Four Bureau County players dressed for the Division 1 football stage for the 2025 season-opening weekend.

Two met on the same field.

Hall’s Mac Resetich (Illinois) and Princeton’s Payne Miller (Western Illinois) were on opposite sides once again in Champaign when their teams kicked off the season at Memorial Stadium.

The Illini won 52-3.

Resetich, a junior defensive back, made two solo tackles for the Illini.

Miller, a sophomore defensive end, had two assists, including 1/2 sack, for the Leathernecks.

It was a moment that Miller will never forget.

“It was one of the most amazing experiences of my life, the atmosphere was obviously hostile as they all wanted Illinois to win, but it was amazing nonetheless,” Miller said. “Being out there with a team of guys that I’ve been working with day after day, week after week feels good even though we didn’t get the outcome we wanted.”

While they did not get a chance to talk, Miller said it was cool to be on the same field as Resetich.

“It’s awesome to see Mac getting time out there. He’s a fantastic athlete and doing great things at Illinois,“ he said.

Also dressing for 2025 D1 season openers were Princeton’s Teegan Davis, a sophomore DB for Iowa, and Bennett Williams, a sophomore defensive linemen for the Air Force Academy. Both teams won with the Hawkeyes defeating Albany 34-7 and the Falcons winning 49-13 over Bucknell.

Two former Princeton teammates will meet up Friday in Evanston when Miller and the Leathernecks play at Northwestern. Noah LaPorte, who did not travel with Northwestern for their 23-3 loss Saturday at Tulane in New Orleans, will be suited up for the Wildcats’ home opener.

“It’s very crazy to think about. Just a couple years we were on the same team having the time of our life and now we are going against each other playing big-time football,“ LaPorte said. ”I’m so proud of him and all my other teammates that went on to go play football or a college sport.”

It is likely the first time there has been five players from Bureau County in Div. 1 football at the same time.

Princeton’s Cade Odell, a freshman lineman, will undergo shoulder surgery and is expected to be ready for spring football at Dordt University in Sioux Center, Iowa.