Rivalries typically grow out of proximity. Bishop Dwenger counts Bishop Luers as a rival due to the similarities of the schools, as well as sharing a conference and city.

But rivalries also can develop out of familiarity, and such is the case with the football teams of Bishop Dwenger and Lowell high schools.

The two programs will meet at 7 p.m. Saturday at “The Inferno,” which is the nickname of the Red Devils' stadium, and the Saints hope not to get burned.

The winner will advance to Lucas Oil Stadium for the IHSAA Class 4A state championship game at 3:30 p.m. Nov. 28. The other 4A semistate involves Indianapolis Cathedral (12-1) at Evansville Reitz (13-0).

“This will be three in a row,” Saints coach Chris Svarczkopf said of facing the Red Devils again. “They got us the last time we went over there, so hopefully we can get out of there with a win this time.

In the 2007 semistate, Lowell kicked a last-minute field goal to pull out a 10-7 victory. Bishop Dwenger exacted revenge in 2008, as the Saints pummeled the Red Devils 38-22 before falling to Cathedral 10-7 in the title game a week later.

It's no secret what Lowell likes to do to its opponents. The Red Devils will shut teams down defensively, and then rarely let them have the ball back, as they run the ball down their opponents' throats.

“I think we counted 22 different (offensive) formations,” Svarczkopf said. “They try to outnumber you at the point of attack and then run where you're not.”

And few run the ball better than Lowell's Brandon Grubbe.

“He's very, very good,” Svarczkopf said. “He's tough and he doesn't get stopped.”

Grubbe “scored a couple of touchdowns” against the Saints in last year's loss, according to Svarczkopf. He is the Red Devils' all-time leading rusher and has run for 2,084 yards and a mind-blowing 34 touchdowns this year alone.

Lowell is capable of throwing the ball, but does so “only about 10 percent of the time.”

Defensively, the Red Devils are holding their opponents to less than 10 points per game. In their 42-0 annihilation of Hammond Morton in the regional championship last week, Lowell picked off a Morton pass on the first play from scrimmage and returned it for a score.

“I think they have as many defensive fronts as they do offensive,” Svarczkopf said. “They try to keep you off-balance.”

Conversely, the Saints are capable of mixing up their offensive attack.

“We have a quarterback who can take care of the ball and receivers that can catch pretty well,” Svarczkopf said.

“We believe in matching the scheme to the players, not trying to fit players to a certain scheme.”

Saints quarterback Wade Markley has been solid this season, as have receivers Landon Fiechter and Joel Gerardot.

The fuel behind the powerful Saints attack has been junior running back Remound Wright, who has absolutely destroyed opponents in this year's tournament.

As tradition goes, few teams match these two as far as success. Bishop Dwenger has claimed six semistate championships and a trio of state titles. Lowell is working on its third semistate championship of this decade and won the 2005 state title.

“We just need to get somebody in every gap and then make tackles when we have the opportunity,” Svarczkopf said.