Southwest Valley Red

Bradley-Bourbonnais (5-0, 2-0) at Lincoln-Way Central (4-1, 2-1)

When: 7:30 p.m. Friday

About the Boilermakers: Bradley-Bourbonnais is having a spectacular season, and while offensively it has been pretty sensational, a surprisingly stout defense probably isn’t getting the credit it deserves. The Boilermakers have surrendered just 40 points all season, 22 of those surrendered in Week 4. It’s held four opponents to six points or less, including a 40-6 runaway over Stagg in Week 5. The offense showed its diversity in the Stagg win, as QB Ellis Johnson engineered an attack that nicely balanced the ground and air, as RBs Ky’ren Edmon and Issac Allison each scored a pair of rushing touchdowns.

About the Knights: Lincoln-Way Central wasted no time bouncing back from its first loss of the season to Lincoln-Way West in Week 4, as it jumped out to a huge lead against DeKalb and carried that through for a comfortable victory. The Knights’ defense also hasn’t seen a lot of struggles, as they’ve allowed a scant 38 points to their first five opponents. The offense has also been more robust than expected, especially after a season-ending injury to RB Luke Tingley, but RB Justin Cobbs continues to be very productive, shouldering most of the load. This win is a must for the Knights if they hope to keep their chances for a conference championship intact.

Friday Night Drive pick: Lincoln-Way Central

Lincoln-Way West (5-0, 3-0) at DeKalb (2-3, 1-1)

When: 7 p.m. Friday

About the Warriors: Lincoln-Way West had to grind out a win over Waubonsie Valley, which proved to be more of a challenge than expected. Waubonsie Valley’s 17-point effort matched the highest amount of points L-W West has allowed this season. It was the fourth decision of the season that went the Warriors’ way, where the outcome was decided by 10 points or less, and it allowed them to remain tied for the conference lead with Bradley-Bourbonnais.

About the Barbs: DeKalb probably isn’t looking forward to facing another team with “Lincoln-Way” in its name, as it was treated roughly in a loss to Lincoln-Way Central in Week 5. The Barbs have some capable offensive threats, most notably Illinois commit WR Davon Grant and QB Cole Latimer, but DeKalb will have its hands full trying to find a way to best utilize those players against a Lincoln-Way West defense that has proven to be stingy thus far.

FND pick: Lincoln-Way West

Southwest Valley Blue

Naperville Central (1-4, 1-2) at Lockport (2-3, 1-2)

When: 6:15 p.m. Friday

About the Redhawks: Naperville Central suffered the same fate many have, as it was overwhelmed by Lincoln-Way East in Week 5. Even though that loss doesn’t come as a big surprise, it further accentuated what the Redhawks’ biggest problem has been all season – they’ve struggled to score points. They’ve posted more than two touchdowns in just one game this season, their lone win over Neuqua Valley in Week 4, and any chance the Redhawks have in making the playoffs for a fifth consecutive time has to come with better offensive performances.

About the Porters: Lockport hopes to continue to build on the momentum of a win over Naperville North in Week 5 to inch back to the .500 mark, and it appears to be pretty pivotal for the Porters to do so should they hope to continue their drive to the playoffs. The Porters came through late with a big throw from QB Brendan Mecher in the Naperville North win and have gotten consistently strong efforts from RB Chris Miller. But Lockport would certainly appreciate getting a stronger foothold early in the game so it doesn’t have to rely on late-game theatrics.

FND pick: Lockport

Metea Valley (2-3, 0-3) at Lincoln-Way East (5-0, 3-0)

When: 7 p.m. Friday

About the Mustangs: Metea Valley started the season better than the Mustangs have in quite some time after winning its first two games, but things have returned to normal since they returned to conference play. The Mustangs have won more than one game just once (now twice) since 2016, and, curiously, the school was placed in the stronger of the two Southwest Valley Divisions, where it will be hard-pressed to add onto the two wins they’ve already achieved.

About the Griffins: Another week, another dominant performance for Lincoln-Way East. The Griffins ran away and hid early in the victory against Naperville Central in Week 5, a game where QB Jonas Williams tied the state record for career touchdown passes by throwing his 127th TD pass in the second quarter. He didn’t play after throwing that tying score, both due to the lopsided score and the fact that he suffered a minor ankle injury that isn’t expected to keep him from taking that record all to himself in this game.

FND pick: Lincoln-Way East

Southwest Prairie Crossover

Joliet West (2-3) at Oswego (4-1)

When: 7 p.m. Friday

About the Tigers: A young Joliet West team seems to be growing up in a hurry. The Tigers took a pair of lopsided losses to start the season, but appear to have taken some lessons from those setbacks and have looked like a different team recently, particularly on defense. Allowing just 42 points over the last three games, a stretch where they’ve gone 2-1, has allowed the Tigers to obtain the clear driver’s seat in the Southwest Prairie East race, as they are the only team without a divisional loss. Taking this crossover game would be a huge boon for them, but even putting forth a solid effort in a loss would put them in a good place for a favorable stretch-run schedule.

About the Panthers: Oswego saw its prolific offense hit a brick wall in a Week 5 loss to Yorkville, but there’s still plenty of reason to fear the Panthers. The defense continues to play well, as Yorkville had to scratch and claw for what it got in handing Oswego its first loss. It will be interesting to see how Oswego responds to the adversity of losing its first regular-season game since 2023 (a 14-game winning streak), but QB Drew Kleinhans and the Oswego rushing attack are likely itching to put its lackluster 150-yard offensive effort behind it.

FND pick: Oswego

Plainfield Central (2-3) at Minooka (3-2)

When: 7 p.m. Friday

About the Wildcats: Plainfield Central turned the tables on Joliet Central in Week 5 after falling to them last season. The Wildcats have clearly improved from last season’s winless campaign, but there’s still a lot of work to be done before Plainfield Central can reasonably be expected to chase down a crossover victory. The Joliet Central game – where Plainfield Central held the Steelmen to 10 points – is a good sign for a defensive unit that has given up points in bunches at times, and this might be one of the better crossover matchups the Wildcats could have gotten to continue that momentum.

About the Indians: Minooka‘s heart-racing season continued with a narrow victory over Plainfield North in Week 5, where they scored a touchdown with less than two minutes to play to secure the victory. Minooka games this season have been decided by 1, 2, 1, 10 and 3 points, and it stands to reason nothing is going to come easy for the Indians the rest of the way. It also probably doesn’t help that this is the last currently sub-.500 record opponent that Minooka will see.

FND pick: Minooka

Plainfield East (3-2) at Plainfield North (1-4)

When: 7 p.m. Friday

About the Bengals: After a fantastic start, Plainfield East is learning about the rigors of the Southwest Prairie Conference the hard way. Although the Bengals did give Plainfield South a good fight in Week 5, the narrow loss to the previously winless Cougars is one that might prove costly in East’s quest to return to the playoff fray. Disregard the records here, as Plainfield North has always been a difficult team for the Bengals to deal with. They’ve lost the last nine meetings between the two schools and are just 2-11 all-time against the Tigers.

About the Tigers: Plainfield North‘s 23-20 loss to Minooka in Week 5 might sting for a little while. The Tigers seemed to have the game in control, but surrendered a touchdown with less than two minutes to play and fell to 1-4. The Tigers struggled through offensive woes for the first three weeks of the season, scoring just 12 points combined, but seem to have corrected that issue somewhat. There’s not much they can do about the relentless nature of its schedule, which has just one team that is currently below .500 and closes with four teams currently a combined 15-5.

FND pick: Plainfield North

Plainfield South (1-4) at Yorkville (5-0)

When: 6:30 p.m. Friday

About the Cougars: Plainfield South put a win on the ledger in Week 5, but still faces a difficult uphill climb if it wants to secure a playoff berth. Not only does a date with an undefeated team loom large in Week 6, but if a loss occurs here, the Cougars would need to run the table and get help from some opponents to even have a chance at defending their conference championship from a year ago, which would be the only way they could get into the field.

About the Foxes: Yorkville is off to its best start since 2019, and a lot of the reason for that is thanks to the play of its stellar defense. They completely squelched what had been a potent attack by Oswego in Week 5 and have allowed just 39 points all season. Yorkville’s offensive attack doesn’t overwhelm, but that unit, led by QB Jack Beetham, simply doesn’t make a lot of mistakes and doesn’t give many extra opportunities to try to attack a defense that doesn’t give you much anyway. So far, that’s been a lethal combination.

FND pick: Yorkville

Joliet Central (1-4) at Bolingbrook (3-2)

When: 7 p.m. Friday

About the Steelmen: Joliet Central was hoping its narrow Week 1 win over Thornridge would serve as something of a springboard to a better season. So far, that simply hasn’t been the case. Its Week 5 loss to Plainfield Central had to be disappointing, as that was the lone team the Steelmen managed to defeat last season in ending a long losing streak. More concretely, Joliet Central’s defensive efforts simply have to get better for it to have a chance at playing competitively the rest of the way. Joliet Central has given up 257 points through five games, one of the highest totals in the state.

About the Raiders: Bolingbrook may not have enjoyed a lopsided loss to Oswego back in Week 3, but it sure seemed to spark something in the team. Two lopsided wins – including a Week 5 win over previously undefeated Oswego East – seem to indicate the Raiders are a team moving in a positive direction. RB TJ Lewis had another monster game guiding the Bolingbrook offense, while QB Tyson Ward is providing a steady hand both in the passing game and helping Bolingbrook run an effective version of the read-option.

FND pick: Bolingbrook

Romeoville (3-2) at Oswego East (4-1)

When: 7 p.m. Friday

About the Spartans: After a fantastic start, Romeoville has hit something of a wall. The Spartans have given up a combined 90 points in back-to-back losses, and all of a sudden, their playoff prospects look a little perilous. There’s an opportunity for a rebound later in the schedule, but this game against Oswego East is probably not part of that. Romeoville was walloped in its other crossover game this season by Plainfield North, a team Oswego East beat back in Week 3.

About the Wolves: Oswego East is also reeling a bit after a fantastic start. The Wolves’ defense had been stellar through the first four weeks, allowing a scant 16 points, but a high-octane Bolingbrook offense doubled that in just one game in a runaway win in Week 5. Odds are the Wolves will take this game as an opportunity to regroup. QB Nico Villacci is an experienced signal-caller, and he should help the Wolves get back to the form that allowed them several comfortable wins to start the season.

FND pick: Oswego East

CCL/ESCC Orange

Marist (1-4, 0-1) at Providence (3-2, 1-0)

When: 7:30 p.m. Friday

About the Redhawks: Marist, which had already had three games this season where it had fallen by a touchdown or less during an unexpected 0-4 start, finally had the law of averages fall its way as it clipped IC Catholic 29-28 in Week 5. Obviously, a fifth loss would have been devastating to the Redhawks’ hopes of making the postseason, and while a CCL/ESCC slate never seems to give much pause, the back half of Marist’s schedule looks a lot more manageable for a possible run.

About the Celtics: Providence has had a wild journey through five games this season, and its loss to Wheaton St. Francis in Week 5 showed that the defensive unit still has some work to do. The offensive unit seems to be having a different player step up every week, and it was RB Broden Mackert’s turn in Week 5. This looks like a pivotal game for Providence’s playoff hopes, because even though the Celtics have three 1-4 teams left, that record is pretty deceptive for both this week’s opponent and rival Joliet Catholic, which looms in Week 9.

FND pick: Marist

Niles Notre Dame (2-3, 0-1) at Joliet Catholic (1-4, 1-0)

When: 7:30 p.m. Friday

About the Dons: After a couple of close victories to start the season (13-12 over Washington and 31-28 over St. Charles East), the tide has clearly turned on the Dons. Those close wins were flipped with a couple of competitive losses and then a lopsided loss to St. Rita in Week 5, and now they are mired in a three-game slide. To break out of that, Notre Dame needs an offensive infusion. It’s scored more than two touchdowns in a game just once all season.

About the Hilltoppers: With its back against the wall, Joliet Catholic didn’t play like it had a lopsided loss to Nazareth in Week 5. The Hilltoppers gave up six touchdowns through the air, including four in the second quarter, as Nazareth would go on to induce a rare running clock against Joliet Catholic and send the Hilltoppers’ playoff hopes into a perilous position. The Hilltoppers will either need to pull the shocker of all shockers and upset Mount Carmel in Week 7, along with winning all of its other remaining games, or close on a 3-1 stretch and hope the field is favorable to four-win at-larges.

FND pick: Joliet Catholic

Interstate 8

Rochelle (3-2, 1-1) at Morris (5-0, 2-0)

When: 7 p.m. Friday

About the Hubs: Rochelle got back on track after a two-game losing streak with a comfortable win over La Salle-Peru, and the Hubs hope they can continue that momentum here. Rochelle had little trouble dispatching Morris last season, but historically, they haven’t fared well with Morris, as it was only its second win over it in 20 years.

About Morris: Morris continued its dominance over Kaneland over the past few years with a resounding victory over the Knights in Week 5. They did most of their offensive damage on the ground, as RBs Caeden Curran and Mick Smith each scored a pair of touchdowns. But perhaps the more impressive feat was turned in by the defense, as while the final was 42-21, most of that scoring was done late, and the main defensive unit largely reined in an offense that was averaging over 40 points a game coming in.

FND pick: Morris

South Suburban Blue

T.F. North (3-2, 2-1) at Lemont (3-2, 3-0)

When: 6 p.m. Friday

About Lemont: Lemont continued to find conference play to its liking, as its offense has rolled up over 150 points in conference victories over the past three weeks. Not to be outdone, the defense has also been stingy, allowing just 26 points over the same stretch, including just six in a runaway win over T.F. South in Week 5. Lemont’s schedule appeared to be both frontloaded with tough nonconference games and backloaded with its more difficult league games, and that’s exactly the way things have played out.

About the Meteors: T.F. North averted what could have been a major disaster by nosing out winless Bremen by one point in its Week 5 victory that allowed it to stay above the .500 mark. The Meteors’ schedule is proving to be a roller coaster, with good teams followed by struggling teams throughout. After Lemont, the remaining schools on T.F. North’s schedule have a current combined record of 2-13.

FND pick: Lemont

Nonconference

Thornton (2-3) at Wilmington (4-1)

When: 7 p.m. Friday

About Thornton: This seems like an unorthodox pairing of opponents, but the Southland Conference’s odd number of teams, coupled with Wilmington’s need for a game after Lisle’s decision to forfeit the season, brought this pairing about. The Thornton Wildcats have played a bit better than they have in recent seasons, but still look like they are going to have trouble matching up here, especially offensively, as they’ve scored just 47 points in five games.

About Wilmington: Wilmington is truly firing on all cylinders. Its dominant rushing attack piled up almost 400 yards rushing and did so at a clip of about 9 yards per attempt in a comfortable win over Manteno in Week 5. The Wildcats combine a ground-chewing, clock-eating offense coupled with a defense that simply refuses to give up much, if any, yardage is making for a lethal combination for Illinois Central Eight opponents to try to deal with. Even though Wilmington is stepping out of conference play here, expect that recipe to continue to bear fruit.

FND pick: Wilmington

Illinois Central Eight

Peotone (3-2, 2-1) at Reed-Custer (2-3, 1-2)

When: 7 p.m. Friday

About the Blue Devils: It appears Peotone may have only been dabbling in a pass-happy attack in an attempt to surprise conference stalwart Wilmington a few weeks ago. After a bye week because of the Lisle forfeit, Peotone went right back on its grind to pile up a truckload of rushing yardage as it went back above the .500 mark with a Week 5 win over Streator.

About the Comets: Reed-Custer has made substantial progress over the past few weeks, but that came to a halt in a Week 5 loss to Coal City, as one of the conference’s strongholds made sure the Comets didn’t have much of a chance to make an impact. This is a pivotal game for Reed-Custer, though, as the chance to get back to .500 this deep in the season for a program that has been a long way from it in recent years at this stage would be quite the accomplishment.

FND pick: Peotone

Coal City (4-1, 3-0) at Manteno (3-2, 1-2)

When: 7 p.m. Friday

About the Coalers: Coal City showed it is still capable of bullying people on the ground despite its recent passing prowess. Showcasing that, Logan Natyshok ran for 126 yards and three touchdowns for the Coalers as they breezed to a win over Reed-Custer. Excluding its loss to Richmond-Burton, Coal City has surpassed 40 points in four of its victories to date.

About the Panthers: This is clearly the roughest two-game stretch of the Manteno slate, as the Panthers were overwhelmed in a Week 5 loss to Wilmington. Manteno ran for just 6 yards, gained less than 100 yards of total offense, and found itself trailing 42-0 at the half. Things weren’t much better defensively, as it gave up just short of 400 yards of total offense, all of it rushin,g as Wilmington followed its typical blueprint.

FND pick: Coal City

Chicagoland Prairie

Seneca (5-0, 1-0) at Ottawa Marquette (3-2, 2-0)

When: 7 p.m. Friday

About the Fighting Irish: Seneca started a little slow in its Week 5 win over Dwight, but proceeded to outscore the Trojans 50-14 over the final three quarters. The Fighting Irish have continued to punish opponents running the football and have had three different ballcarriers rush for at least 100 yards. Seneca has rushed for at least 300 yards per game and has won all of its games but one by 33 points or more.

About the Crusaders: After a low-scoring loss to Edgar, one of Wisconsin’s better small-school programs, the Ottawa Marquette offense has woken up. The Crusaders have posted nearly 100 points in the last two weeks in lopsided wins over Dwight and St. Bede and appear primed to give Seneca a good counterpunch in a battle of two clearly productive offensive attacks.

FND pick: Seneca

Dwight (2-3, 0-2) at St. Bede (2-3, 0-1)

When: 7 p.m. Saturday

About the Trojans: Dwight finds itself mired in a somewhat surprising three-game slide, and the biggest problem is pretty easy to detect. The Trojans have given up 50 or more points in each of those games, which simply isn’t sustainable if the Trojans hope to not only gain entrance into the Class 1A playoffs after an enrollment number drop, but also do damage if they manage to get there.

About the Bruins: St. Bede has one of the state’s stranger small-school schedules, and that’s showing in their results thus far. The Bruins have won a pair of games comfortably against a pair of winless teams, but have struggled both offensively and defensively in all of their other games. The back half of their schedule features not only undefeated Seneca, but a very solid 4A Peoria Notre Dame team in Week 8, so if St. Bede wants to be a playoff team, this is pretty much a have-to-have-it contest.

FND pick: Dwight