VIDEO: Our picks to win state; big changes to Super 25 on “Sun-Times Game Week”

16 teams are heading to Champaign later this week for the 2018 IHSA state football championship games. On this episode of “Sun-Times Game Week,” our co-hosts Michael O’Brien, Annie Costabile and Beth Long discuss the latest playoff news including big semifinal upsets: Loyola over number one ranked Lincoln-Way East and St. Charles North over the 2017 state champs, Batavia.

State Championship Preview

The state title games are this Friday and Saturday at Memorial Stadium. Our preps team weighs in on their picks to win state titles. The matchups are:

Class 1A: Forreston vs. Camp Point Central, 10 a.m. Friday

Class 2A: Gibson City vs. Maroa-Forsyth, 1 p.m. Friday

Class 3A: Byron vs. Monticello, 4 p.m. Friday

Class 4A: IC Catholic vs. Bishop McNamara, 7 p.m. Friday

Class 5A: Montini vs. Joliet Catholic, 10 a.m. Saturday

Class 6A: Cary-Grove vs. Crete-Monee, 1 p.m. Saturday

Class 7A: Nazareth vs. St. Charles North, 4 p.m. Saturday

Class 8A: Brother Rice vs. Loyola, 7 p.m. Saturday

Player of the Week

There’s also new “Player of the Week: Trayvon Rudolph of Crete-Monee who had 412 yards and five touchdowns in the victory over Richards. That come from behind win means C-M is heading to the state finals to face Cary-Grove.

New Super 25 Rankings

The semifinal results had a big impact on this week’s Super 25. Lincoln-Way East’s loss to Loyola means there’s a new number one team atop the rankings for the first time all season. Undefeated Brother Rice is now atop the Super 25 rankings after defeating Marist. Other big moves include Loyola’s jump from No. 12 to No. 3 and St. Charles North’s move from No. 18 to No. 7.

Other News

• Michael O’Brien has an update on the lawsuit filed against the IHSA by Simeon parents and alumni who claim there was “blatant cheating” in the playoff game loss to Nazareth.
• The video also includes a preview of the upcoming basketball season including an interview with Riverside-Brookfield coach Mike Reingruber and player Zach Vaia.

More Sun-Times High School sports stories:

• VIDEO: Brother Rice beats rival Marist to advance to Class 8A title game
• St. Charles North heading to first-ever state title game double OT win over Mount Carmel
• Taft beats Solorio, wins first city title in 46 years
• Semifinal scores and updated brackets