Final 2025 Illinois High School Football State Rankings

Class 8A champ Mount Carmel completes a wire-to-wire run as the No. 1 team and Class 7A winner Brother Rice finishes No. 2.

Mount Carmel finished 14-0 and completed a wire-to-wire run as Illinois' top-ranked high school football team with the 2025 Class 8A state championship. / MC Caravan Footbal

An exciting 2025 Illinois high school football season is in the books. Along the way there many twists and turns, but one constant was the wire-to-wire presence of Mount Carmel as the state's top-ranked team. The Caravan cemented that fact with their 20-3 rout over No. 6 Oswego in the Class 8 state championship game.

Class 7A champion Brother Rice finished at No. 2, while Fenwick moved up to No. 3 in our final poll after their win over then-No. 2 East St. Louis in the 6A title game. Mortini Catholic and East St. Louis rounded out the Top 5.

1. Mount Carmel (14-0)

Previous ranking: 1

Last week: Def. Oswego 20-3 in Class 8A final

Gavin Conjar returned a blocked punt for a TD and Emmett Dowling threw for 109 yards and a score as the Caravan won their IHSA-record 17th state title.

2. Brother Rice (13-1)

Previous ranking: 3

Last week: Def. St. Rita 16-0 in Class 7A final

Kameron McGee had two sacks and four tackles for losses, while Brayden Parks added 3.5 tackles for loss as the Crusaders won their first state title since 1981.

3. Fenwick (11-3)

Previous ranking: 5

Last week: Def. East St. Louis 38-28 in Class 6A final

Jake Thies had a 74-yard touchdown run and added a key interception late, while Jamen Williams had 194 total yards and three scores.

4. Montini Catholic (14-0)

Previous ranking: 4

Last week: Def. Rochester 47-33 in Class 4A final

Israel Abrams threw for 418 yards and four TDs, while Damacio Ortegon and Luca Floria combined for 297 receiving yards and three TDs.

5. East St. Louis (10-4)

Previous ranking: 2

Last week: Lost to Fenwick 38-28 in Class 6A final

Myson Johnson-Cook ran for 181 yards and a TD, while Reece Shanklin threw for 158 yards but was picked off twice.

6. Oswego (11-3)

Previous ranking: 6

Last week: Lost to Mount Carmel 20-3 in Class 8A final

Quarterback Drew Kleinhans had 130 total yards.

7. St. Rita (9-5)

Previous ranking: 7

Last week: Lost to Brother Rice 16-0 in Class 7A final

The Mustangs' seven-game winning streak was snapped.

8. St. Francis (11-3)

Previous ranking: 12

Last week: Def. Providence 39-35 in Class 5A final

Brock Phillip ran for 144 yards and five TDs and also passed for 226 yards and a score.

9. Fremd (11-2)

Previous ranking: 9

Northwestern recruit Johnny O'Brien passed for 2,828 yards and 34 TDs with five interceptions for the Vikings, who lost to Mount Carmel in the Class 8A semifinals.

10. Lincoln-Way East (9-3)

Previous ranking: 10

USC recruit Jonas Williams finished as the IHSA's career leader in passing yards (11,347) and passing TDs (147).

11. Nazareth (11-2)

Previous ranking: 8

The three-time defending Class 5A champions were eliminated with an overtime loss to eventual champ Fenwick in the 6A semifinals.

12. Providence (10-4)

Previous ranking: 11

Last week: Lost to St. Francis 39-35 in Class 5A final

Dominic Vita accounted for 193 yards and three TDs, while Broden Mackert ran for 126 yards and a score.

13. Downers Grove North (10-3)

Previous ranking: 13

Two years after reaching the Class 7A title game, the Trojans lost to eventual champ Brother Rice in the 7A semifinals.

14. Batavia (10-3)

Previous ranking: 14

Junior quarterback Michael Vander Luitgaren passed for 2,708 yards and 31 TDs with four interceptions for the Bulldogs, who lost to St. Rita in the Class 7A semifinals.

15. Lockport (9-4)

Previous ranking: 15

After starting 1-3, the Porters won eight in a row before falling to Oswego in the Class 8A semifinals.

16. Maine South (10-2)

Previous ranking: 16

Junior Jameson Purcell, an Indiana commit, passed for 2,871 yards and 28 touchdowns with nine interceptions for the Hawks, who were eliminated by Oswego in the Class 8A quarterfinals.

17. Barrington (10-2)

Previous ranking: 17

Luke Tepas threw for 2,254 yards and 24 TDs with six interceptions for the Broncos, who lost to Lockport in the Class 8A semifinals.

18. St. Charles North (10-2)

Previous ranking: 18

The North Stars were eliminated by eventual champ Brother Rice in the Class 7A quarterfinals.

19. Bolingbrook (9-3)

Previous ranking: 19

The Raiders went from worst to first in the Southwest Prairie West and are a program on the rise with 17 starters projected back next season.

20. Hersey (9-3)

Previous ranking: 20

Running back Brandon Jenkins set the program's career rushing record and quarterback Jake Nawrot set the Huskies' single-season mark for passing yards.

21. Lincoln-Way West (10-2)

Previous ranking: 21

The Warriors reached the Class 7A semifinals before falling to Downers Grove North.

22. Warren (9-2)

Previous ranking: 22

Illinois wrestling recruit Aaron Stewart was the state's most productive running back with 338 carries for 2,872 yards and 46 touchdowns.

23. Glenbard West (9-2)

Previous ranking: 23

The Hilltoppers were ousted by West Suburban Silver rival Downers Grove North in the Class 7A second round.

24. Carmel (8-3)

Previous ranking: 24

Junior Trae Taylor, a Nebraska commit, completed 82% of his passes for 3,571 yards and 38 touchdowns with three interceptions.

25. Lyons (8-3)

Previous ranking: Not ranked

The Lions were knocked out of the Class 8A playoffs in the second round by Fremd.