EDWARDSVILLE - Edwardsville's football team will play in the postseason for the 16th consecutive year on Saturday, Oct. 24, 2026, when the Tigers host Chicago Lincoln Park in an opening round game of the IHSA Class 7A playoffs in a game at Tiger Stadium that kicks off at 5 p.m.
The Tigers last missed the playoffs in 2010, and this year made the field with a 4-5 record, the same as the Lions. The IHSA expanded the field to 40 teams in each class, and gave the top seeds a bye into the first round of the playoffs, which are set for next week. The Tigers were seeded 32nd in the field, while Lincoln Park picked up the 33rd seed.
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Calhoun, 8-1 overall and the area's most successful team, received a bye this week in the IHSA Class 1A playoffs
In other area opening round games set for this weekend, in Class 1A, 16th-seeded Carrollton hosts 17th-seeded Athens at 1 p.m., while in Class 2A, Piasa Southwestern who were seeded 18th, is at 15th seed Decatur St. Teresa Catholic Friday night at 7 p.m, while 16th seeded Carlinville hosts 17th-seeded Riverton Saturday at 2 p.m. In Class 3A, Roxana, the 16th seed, plays at home against 17th seed Metropolis Massac County Saturday at 2 p.m., with 22nd-seeded Staunton playing at 11th seed Fairfield, also at 2 p.m. Carlinville
In Class 4A, 16th seed Civic Memorial will host 17th seeded Quincy Notre Dame Catholic Friday night at 7 p.m., while Jersey, who was seeded 20th, travels to 13th seed Peoria Notre Dame Catholic for a game Saturday afternoon at 3 p.m., and 21st seed Marquette Catholic plays at 12th seed Metamora Friday night at 7 p.m. Highland, who were seeded 10th, plays at home against 22nd seed Lincoln Friday night at 7 p.m. In another Class 7A game, 45th-seeded Collinsville plays at 20th-seeded Chicago St. Patrick Friday at 6 p.m. 16th-seeded Carlinville plays at home against Rivertown at 2 p.m. Saturday.
Quarterback Dean Williams will lead the Tigers' offense against Lincoln Park, and he's a do-everything player for Edwardsville, leading the team in rushing with 699 yards and eight touchdowns, and also leading the team in passing, going 90-of-133 for 1,090 yards and 10 touchdowns. The running of Brandon Houston, Jr.. Cohen Followell, and Wyatt Gibbs will also be a big factor for Edwardsville, with Houston running for 261 yards and a touchdown, Followell has 178 yards and four touchdowns, and Gibbs has run for 176 yards.
The Tigers also have a very efficient passing game, with Tucker Sanderson catching 18 passes for 268 yards and a touchdown, Houston having 13 receptions for 84 yards, Gibbs catching 12 balls for 84 yards, Roman Preciado having 10 catches for 164 yards, Braylon Cunningham has 10 receptions for 161 yards and a touchdown, and Nolan Smith has nine catches for 181 yards and a touchdown.
The Tigers will need to have a successful three-phase game - offense, defense, and special teams - to advance to a date with top-seeded Normal Community in the first round next week.
