EDWARDSVILLE — Edwardsville will open its football season at home Friday against a top-notch program – Kankakee – at 7 p.m. Aug. 21, 2026, at Tiger Stadium.
The Tigers enter the opener after going 4-6 last season and reaching the Class 7A playoffs, where they lost in the first round to Oak Lawn Richards. Kankakee went 7-4 and also made the postseason last season, losing in the second round of the Class 5A playoffs to New Lenox Providence Catholic.
Edwardsville returns running back Brandon Houston Jr., who rushed for 523 yards and a touchdown last season. Rayqwon Wallace also returns after running for 377 yards and a touchdown in 2025.
Dean Williams steps into the quarterback position after completing 37 of 60 passes for 479 yards and four touchdowns last season.
Wallace also was among Edwardsville’s leading receivers last year with eight catches for 43 yards. Houston added seven receptions for 91 yards.
The Illinois High School Association football season begins one week earlier than last year because of the expansion of the football playoffs to 40 teams in all eight classes. The expansion adds an extra week of playoffs, with the opening round scheduled for the weekend of Oct. 23-24.
The IHSA football season starts a week earlier than last year, due to the expansion of the football playoffs to 40 teams in all eight classes. It forces an extra week of playoffs, which will be the opening round the weekend of Oct. 23-24. The finals are still set for Illinois State University’s Hancock Stadium on Thanksgiving weekend, Nov. 27-28.
