It is now full-steam ahead for five Little Illini Conference football teams. The Road to Normal begins with a first-round stopoff at these locales. Here’s the Saturday lineup for Week 10:

Marshall (5-4) at ALAH (9-0), 1:00 p.m.
This is Marshall’s first playoff appearance since 2017, but 30th overall… Lions are 18-29 all-time in the post-season… ALAH (Arthur-Lovington-Atwood-Hammond) is making its’ seventh appearance in the playoffs… The Knights are 2-6 all-time, though as Atwood-Hammond they won a state title in 1980… Marshall started the season 3-0… Lions want to run the football… RB Lucca Giannavola has been their main starter for three years now…He has 2,598 career yards, with 1,428 yards coming this year on 213 carries and 20 TDs… Sophomore QB Luke Brodie, in his first year in charge of the offense, is 43-of-77 in the air (.558) for 800 yards with seven TDs…ALAH is one of seven undefeated teams in Class 2A… The Knights average 35.2 points per game… They won vs. Cerro Gordo/Bement by forfeit… Knocked off Sullivan, 14-7, in decisive Lincoln Prairie Conference game… Massey projection: ALAH, 35-21

Mt. Carmel (5-4) at Tolono Unity (8-1), 2:00 p.m.
Mt. Carmel is in the playoffs for the 43rd time… Golden Aces are 65-41 all-time in post-season play… Unity is here for the 33rd time… The Rockets are 61-32 all-time… This is the fifth playoff meeting between the two in the last nine years, all at Tolono… Mt. Carmel has held five teams to under 100 rushing yards, two in single digits… Aces are led on ground by RB Eric Acree, with 905 yards on 137 carries… He has 2,465 rushing yards in his career… Sophomore QB River Deisher has thrown for 817 yards on 71-of-122 accuracy (.582)… Deisher has also rushed for 730 yards on 139 carries… Unity averages 43.6 points per game… Rockets are led by QB Dane Eisenmenger, who threw for 2,114 yards this year (119-of-178, .669) and 25 TDs… That’s the second straight year over the 2,000-yard mark, making his career total 4,486 yards and 55 TDs… Rushing game is led by senior RB Crewe Eckstein, who has 1,047 yards on 141 carries, with 17 TDs… Unity’s only loss was to Bloomington Central Catholic, 34-27… Massey projection: Tolono Unity, 42-14.

Paris (6-3) at Monticello (7-2), 2:00 p.m.
The Paris Tigers have made the post-season for the eighth time… They are 2-7 all-time… Monticello Sages are in the playoffs for the 16th consecutive time and 27th overall… They are 14-25 all-time, but finished second in 3A last year… A matchup of contrasting styles. Paris wants to run, Monticello prefers the pass… Paris averages 34.2 points per game… Tigers upset Class 1A state-ranked Casey-Westfield last week… They powered for 469 yards on the ground vs. Robinson… RB Carter Crippes alone picked up 285 yards on 26 carries… Sages lost to Tolono Unity (34-7) and Bloomington Central Catholic (41-13)… QB Nolan Buehnerkemper has thrown for over 1,000 yards… He threw for 217 yards vs. Prairie Central and 216 yards vs. Rantoul… Massey projection: Monticello, 33-13.

Jacksonville (5-4) at Olney (9-0), 5:00 p.m.
The Jacksonville Crimsons are in the playoff field for the 15th time… They are 8-14 overall… Olney is making its’ 18th appearance in the post-season… The Tigers are 5-17 all-time… Jacksonville wants to run the football… They have a total of 3,002 yards on the ground and only 195 in the air… Play call favors the run (91.9%)… Defenses can’t key on anyone, Crimsons have four running backs with over 500 yards… RB Easton Ackerman has the top stat line (774 yards on 131 carries and 12 touchdowns)… RB Jeremiah Jackson is next, at 620 yards (but a per carry average of 14.0 yards)… OIney has now won 18 straight regular-season games after two consecutive 9-0 marks… Tigers average 46.2 points per game… QB Gavyn Cothern is Olney’s leader… He has thrown for 1,340 yards (64-of-95 with 15 TDs and 2 INTs) but has even better stats on the ground with 1,533 rushing yards on 140 carries (and 26 touchdowns) … That’s 2,873 total yards this year, and 5,470 for his career) … Massey projection: Olney, 38-36.

Red Hill (5-4) at #7 1A Casey-Westfield (7-2), 7:00 p.m.
This Red Hill Salukis are making their fourth straight appearance in the playoffs, and 20th overall… They are 10-19 all-time… For the Casey-Westfield Warriors, it’s playoff trip No. 35… They are 52-33 overall… These two last met in the playoffs in 1988, with Red Hill winning, 22-21… Both teams come in on two-game losing streaks… Red Hill runs the football 87.9% of the time… RB Holden Jacobs is poised to go over the 1,000-yard mark… He has 957 yards on 142 carries, eight of them for TDs… Holden has 1,540 yards for his career… QB Avery Arbuckle is their leader over the top… He is 47-of-97 in the air for 663 yards and five touchdowns… Arbuckle stands at exactly 1,300 yards in two years as a starter…  Last three games have been crazy for Casey-Westfield… Lost to Paris last week in final 32 seconds, lost to Olney by one point, and defeated Mt. Carmel in OT… Rallied from 16-points down to beat Marshall… This is 40th anniversary of the Warriors’ Class 1A state championship season of 1985… Team averages 32.3 points per game, but points from defense and special teams is a real strength this year…  Massey projection: Casey-Westfield, 37-6.