Saturday's Football Playoff Preview — Round 3

NO. 1 TRIOPIA-MEREDOSIA (11-0) AT NO. 12 TUSCOLA (8-3)
Game time: 1 p.m.
Last meeting: Tuscola 62, Triopia-Meredosia 8 (2nd round of 2007 Class 1A playoffs)
Last week: Triopia-Meredosia 46, Arcola 0; Tuscola 21, Mount Olive 7
Players to watch: Triopia-Meredosia — RB/DB Dave Arendt (1,603 rushing yards, 8.9 yards per carry, 24 rushing TDs, 31 tackles, INT), QB/DB Kellan Phelps (22-of-43 passing, 420 passing yards, 7 passing TDs, 3 INTs, 55 tackles, 4 INTs), FB Clay Nordsiek (540 rushing yards, 7.9 yards per carry, 5 rushing TDs), RB/DB Bradley Dinsmore (349 rushing yards, 9.2 yards per carry, 4 rushing TDs, 29 tackles, 2 INTs), OL/LB Adam Brockhouse (80 tackles, 4 tackles for loss, INT), DL Jacob Whited (33 tackles, 3 tackles for loss); Tuscola — WR Gunnar Edwards (48 receptions, 880 receiving yards, 10 receiving TDs), QB Caleb Little (70-of-173 passing, 1,167 passing yards, 12 passing TDs, 10 INTs, 474 rushing yards, 3.2 yards per carry, 9 rushing TDs), RB Josh Scribner (713 rushing yards, 4.1 yards per carry, 5 rushing TDs), Shane Albert (234 rushing yards, 3.8 yards per carry, 5 rushing TDs, 11 receptions, 123 receiving yards, 2 receiving TDs), John Ervin (178 rushing yards, 5.9 yards per carry, 1 rushing TD), Jesse Hall (6 receptions, 65 receiving yards)
Notes: Triopia was routed by Tuscola in the second round of the playoffs last year, 62-8. Tuscola advanced to the state title game but lost to Galena 35-7. ... Tuscola upset No. 4 Routt in the first round and No. 5 Mount Olive in the second round to advance to today’s quarterfinal game. Tuscola has advanced to the quarterfinals in each of the past five seasons. ... Mount Olive tallied over 300 yards rushing last week against Tuscola, but the Warriors forced six turnovers for the second week in a row, including two with Mount Olive’s offense in the red zone. ... Triopia has qualified for the playoffs in eight straight seasons but hasn’t been to the quarterfinals since 2005. ... Tuscola is the lowest seed still alive in the Class 1A playoffs. Only four teams with a lower seed than Tuscola still remain in the IHSA playoffs. No. 13 Schaumburg (Class 8A) and No. 13 Fox Lake Grant (Class 6A) are still alive, as are No. 14 Richmond-Burton (Class 4A) and No. 15 Elmhurst Immaculate Conception (Class 2A). ... The winner of today’s game will play the winner of No. 3 Salt Fork and No. 10 Pawnee. Salt Fork will travel to Pawnee for a 2 p.m. game today. ... If Triopia wins today, the Trojans would host a semifinal game regardless of the winner between Salt Fork and Pawnee. If Tuscola wins, the Warriors would be on the road at either Salt Fork or Pawnee.
Prediction: If the Trojans hold on to the ball, they win. TRIOPIA-MEREDOSIA 20, TUSCOLA 14