Twelve games. One champion. Join the Sentinel’s Pigskin Playoff Challenge. This week's braggin rights and a shot at dethroning last week's champion are all on the line.
Photo: Sentinel/Clark Brooks
St. Joseph-Ogden's Logan Umbarger finds plenty of running room thanks to an explosive offensive front line during the Spartans' home game against Bloomington Central Catholic. Umbarger ran for 110 yards and two touchdowns in the regular season game. SJO will need a similar performance on Saturday when they host Althoff Catholic in their first round 3A game.
2026 Opening Round Scores
Prairie Central 44
Chicago Christian 20 Unity 70
Robinson 16 Pontiac 44
Dyett 26 Lockport 35
Stevenson 21 O'Fallon 36
Joliet West 6 East Moline United 24
Champaign Central 3 Stillman Valley 32
Reed-Custer 31 Bismarck-Henning-R-A 51
Marshall 14 Villa Grove-Heritage 34
Dupo 0 Warrensburg-Latham 42
Georgetown-Ridge Farm 14 Buffalo Grove 28
Andrew 27 Tinley Park 20
Woodstock North 8
Urbana — Boom! Frank came out throwing bombs in last week’s pigskin challenge, correctly picking the winner in 11 of 12 games to take the opening-round title.
There wasn’t much separation in three matchups, with the forecasters splitting their votes right down the middle in Reed-Custer vs. Stillman Valley, Marshall vs. Bismarck-Henning-Rossville-Alvin and Woodstock North vs. Tinley Park.
Meanwhile, all six forecasters agreed on four winners: Andrew over Buffalo Grove, Georgetown-Ridge Farm over Warrensburg-Latham, Villa Grove over Dupo and Unity over Robinson.
A couple of picks stood out from the crowd. Hillary was the lone forecaster to take No. 23 seed Pontiac over No. 10 Dyett, and the Indians rewarded her faith with a 44-26 upset.
Cory H. — Steamers was the only forecaster to call No. 18 Prairie Central over No. 15 Chicago Christian. The Hawks scored at least one touchdown in every quarter on their way to a 44-20 victory.
Then there was the Sentinel’s pick of Champaign Central over East Moline United. Maybe it was hometown loyalty. Maybe the crystal ball was malfunctioning. Either way, the Panthers made the Sentinel look bad, rolling to a 24-3 win. All five other forecasters picked East Moline United. You win some. You lose some.
Can Frank stay at the top of our weekly challenge? Will the Sentinel climb its way out of the basement to a more respectable spot on the leaderboard? This week’s contest features 12 first-round playoff games, giving our forecasters another chance to prove who is the most clairvoyant football expert.
Prairie Central 44
Chicago Christian 20 Unity 70
Robinson 16 Pontiac 44
Dyett 26 Lockport 35
Stevenson 21 O'Fallon 36
Joliet West 6 East Moline United 24
Champaign Central 3 Stillman Valley 32
Reed-Custer 31 Bismarck-Henning-R-A 51
Marshall 14 Villa Grove-Heritage 34
Dupo 0 Warrensburg-Latham 42
Georgetown-Ridge Farm 14 Buffalo Grove 28
Andrew 27 Tinley Park 20
Woodstock North 8
Sentinel football playoff leaderboard
1. Frank (11-1)2. Cory H - Steamers (10-2)
3. Cory (9-3)
4. DoubleJ (8-4)
5. Hillary (8-4)
6. The Sentinel (6-6)