CSM Pick 'Em: Playoffs Round 2, 2026
There are no pretenders by the second round of the IHSA football playoffs.
Eight Central Illinois teams remain in the round of 16 in their respective brackets heading into the weekend.
Metamora is the lone area team left that did not earn a first-round bye and looks to win as a lower seed for the second straight week, taking on Springfield Sacred Heart-Griffin.
Many eyes and ears in the area will be fixed on a Mid-Illini/Big 12 showdown in Class 6A between Normal West and Pekin on Friday night while Heyworth also plays on Friday against a former conference foe.
El Paso-Gridley takes on a current conference opponent in Warrensburg-Latham, who it beat 24-0 in Week 8 and Tri-Valley rounds out small-school action against Wilmington. Morton will look to take down Troy Triad, who is coming off a win over Washington and Normal Community matches up against Chicago Kenwood.
Clutch Sports Media will be providing a free, live audio-only broadcast of Pekin at Normal West on Friday, which can be listened to on clutchsportsil.com with pregame coverage starting at approximately 6:50 p.m.
Six CSM staff members have made their picks for each game in the area this week in our CSM Pick ‘Em below.
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