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Friday Night Drive Power Rankings: Top teams stumble, others struggle

Just two undefeated teams left in poll

Downers Grove North’s Caden Chiarelli (4) puts a move on Glenbard West defenders during a Class 7A second-round playoff game on November 8, 2025 at Glenbard West High School in Glen Ellyn.

Downers Grove North’s Caden Chiarelli (4) puts a move on Glenbard West defenders during a Class 7A second-round playoff game on November 8, 2025 at Glenbard West High School in Glen Ellyn. Downers Grove North moved into the Top 10 after its impressive win in Round 2. (Jon Cunningham for Shaw Local Ne)

By Steve Soucie

At this point of the season the rankings become much more about who is playing well at the right time.

Because of you aren’t playing your best right now, the season will come to an abrupt end.

The first six teams in last week’s Friday Night Drive Power Rankings survived and moved on, many in impressive fashion.

But only four of the next six will be playing on quarterfinal week in a segment of the season that saw eight of the Top 25 see their season end.

In reference to teams playing well, a few teams made a pretty substantial leap in this week’s poll. Downers Grove North leaped from No. 19 to No. 10, while Fremd bumped up from No. 17 to No. 12 and Bolingbrook also made a substantial shift from No. 25 to No. 16.

Newly ranked teams are Lake Zurich (No. 19), St. Francis (No. 22), Hersey (No. 24) and St. Rita (No. 25).

Here are the complete Friday Night Drive Power Rankings:

High School FootballFriday Night DriveFND - DeKalb CountyFND - DuPage & Cook CountiesFND - Illinois ValleyFND - Kane CountyFND - KankakeeFND - Kendall CountyFND - Lake CountyFND - McHenry CountyFND - Ogle CountyFND - Sauk ValleyFND - Will & Grundy CountiesMcHenry County Front HeadlinesDuPage and Cook County Front HeadlinesWill County Front HeadlinesSauk Valley Front HeadlinesGrundy County Front HeadlinesKankakee County Front HeadlinesKane County Front HeadlinesShaw Local Front HeadlinesDeKalb County Front Headlines
Steve Soucie

Steve Soucie

Steve Soucie is the Managing Editor of Friday Night Drive for Shaw Media. Also previously for Shaw Media, Soucie was the Sports Editor at the Joliet Herald News. Prior to that, Soucie worked at the Kankakee Daily Journal and for Pro Football Weekly.