Aug. 21—➜ Yes, Unity graduated a talented senior class. But the Rockets have seven state runner-up finishes in the last 25 years for a reason. Their next journey begins Friday night at Rantoul.
➜ New quarterback Lane McKinney will operate behind a talented offensive line, led by Oregon commit Cameron Wagner. First up: Prairie Central at Dick Duval Field on Friday night in St. Joseph.
➜ Watch out for junior running back Marco Casillas, who rushed for more than 1,000 yards as a sophomore. He and the Bulldogs get a quality test by hosting Morton on Friday night at Frank Dutton Field.
➜ Marcus Otto and the Knights have their sights set on another Lincoln Prairie Conference championship. ALAH gets it going when it hosts Villa Grove/Heritage on Friday night at Wilson Field in Arthur.
➜ The Comets return nearly all their starters from a 7-3 team a year ago. Kyler Johnson and his teammates embark upon a highly-anticipated season on Saturday night at BHRA.
➜ The state's most high-scoring offense in 2025 brings back a three-year starter at quarterback in Easton Bolin. Expect more success from the Tigers, who open at Iroquois West on Friday.
➜ Underestimate a team coached by Cully Welter at your own risk. New quarterback Colton Shubert will make his first start on Friday night when the Sages host Chillicothe IVC in Illini Prairie Conference action.
➜ A program with a rich playoff history, Tuscola last won a playoff game in 2022. Three-year starting quarterback Jon Pettry and the Warriors kick it off Friday night at Warrensburg-Latham.
➜ New coach will count on returning starting quarterback Tucker Mueller this season. The Falcons have a quality test on Friday night when they host perennial power Tri-Valley.
➜ The first of three straight games at Tommy Stewart Field for the Maroons begins on Friday night as new quarterback Luke Harding makes his first start against Danville.
➜ Liam Parish and Co. have ample motivation to beat Oakwood on Saturday night after the Comets defeated the Blue Devils 21-13 to end the 2025 regular season. Should be a good one in Bismarck.
➜ Centennial is the most consistent area Big 12 program this decade, with four playoff appearances since 20212. First-year coach Keegan Hill will look to keep that trend going, starting Saturday against Urbana.
➜ A turnaround season in 2025 that featured a 7-3 record has heightened expectations for quarterback Micah Wiltz and the Mustangs. The task of maintaining that momentum begins Friday night against LeRoy.
➜ The days of Sullivan struggling underneath the Friday night lights appear to be done. John Bertetto has gone 30-16 record in his five seasons in charge. His sixth begins Saturday night against Argenta-Oreana.
➜ Fullback and linebacker Jamison Chambliss is who Vermilion Valley Conference teams will be leery of when they face the Storm, who open Friday night at Clifton Central.
➜ If Max Wilson and the rest of the Blue Devils leave Arthur with a win against Arthur-Lovington-Atwood-Hammond on Friday night, the co-op program will move up significantly in next week's rankings.
➜ Wonder if the Panthers will throw the ball more times than their initial ranking? Don't bet on it. A successful run game means a successful season for LeRoy, which opens at Ridgeview/Lexington on Friday.
➜ Speaking of running teams, look no figure than the Hawks with coach Andrew Quain back on the sidelines. Prairie Central could generate significant attention on Friday night if it wins at St. Joseph-Ogden.
➜ A young team, led by quarterback Sam Hall, gets a rugged first test when the Panthers kick off the season on Friday night at reigning Illini Prairie Conference champion Bloomington Central Catholic.
➜ D'Mario Jackson is likely the fastest Big 12 football player this season. How will that help the Vikings try and turn around two straight losing season? Stay tuned.
➜ The premier 8-man program in the area hosts Hiawatha on Saturday and will have a new starting quarterback this season. Maddox Muehling replaces two-year starter Dierks Neukomm for the Bearcats.
➜ Need a Vermilion Valley Conference team that could sneak up on a few teams this season? Meet the Buffaloes. Third-year coach Ryan Dieu has his alma mater trending in the right direction.
➜ The Bombers last enjoyed a winning season in 2019. First-year coach TJ Schroeder is tasked with trying to make that happen this fall, and he'll get his first chance to do so Saturday night at Sullivan.
➜ A program that has won four state titles, most recently in 2015, has gone through some lean years recently. Second-year coach Sergio Medina continues the Purple Riders' rebuild on Friday night at Nokomis.
➜ Andrew Todd moves from fullback to quarterback for the Bunnies, who make their Lincoln Prairie Conference debut on Friday night by hosting Cumberland at Kellar Field.
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