoe Eades Stadium, September 26, 2025.

Dixon scored early and often in a 56-0 rout over the Oregon Hawks at Landers-Loomis Field in Oregon on Friday, Sept. 26, 2025.