2024 IHSA football schedule release: NewsTribune area's top games to watch, week by week

The IHSA released its statewide football schedules for the 2024 season. Here are some top games to watch in the NewsTribune coverage area this fall.

Week 1: St. Bede at Tri-Valley, 7 p.m. Friday, Aug. 30

The Bruins have a stiff test to open the season as they travel to Downs to play the perennially strong Vikings. Tri-Valley has won double-digit games the past three seasons, including going 10-1 last fall, and has a state title and two runner-up finishes under coach Josh Roop. The Bruins have made three straight playoff appearances, including going 5-5 last season.

Week 2: Princeton at Rockridge, 7 p.m., Friday, Sept. 6

The Week 2 matchup pits the reigning Three Rivers Conference Mississippi Division champion Tigers against the defending TRC Rock champion Rockets. Princeton won its fifth straight conference title last season and advanced to the quarterfinals for the fourth year in a row, finishing 10-2. Rockridge has won the last two Rock titles. The Rockets went 9-2 last season. Princeton beat Rockridge 41-22 the last time the team’s met in the 2022 season opener.

Week 3: Mendota at Hall, 7 p.m. Friday, Sept. 13

Since renewing their rivalry when Mendota joined the Three Rivers Conference for the fall 2021 season, the Trojans and Hall have put up a lot of points against each other, averaging a combined 76.3 points per game. Hall has won the past two meetings – 34-7 last year and 66-45 in 2022 – and Mendota won 43-34 in 2021.

Week 4: Princeton at Kewanee, 7 p.m. Friday, Sept. 20

Princeton has dominated the Three Rivers Conference Mississippi Division with five straight titles, but Kewanee has been right there. The Boilermakers tied the Tigers for the crown in 2021 and placed second twice in the past five full seasons. Kewanee gave Princeton one of its two conference losses in the past five seasons. The Tigers won last year’s game 37-14, which was Kewanee’s only regular-season loss.

Week 5: Rochelle at La Salle-Peru, 7 p.m. Friday, Sept. 27

With the Interstate 8/Kishwaukee River partnership gone, the Cavaliers and Hubs will meet on the gridiron again after a three-year hiatus. L-P won the last meeting between the teams 29-0 during the spring 2021 season. The Cavs and Hubs are 3-3 against each other in the past six meetings.

Week 6: La Salle-Peru at Ottawa, 7 p.m. Friday, Oct. 4

The Cavaliers have won nine straight games over the Pirates – and have never lost to them under coach Jose Medina – and the streak may be 10 by the time this Interstate 8 Conference game happens as the rivals meet in a nonconference game in Week 3. What makes this matchup interesting will be seeing how they adjust after playing each other three weeks earlier.

Week 7: Gibson City-Melvin-Sibley at Fieldcrest, 7 p.m., Friday, Oct. 11

While the Knights will be playing some new opponents with the Heart of Illinois and Central Illinois conferences merging to form the Heart of Central Illinois Conference, the Falcons are a familiar foe. Fieldcrest and GCMS have played several close games in recent years, and the teams are 2-2 in the past four meetings dating to 2019.

Week 8: Mercer County at Princeton, 7 p.m. Friday, Oct. 18

The Tigers welcome a new opponent to the schedule in the Eagles, who left the Lincoln Trail Conference to join the Three Rivers, replacing Bureau Valley. Mercer County, which will be in the TRC Rock, went 6-4 last season and qualified for the Class 2A playoffs.

Week 9: Ottawa at St. Bede, 7 p.m. Friday, Oct. 25

With the Chicagoland Prairie Conference losing multiple members, the Bruins were left looking to fill holes in the schedule, and it led to an uncommon local matchup. The Class 5A Pirates will travel to Peru to play Class 1A St. Bede in the regular-season finale. The teams last met 44 years ago.