Game of the Week

Bishop McNamara (1-0) at Herscher (1-0)

When: 7 p.m. Friday

About the Fightin’ Irish: Bishop McNamara kicked off the year with an impressive 58-0 home win at Lawrenceville on Saturday. The Irish debuted a new-look offense based out of a spread, shotgun formation full of jet motion and option runs that will potentially allow several key playmakers to get the ball in their hands. It remains to be seen which of their three quarterbacks will emerge, as Micah Lee, Karter Krutsinger and Gavin Antons all still seem to be entrenched in a battle. Defensively, the Irish secondary – which got two picks from Coen Demack last week – will look to stop a Herscher passing attack that caught fire in their Week 1 win.

About the Tigers: It looked early on like they’d make the two-hour trek home with an 0-1 record, but Herscher erased an early 24-0 deficit for a thrilling 41-38 win. Tanner Jones eclipsed the 200-yard mark in the air, with Reed Laird accounting for 150 of those yards. While the Irish can hold their own up front, the Tigers have a bit of a size advantage in the trenches, led by two-way senior standout Nash Brubaker. They’ll have to block a McNamara defense that forced four turnovers and had three sacks last week, while the defensive front will have to stay disciplined against the option. Their experienced secondary can’t get caught cheating in run support

FND Pick: Bishop McNamara

Nonconference

Kankakee (0-1) at Lincoln-Way East (1-0)

When: 7 p.m. Friday

About the Kays: Kankakee has emerged as a strong program in the south suburbs that has actively sought out stronger competition for itself outside of the Southland Conference. You can’t do much more than this scheduling as the Kays will follow up a Week 1 loss against Nazareth with a matchup against one of the state’s gold standard programs. There’s clear talent on Kankakee’s roster, and explosive plays are possible with the arm of QB Phillip Turner and the skills of RB/WR Cedric Terrell Jr. and others, but Kankakee’s staunch defense of years past looks like it isn’t fully developed just yet.

About the Griffins: Lincoln-Way East looked overwhelming in Week 1 as it completely flattened a well respected Maine South team for the second consecutive year. QB Jonas Williams, a USC recruit, continues his assault on pretty much every career passing record the IHSA keeps, but he’s consistently said that’s not on his mind and is way more focused on helping bring a state championship back to Frankfort. If Week 1’s effort is any indication of what the Griffins are capable of, that could definitely be in the cards.

FND Pick: Lincoln-Way East

Crete-Monee (0-1) at Bradley-Bourbonnais (1-0)

When: 7:30 p.m. Friday

About the Warriors: Between the returning senior school record-breaking duo of quarterback Derrin Couch and receiver Dorian Patterson and the blue-chip status of sophomore Marian Catholic transfer Jeremiah Stonewall at running back, Crete-Monee boasts one of the most explosive offenses in the state. That was evidenced by the 41 points they scored at Richards last week, but the defense has room to grow after surrendering 51 points.

About the Boilermakers: Bradley-Bourbonnais celebrated its fifth straight 1-0 start with a dominant 42-0 win over TF North last week, one in which the starting defense allowed two first downs. Senior quarterback Ellis Johnson connected with two of his several weapons, Lyzale Edmon and Calvin Kohl, for touchdowns, and also joined speedsters Ky’ren Edmon and Isaac Allison by rushing for one. The Warriors provide a step up in competition, but if the Boilers can repeat last week’s performance, they should repeat their win as well.

FND Pick: Bradley-Bourbonnais

Coal City (1-0) at Richmond-Burton (1-0)

When: 7:30 p.m. Friday

About the Coalers: Coal City flexed its muscles early in its season-opening win over Pontiac, breaking out to a 20-0 lead after the first quarter. If the Coalers have any concerns about how they would replace do-everything RB/LB Landin Benson, they certainly didn’t show any signs of it. The Coalers possess a large, experienced offensive line, and they seem intent on utilizing that asset to the best of their abilities.

About the Rockets: Richmond-Burton‘s rushing totals from Week 1 might get a begrudging nod of approval from this week’s opponents. The Rockets ran for over 400 yards and nearly 15 yards a carry in their runaway win over Marian Central Catholic. Most of that damage was done by junior running back Hunter Carley, who ran for over 200 yards and five touchdowns, but as usual, Richmond-Burton seems to have an array of capable ball carriers.

FND Pick: Richmond-Burton

Sandwich (0-1) at Wilmington (0-1)

When: 7 p.m. Friday

About the Indians: Sandwich had some offensive success, but in order to have any chance against the ominous opponent it faces this week, it must shore up the defensive side of the ball as quickly as possible. The Indians surrendered 50-plus points against a speedy Manteno team in a Week 1 loss, which isn’t a great omen heading into a contest with an offensively potent team like Wilmington.

About the Wildcats: Wilmington finds itself in a very strange position, 0-1 on the year. It hasn’t lost a season opener since a 2012 setback at the hands of Coal City, but it’s hard to fault the effort and skill the Wildcats displayed in a last-second loss to what appears to be a very good Morris team. Wilmington’s ground game looks as potent as ever with bruising runner Ryan Kettman leading the way, churning out 168 yards rushing and two touchdowns in the losing effort.

FND Pick: Wilmington

Peotone (1-0) at Marengo (1-0)

When: 7 p.m. Friday

About the Blue Devils: Peotone made a long road trip to Granite City and came away feeling like the journey was worth it, as it rolled to an easy victory. Peotone has built a steady program that leans on running the football and playing solid defense, and despite the fact that some key cogs graduated from last year’s crew, it appears the Blue Devils have the remaining components to continue to follow that blueprint.

About the Indians: Marengo breezed to a win in its Week 1 matchup with Stillman Valley, a good sign for a program hoping to at the very least return to the playoff fray. The margin of that victory indicates the Indians might be able to be a significant factor in the Kishwaukee River Conference race, but Peotone’s gritty defensive unit should give Marengo a little more trouble in racking up points.

FND Pick: Peotone

Harvard (0-1) vs. Reed-Custer (0-1)

When: 7 p.m. Friday

About the Hornets: Harvard didn’t get much going for itself in Week 1, having been shut out by Big Foot, a school in Wisconsin. Harvard edged out Reed-Custer last season in the matchup of these two teams as part of a two-game winning streak to start its season. It hasn’t won a game since that 21-14 victory.

About the Comets: Reed-Custer scrapped with El Paso-Gridley in Week 1 before eventually succumbing. It was a good step for the Comets and their new coach Joe Turek, who is trying to mold a relatively young group into a team capable of hanging in a little better with some of their Illinois Central Eight foes this season.

FND Pick: Reed-Custer

Plano (0-1) at Manteno (1-0)

When: 7 p.m. Friday

About the Reapers: After squeezing out a 17-14 win at Ottawa last year, Plano saw the Pirates leave town with a 35-6 win in the rematch last week. The Reapers will hope for another turn of the tides in their early nonconference slate this weekend, as Manteno earned a 27-6 win in this meeting last fall. The Reapers were susceptible to the run last week, which is where the Panthers will look to butter their bread.

About the Panthers: Manteno made it back-to-back 54-point Week 1 outings against Sandwich last week, riding the legs of both quarterback Connor Harrod (196 yards, four touchdowns) and Nick Honkisz (186 yards, three touchdowns). After seeing how Ottawa’s Archer Cechowicz ran wild against Plano last week, expect the Panthers to continue to allow Jacob Beuschel and his fellow offensive linemen to allow Manteno’s ground game to dominate. Look for the Manteno defense to hunker down as well after surrendering 32 points last week.

FND Pick: Manteno

Vermilion Valley Conference

Momence (0-1) at Clifton Central (1-0)

When: 7 p.m. Friday

About Momence: Not many teams around the state had their hearts broken in Week 1 like Momence, which was on the wrong side of a 27-26 loss to Oakwood that went to two overtimes. Senior signal-caller Erick Castillo opened his fourth year as the starter by throwing for 166 yards and three touchdowns and running for another score and 87 yards. He’s got several seniors up front to block a talented Comets front, but a largely young skill position group and linebacking unit will have to mature for Momence to stay near the top of the VVC.

About the Comets: Clifton Central couldn’t have drawn up a better start to new coach Jeff Perzee’s tenure, as Bryce Denault returned the opening kick for a score in a wire-to-wire 34-13 statement over defending conference champion Bismarck-Henning. Their offensive numbers weren’t over-the-top, but they didn’t need to be with the way the defense hunkered down against a traditionally stout Blue Devils offense. This is a huge rivalry game in Week 2, and if the Comets repeat last week’s performance, they could win it for the first time since 2022.

FND pick: Clifton Central

Iroquois West (1-0) at Watseka (0-1)

When: 7 p.m. Friday

About the Raiders: Iroquois West snapped an 11-game skid that dated back to 2023 with a nail-biting 21-20 win over Hoopeston last week, and now it’ll look to topple a Watseka team that’s won seven of the last eight meetings. Sophomore Aayden Miller, the team’s quarterback, showed some of his bursting two-way potential when he took an interception to the house, one of four picks from the IW defense. The Raiders likely won’t see too many interception opportunities against the Warriors, instead focusing on stopping the ground game.

About the Warriors: Despite tallying 187 rushing yards, the Watseka offense was held to just two trips to the end zone in a 22-13 loss to Georgetown-Ridge Farm. As the Warriors look to keep their stronghold on the rivalry meeting that awaits them Friday, their experienced group of linemen and running backs alike will look to not just repeat their yardage from a week ago, but finish off a couple more drives with touchdowns. Defensively, they’ll have to key on a speedy Raiders backfield.

FND Pick: Watseka

Illinois 8-Man Football Association

Meridian (0-1) at St. Anne (1-0)

When: 5 p.m. Saturday

About the Hawks: Meridian is making the move to 8-Man football in 2025, coming over from the small division of the Heart of Central Illinois Conference. The Hawks were tripped up 42-22 in their opener against South Fork/Edinburg/Morrisonville, and are now tasked with a trip to a St. Anne team that’s coming back for its home opener with a 1-0 record.

About the Cardinals: St. Anne has to be feeling good about starting the year with a 30-0 thwarting of a more-than-respectable Martinsville program on the road last weekend. The Cardinals come back home for a bit of a mystery against a team new to the I8FA landscape. That’s something that the Cardinals were just two short years ago, and with several three-year seniors that started their careers then, they should have a slight leg up Saturday.

FND Pick: St. Anne

St. Thomas More (0-1) at Milford/Cissna Park (1-0)

When: 7 p.m. Friday

About the Sabers: Since joining the I8FA in 2020, when they went 4-0 during the COVID-19-shortened season, there’s yet to be a postseason in which St. Thomas More isn’t there. And falling to 2024 state semifinalist Pawnee last week, the Sabers are hungry to keep themselves comfortable with that streak and avoid a 0-2 start.

About the Bearcats: Dierks Neukomm powered Milford/Cissna Park by going for more than 100 passing and rushing yards each in last week’s win over Peoria Heights, something coach Clint Schwartz can expect to count on from his third-year quarterback. But what Schwartz has to be especially pleased with is how some other players moving into larger roles played, such as Jace Comstock and his two touchdown catches.

FND Pick: Milford/Cissna Park