Football Game Preview: Decatur Eisenhower Panthers vs. Lanphier Lions

The Decatur Eisenhower Panthers will take on the Lanphier Lions at 7:00 p.m. on Friday. The two teams have had a bumpy ride up to this point with eight consecutive losses dating back to last season for Decatur Eisenhower and six for Lanphier.

Decatur Eisenhower is headed into the contest out to prove that what happened against Normal University on Friday (when they were outscored in every quarter) was just a minor bump in the road. The Panthers were outmatched by the Pioneers and fell 55-12. The Panthers were in a tough position after the first half, with the score already sitting at 34-12.

Meanwhile, Lanphier was just a hair shy of victory on Saturday and fell 19-18 to Springfield Southeast. While the Lions had to settle for second, they closed the game well in the third quarter, where they outscored the Spartans 12-0.

Decatur Eisenhower's loss dropped their record down to 0-7. As for Lanphier, their defeat dropped their record down to 1-6.

Everything came up roses for Decatur Eisenhower against Lanphier in their previous matchup back in October of 2024, as the team secured a 76-42 victory. Will the Panthers repeat their success, or do the Lions have a new game plan this time around? We'll find out soon enough.