Raiders Now Top Dog in IHSA 8A Bracket

When the Bolingbrook Raider football team squares off for its Saturday showdown against Mount Carmel, it will do so as the odds-on favorite to reach the state title game.

Last week, No. 16 seed Belleville East, who the in their first game of the season, handed a shocking defeat to No. 1 seed Waubonsie Valley, leaving Bolingbrook as the top-ranked team remaining in their half of the IHSA 8A playoff bracket.

Of course, the Raiders will still have to win three more games to reach Champaign—three games against tough teams.

The Raides will take on Mount Carmel Saturday at 6 p.m. at . The game has a revenge factor built into it.

Last season, Bolingbrook was ousted by Mount Carmel in a . In that game, Sophomore quarterback Aaron Bailey threw for 216 yards and two touchdowns, and senior Daniel Fisher caught nine passes and racked up 166 receiving yards and a pair of touchdowns in his final game as a Raider.

But ultimately, Mount Carmel, the eventual state runner-up, proved to be too much. 

This year, things are a bit different.

The Raiders enter the game as the favorite to win. And they are playing on their home turf.

Bolingbrook also boasts two of the state's top threats— on offense and on defense.

In Bolingbrook's last week, Bailey scored four touchdowns and rushed for 300 yards on 16 carries. Morrison, meanwhile, has helped keep opposing offenses in check with 77 tackles this season, six of them for losses.

For more on the Bolingbrook Raider football team and their playoff matchup against Mount Carmel, check back with Bolingbrook Patch throughout the week.

And be sure to follow us on Facebook and Twitter for all of you live in-game updates during Saturday's big game.