The new IHSA football playoff format begins to unfold this weekend as the first "Opening Round" of action kicks in with 10 games that include Rockford-area playoff teams.
The top teams in each class received a bye this week under the new playoff format, but the rest battle it out for a chance to get to play those top seeds. Now, it's time for all that to begin to unravel.
Opening round football games: Complete Rockford-area football playoff schedule for the Opening Round
From preseason analysis to postseason kickoff, look to the Rockford Register Star for complete coverage. Our star reporter Jay Taft has already been all over it and will continue to blanket the Rockford area with football coverage throughout the postseason.
And for the live scores and updates for the Opening Round of the playoffs, we have you covered right here.
First, check out some of the expert analysis by Taft from this season:
Recent expert football analysis
Top 3 Rockford-area playoff football games to watch Friday, and one Saturday
Vote for your team to watch among the 18 Rockford-area football playoff hopefuls
In new IHSA playoff era, two-win Rockford East football squad gets in
Complete Rockford-area football schedules
Here are the complete 2026 football schedules for all of the Rockford-area teams
Top Opening Round football games around the Rockford area
NIC-10: Freeport (4-5) at Belvidere North (5-4), 7 p.m. Friday
Big Northern Conference: Elmwood Brimfield (4-5) at Winnebago (5-4), 7 p.m. Friday
NUIC: Momence (3-6) at Lena-Winslow (6-3), 2 p.m. Saturday
Rockford-area high school football scores for Opening Round
Jay Taft is a Rockford Register Star sports reporter. Email him at jtaft@rrstar.com and sign up for the Rockford High School Sports Newsletter here at rrstar.com. Jay has covered a variety of sports, from the Chicago Bears and Blackhawks to local youth sports, since the turn of the century at the Register Star.
This article originally appeared on Rockford Register Star: IHSA football opening round scores, highlights from Rockford area
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