I know I am.

Nothing better than a holiday that is focused on food and watching football, right?

Oh yeah, I'm also excited form this weekend's state football final games.

Here's my take on who your favorite team's key performers will be to watch in the Class 8A thru Class 5A state final games.

With the state association's state football semifinals on the horizon, let's take a look at the matchups in and around Chicagoland this weekend.

I heard from good and trusted sources, including my senior photographer Kevin Smith more than once.

"You have to check out the student cheering section at Fremd. They are just nuts."

Nuts? A student cheering section? Geez, when was the last time any school had more than a handful of kids show up to any high school sporting events who weren't involved in either the team, the cheerleaders or the band?

Your run of the mill "regular" students just don't really care anymore, right? The stands are filled with parents and older fans and alumni, yet the so-called "regular" student? When was the last time you saw more than say 30 high school aged kids together at any event unless they were on the field?

This is the generation of the Ipod, the generation of kids who just don't really care anymore. Or at least that's been my observations over these many years.

After my "experience" with the Fremd cheering section last Saturday night, called the Darkside, I'm happy to report that the kids are alright.

"Don't go there!"

On Saturday at Gately Stadium, Johnsburg took an early 3rd quarter 21-0 lead over Robeson. Robeson standout senior WR Brandon Green made a play near the Skyhawks sideline and started to hear the "over-rated" chant from the Johnsburg student section.

Oops.

Green, who committed to the University of Minnesota last weekend along with his Robeson teammate Johnny Johnson, was moved to quarterback and led the Raiders to 32 2nd half points including two passing touchdowns and a key interception in the Raiders come from behind 32-27 win.

After the game, I asked Green if he happened to hear the taunts from the Johnsburg sideline. Green just smiled and said, "Yeah, I heard it."

The weather has suddenly changed again over the past few days to make it feel more like state football playoff time, and if you can't get juiced about the start of the state football playoffs this week, well, then just keep surfing.

So who are the likely favorites to win state titles in Classes 5A thru 8A?

Sleepers? Dark horses?

Looking for a few potential surprise winners out of this weekend's first round action?

Then read on folks. Here's my take today on Class 7A and check back the rest of the week for my take on Classes 6A and 5A. It's an EDGY World at this time of the year, so let's boogie.

The weather has suddenly changed again over the past few days to make it feel more like state football playoff time, and if you can't get juiced about the start of the state football playoffs this week, well, then just keep surfing.

So who are the likely favorites to win state titles in Classes 5A thru 8A?

Sleepers? Dark horses?

Looking for a few potential surprise winners out of this weekend's first round action?

Then read on folks. Here's my take today on Class 8A and check back the rest of the week for my take on Classes 7A thru 5A.

It's an EDGY World at this time of the year, so let's boogie.

The Other Side? An Aerosmith song? This time of year without question remains the favorite time of year for any high school football fan. Excitement, drama, win or go home. If your even remotely close to being even a casual football fan, playoff time rules.

At this time of year, we all get caught up in the big game. The fans are getting ready to throw down on Friday night and Saturday, fans across the state are in full blown hype mode. The message boards and blogs are a buzz with talk of eliminating all private schools from the IHSA state playoffs, and the private school supporters cry school vouchers and beyond. IHSA Football State Playoffs, you've gotta love them.

When it comes to the IHSA state football playoff system, feel free to complain all you want, that is until the games begin.

Once the games begin, regardless of your issues with our system, put your arguments and thoughts aside for the games, the coaches and the kids.

So as we get ever closer to the release of the IHSA State Football Playoff Pairings on Saturday, October 20th (a night that for myself has become a combination of Christmas, New Years Eve and my birthday all wrapped up into one glorious night) I feel a responsibility to at least get my ya-ya's out regarding what I feel is to a certain degree one messed up system.

If your a die hard prep football fan, I really don't need to ask that question as we approach Week 7.

With just three more regular season games left on the slate (and yes, where does the time go anyways?) we are now starting to see a clearer picture at least from those who could content and those who will pretend when the IHSA state playoff field is announced on October 20th.

Here's a quick look at some of the more interesting Chicagoland area conference races along with who I feel will be potential playoff qualifers.

I will still hopefully be on the road this coming Saturday but this time I'll strictly be Dad in the stands for a change.

My 13 year old son EDGYMike will be a part of the Illinois Elementary School Association baseball state finals when his team travels to East Peoria to play at the wonderful facility known as the East Side Centre starting on Friday evening.

The Joliet St. Paul Giants will open up play on Friday evening against Pawnee in the Class 2A quarterfinals. The winners from Friday's quarterfinal action will advance to the state semifinal and final rounds on Saturday.

So by now you might be asking, what in the world does this have to do with the world of High School football and/or High School sports in general?

From one end of this great state to the other, week in and week out I'm seeing more and more of what I like to call the Attack of the Dink and Dunk offenses.

Dink and Dunk you ask?

The Dink and Dunk, otherwise more commonly known as the Shotgun Spread offense. Teams all over the state are now putting it's quarterbacks in the Shotgun formation and spreading the entire field with a barrage of short to intermediate passing routes along with the popular shotgun draw running play like never before.

Welcome to basketball on grass?

I knew it was coming.

I knew that throngs of fans of larger enrollment schools would be very vocal once I added Driscoll Catholic into my weekly poll. I'm also expecting that our buddy and Sun Times prep editor Steve Tucker is also experiencing the same responses with his weekly Top 25 poll.

So, the question on the table or blog if you will is can the smaller guys play with the bigger boys?

It's a good question, a really good question.

Each and every year after the first few weeks of the season are in the books, you can always find a few surprising teams that have yet to post it's first win of the year.

A must win in Week 3?

Welcome to the very short and very important 9 game regular season for Illinois High School Football.

For some strange reasons, the brain trust here at your Chicago Sun-Times felt that for some wild
reason adding me to the lineup of bloggers might be a good idea?

Well, as I've said for years, I'm always very thankful for lowered expectations.

Today, let's recap my Opening Night travels to Frankfort.