The Carmi-White County Bulldogs will hit the road Friday night as they travel to Albion to take on the Edwards County Lions in Week 8 of the IHSA football season.
The Bulldogs are riding a two-game winning streak and have played some of their best football of the season over the last two weeks. A 38-7 win over CZRE last Friday followed a 26-0 shutout win at Sesser-Valier the week before, putting Carmi at 3-4 with just two games left in the regular season.
Carmi’s rushing attack has been rolling, while the varsity defense hasn’t allowed a touchdown since Week 5. After facing the toughest part of their schedule early in the season, the Bulldogs are starting to find their groove with the playoffs getting closer.
“Our kids are playing really well,” said Carmi-White County head coach Clinton Wolff. “These last two weeks, you’re seeing what our kids are capable of.”
Junior Cooper Hill has been a big part of the Bulldogs’ success on the ground. Hill rushed for 149 yards and three touchdowns against the Bearcats last week after putting up 151 yards and a score against Sesser-Valier the week before.
Bulldog fans also got to see quarterback Dakota Brown show off his speed last week. Brown broke free for a 46-yard touchdown run in the win over CZRE, giving the Bulldogs another weapon in their running game.
“We needed a quarterback this year, and he (Brown) took the unselfish role knowing that his touches were going to be reduced by a bunch,” said Wolff. “We have our shotgun stuff that gives him the opportunity to use his legs, and we were able to get into more of that last week against Christopher and give him an opportunity for some big plays.”
On the other side, the Edwards County Lions are looking to salvage another tough season. Since 2002, the Lions have finished with a winning record just twice, and they’ve won one game or less in 11 seasons during that span.
Edwards County enters Friday’s matchup with a 1-6 record. The Lions’ lone win came in Week 2, when they shut out Eldorado 14-0.
Despite their record, the Lions have had some competitive moments this season. Offensively, they like to mix things up with different formations, but the game plan usually comes back to senior running back Brodie Dardeen.
Dardeen has carried the ball 102 times this season for 455 yards and two touchdowns.
“They are going to run the Dardeen kid, he’s a really nice running back,” said Wolff. “They have some good athletes.”
Sophomore Jeter Duncan is in his first season as the Lions’ starting quarterback after taking over for his older brother, Jax. Duncan has thrown for 303 yards, one touchdown and six interceptions while adding 56 yards on the ground.
While the Bulldogs enter Friday’s game as the favorites, Wolff knows his team can’t afford to overlook the Lions.
“We still have to strap up the helmets, and we still have to go to work, and we still have to play football, and we still have to do what we need to do to continue to get better,” said Wolff.
What makes the 2026 edition of Bulldogs vs Lions interesting is what’s at stake for both teams when it comes to the IHSA playoffs.
At 3-4, a win Friday night would officially clinch a playoff spot for Carmi. As bizarre as it may seem, the 1-6 Lions are still in the playoff picture as well.
This is the first season of the IHSA expanding the playoff field from 32 teams per class to 48. Under the new format, teams with four wins are guaranteed a 10th game, but several teams with three wins and even some with two wins could still make the postseason.
“They (Edwards County) have got some motivation I feel like,” said Wolff. “Typically when you talk about a 1-6 team, okay their season is over. With the expanded playoffs, that’s not true now. They have a lot to play for.”
The expanded playoff format also gives the Bulldogs something extra to play for over the final two weeks.
Finishing the regular season at 5-4 could put Carmi in a much better position than in previous years, potentially giving the Bulldogs a chance to host a first round playoff game if they can win their final two contests.
Fans can catch all the action Friday night on 97.3 FM WRUL and the WRUL Sports YouTube Channel. Kickoff in Albion is set for 7:00 PM.