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.

Kankakee and Crete-Monee clash for the Southland Athletic Conference, Wilmington and Coal City square off for the Illinois Central Eight championship and more in the Daily Journal's Week 9 football previews.

Manteno picked up an 8-0 win in the IHSA Class 1A Momence Regional semifinal, Peotone won 5-0 in the Class 1A Chicago Christian Regional semifinal and more in Tuesday's Daily Journal roundup.

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Cissna Park secured its fifth straight 30-win season with a sweep of rival Watseka on Tuesday, Oct. 21, 2025.

Herscher and St. Anne are set to meet in the championship match of the IHSA Class 1A Herscher Regional after both picked up semifinal wins Tuesday, with the host Tigers beating Bishop McNamara and the Cardinals besting Clifton Central.

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Herscher shut out Bishop McNamara 6-0 and St. Anne defeated Clifton Central 5-2 in the IHSA Class 1A Herscher Regional semifinal games on Tuesday, Oct. 21, 2025.

The Timberwolves took control in the middle of the first set, came out on fire in the second and never looked back for a sweep at Vermilion Valley Conference rival Watseka on Tuesday.

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

Bradley-Bourbonnais, Bishop McNamara and St. Anne earned wins recognized statewide, Manteno held on for one of the most unbelievable Rumble on Route 50 finishes of all time and more in this week's Daily Journal 2-Minute Drill.