There was almost no flashiness in the final game of the IHSA football season as Mount Carmel and Oswego found themselves embroiled in a defensive struggle with the Caravan claiming their 17th state title with a 20-3 win.

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The Oswego football team played Mount Carmel Saturday to decide the IHSA Class 8A state championship in Huskie Stadium at Northern Illinois University in DeKalb.

Oswego coach Brian Cooney was a senior linebacker on the 1992 state championship team, that school's first, and was on the coaching staff for the 2003 champions. Now he's leading his alma mater into the Class 8A championship game against Mount Carmel. "It mirrors a little bit."

Mount Carmel was an expected team in the Class 8A final, its opponent however, Oswego, would classify as a surprise. Steve Soucie previews Saturday's Class 8A title game.

Join hosts Steve Soucie, Russ Hodges and Josh Welge as they preview the Illinois high school football state championship games

Gianni Casurella does not need to be reminded that Oswego is the surprise participant in this Saturday’s Class 8A final. Doubt is his fuel. "A fire in my soul every day." Oswego's senior defensive tackle is a huge reason behind that defense's dominance during the playoff run.

Join hosts Joel Boenitz and Josh Welge as they preview the Illinois high school football state title games for the west suburban schools

Join hosts Matt Rodewald and Steve Soucie as they break down what we saw in the Illinois high school football playoff semifinals, talk about Mt. Carmel coach Jordan Lynch's recent comments, and look ahead to the state title games

Ammar Banire had a tying 63-yard touchdown run in the first minute of the fourth quarter, and Kaleb Stumpenhorst drilled a 42-yard field goal with a minute left as Oswego rallied to beat Lockport 10-7 in a Class 8A semifinal to advance to state for the first time in 22 years.