Loyola, under Coach John...

...Holecek, has beaten Glenbard North twice in recent years (that I know of).

2011: LOYOLA 28, Glenbard North 13
2008: LOYOLA 26, Glenbard North 14

Will this Saturday be any different? I doubt it. (Except this time I'll be there.)

But one thing is certain: no matter who wins, people will be saying afterward, "Of course, (fill in the blank) won. Everybody knows the (DuPage Valley or Catholic League) is the best conference in Illinois!"

Seriously, if defense wins championships (and Holecek is a defensive wizard) then Loyola should prevail. The Ramblers (11-1) beat Simeon, Lake Forest Academy, Providence (I was there), Gordon Tech, Mount Carmel (I watched it on TV), Fenwick, Brother Rice (I was there until the game went to a running clock), St. Rita, Evanston, Bartlett and Palatine by a combined score of 387-104. Their only loss was in Week Two to Dallas Jesuit, 30-29. (Of these opponents, only Lake Forest Academy, Gordon Tech and St. Rita had losing records.)

Glenbard North, also 11-1, defeated Carmel, West Chicago, Glenbard East, Aurora West, Naperville Central, Wheaton Warrenville South, Wheaton North (I was there; the Panthers struggled but won), Naperville North, Fremd, Stevenson and Maine South by a combined score of 334-162. The Panthers' only loss was to Batavia, 42-41, in Week One. (Of these teams, only the last six had winning records. "Yeah," I can almost hear someone say, "But it's the DVC!")

As I mentioned, I saw Glenbard North only once this year and they narrowly beat a good Wheaton North team at home. Running back Justin Jackson did not dazzle me in the way I expected. If the Ramblers can keep his numbers down on Saturday, they should be headed back to Champaign (and for a possible rematch with Mount Carmel).

BOWG prediction: LOYOLA 27, Glenbard North 14.