Notre Dame College Prep will host the biggest football game in Niles since 2022 on Saturday when undefeated Harlem visits Legends Field for a Class 6A quarterfinal.

Kickoff is 1 p.m. Nov. 14.

The No. 12 Dons (8-4) have outscored their three playoff opponents 135-45, according to the Journal & Topics. No. 1 Harlem (11-0) is the only unbeaten team remaining in Class 6A. The Huskies have outscored opponents 394-111 this season and 38-21 in two playoff games, per the same report.

It is Notre Dame's first quarterfinal appearance since 2022, according to the school's athletics page. When the Dons have reached the Class 6A playoffs, they have won at least two postseason games in each of their last three trips.

Notre Dame has topped 40 points in each of its last four games, Shaw Local reported. In the second-round win over Libertyville, quarterback Eric Couper threw for 296 yards on 23-of-31 passing with three touchdowns. Two of those scoring passes went to Peter Panagiotopoulos, who hauled in 10 catches for 167 yards. Deonte Macon added two touchdown runs and 66 yards on 21 carries.

The defense forced turnovers, too. Daniel Worm made eight tackles, Tommy McManus added seven with a forced fumble, and Sean Cook and Konrad Hozian each recorded a sack.

Panagiotopoulos, Couper and Hozian all earned Chicago Catholic League Purple Division Player of the Year honors this fall, according to the school.

Harlem brings an unbeaten streak

Harlem won the NIC-10 conference title and has not lost since the 2025 season. Junior quarterback Braxton Fausett has thrown for 1,970 yards and 21 touchdowns against just three interceptions, Shaw Local reported. Three-star wide receiver Jackson Cook, an NDSU commit, caught Harlem's lone touchdown pass in a 17-7 second-round home win over Burlington Central.

The Huskies have posted three shutouts and average 37.7 points per game while allowing 10.4, according to a Shaw Local preview published Nov. 5.

What's at stake

Second-year head coach Dan DeFranza, a 1990 Notre Dame graduate inducted into the East Suburban Catholic Conference Hall of Fame in April, spent nearly three decades as the Dons' defensive coordinator before taking the top job. In coverage published in October, DeFranza told the Chicago Sun-Times, "Playing the schedule we played in the Catholic League really prepared us for the playoffs … It is the regular season that prepares us for the playoffs, for sure."

MaxPreps ratings put the matchup closer than the seedings suggest. Shaw Local noted Notre Dame ranks No. 53 in Illinois and Harlem No. 57. Should both Notre Dame and fellow CCL member Fenwick win Saturday, the two would meet in the semifinals for a shot at the state finals.

The Class 6A state championship game is scheduled for Nov. 28 at Hancock Stadium in Normal.