Illinois High School Football Top 25 State Rankings: Aug. 31, 2026

One week after No. 2 East St. Louis took down No. 1 Chicago Mt. Carmel to kick off the 2026 campaign, the two Illinois frontrunners saw their fortunes reversed in Week 2.

East St. Louis and Chicago Mt. Carmel swapped positions after the Flyers' 42-23 victory in the season opener. Both faced nationally prominent out-of-state opponents in Week 2. East St. Louis came up short in a 35-28 loss to American Heritage in Florida, but Chicago Mt. Carmel made national headlines after pulling off one of the most remarkable comebacks in recent Illinois high school football history. Trailing 30-0 in the second quarter, the Caravan rallied to stun St. Joseph Regional (NJ), 48-44, in a game broadcast on national television.

With the head-to-head being the tiebreaker, East St. Louis manages to hang onto the No. 1 position despite the loss, while Chicago Mt. Carmel's incredible rally keeps the Caravan locked in at No. 2. Neither team has time to dwell on last week's results as East St. Louis will host a top 10 Georgia squad in the Gainesville Red Elephants while Chicago Mt. Carmel will host Illinois No. 8 Nazareth Academy.

Waiting patiently in the wings ready to pounce should either of the top two stumble is No. 3 Loyola Academy which will have to fend off a challenge from No. 10 St. Rita.

There is also a significant newcomer to the rankings, as Rochester rockets up to No. 11 after a dominant 44-16 victory over previous No. 7 Batavia. Sandburg also makes its debut at No. 15 after knocking off previous No. 6 Montini Catholic. With several ranked teams facing difficult tests this week, the Illinois Top 25 could see more shuffling when the dust settles on the action in Week 3.

Illinois high school football state rankings — High School On SI

1. East St. Louis

Record: 1-1

Previous Rank: 1

Last Week: American Heritage (FL) 35, East St. Louis 28

One week after beating the state's previous No. 1 Chicago Mt. Carmel 42-23 in the season opener, East St. Louis met its match on the road at American Heritage in Florida. The loss continues a trend for the Flyers against upper-tier out-of-state opponents dating to 2023. While the Flyers aren't afraid to take on big national opponents, they've now lost six straight games against those teams since defeating St. Frances Academy of Baltimore, 13-7, on Sept. 2, 2023. They get another chance Friday against Gainesville of Georgia, but this time, the Flyers will be the home team.

2. Chicago Mt. Carmel

Record: 1-1

Previous Rank: 2

Last Week: Chicago Mt. Carmel 48, St. Joseph Regional (NJ) 44

Chicago Mt. Carmel appeared headed for an 0-2 start after falling behind St. Joseph Regional (NJ) 30-0 in the second quarter. Instead, the Caravan scored 48 points from there to pull off a stunning 48-44 victory in a nationally televised game on ESPN. It feels like the kind of turnaround that can change the course of a season, and now the Caravan have to turn the page quickly to prepare for a Friday night visit from No. 8 Nazareth Academy.

3. Loyola Academy

Record: 2-0

Previous Rank: 3

Last Week: Loyola Academy 33, Cathedral 19

Loyola Academy picked up a big road win against a Cathedral squad ranked in Indiana's top 25. Next up is a Friday night date with another ranked squad, this time against an in-state foe in No. 10 St. Rita.

4. Fenwick

Record: 2-0

Previous Rank: 4

Last Week: Fenwick 31, Oak Park-River Forest 21

Fenwick holds steady at No. 4 after quietly downing Oak Park-River Forest last week. The defending Class 6A state champions will host DePaul College Prep on Friday.

5. Lincoln-Way East

Record: 2-0

Previous Rank: 5

Last Week: Lincoln-Way East 22, Kankakee 14

Lincoln-Way East survived its first significant test with a 22-14 victory over Kankakee and gets another Friday at Homewood-Flossmoor.

6. Brother Rice

Record: 1-1

Previous Rank: 9

Last Week: Brother Rice 69, Woodlawn 0

Brother Rice recovered nicely from its loss to Lincoln-Way East in the season opener. It begins the most difficult stretch of its season Friday, facing the first of four ranked opponents in five games when it hosts No. 16 St. Francis.

7. IC Catholic Prep

Record: 2-0

Previous Rank: 8

Last Week: IC Catholic Prep 42, St. Mary's South Side 14

IC Catholic Prep rolled through St. Mary's South Side on cruise control in a 42-14 win last week. They'll make a dangerous visit Friday to an undefeated Saint Ignatius College Prep team looking to break into the rankings.

8. Nazareth Academy

Record: 1-1

Previous Rank: 10

Last Week: Nazareth Academy 27, York 3

Nazareth Academy recovered from its season-opening loss to IC Catholic Prep with a 27-3 victory of previous No. 25 York. They enter a difficult four-game stretch against ranked opponents starting Friday with a visit to No. 2 Chicago Mt. Carmel.

9. Providence Catholic

Record: 2-0

Previous Rank: 11

Last Week: Providence Catholic 39, Kenwood 24

Providence Catholic already owns a victory over current No. 10 St. Rita and hosts Joliet Catholic on Friday in its final nonconference game before league play begins Sept. 11. That means taking care of business Friday night when Joliet Catholic pays a visit.

10. St. Rita

Record: 1-1

Previous Rank: 15

Last Week: St. Rita 36, Glenbard West 35

St. Rita barely escaped disaster last week in a heart-stopping 36-35 win over previous No. 23 Glenbard West. As noted above, its only loss is to current No. 9 Providence Catholic, but it won't get any easier for the Mustangs this week when they travel to No. 3 Loyola Academy.

11. Rochester

Record: 2-0

Previous Rank: Unranked

Last Week: Rochester 44, Batavia 16

Rochester makes the week's biggest debut, entering at No. 11 after routing previous No. 7 Batavia 44-16. The Rockets will host Decatur Eisenhower on Friday to celebrate their arrival on this list.

12. Oswego

Record: 2-0

Previous Rank: 13

Last Week: Oswego 44, Geneva 42

Oswego survived a 44-42 shootout with Geneva last week, and the Panthers inch up a spot this week heading into a Friday night tussle at home with Plainfield North.

13. Downers Grove North

Record: 2-0

Previous Rank: 14

Last Week: Downers Grove North 45, Downers Grove South 7

Downers Grove North defeated its rival from Downers Grove South, 45-7, and next up for the Trojans is a Friday visit to Hinsdale Central.

14. Byron

Record: 2-0

Previous Rank: 12

Last Week: Byron 57, Rock Falls 7

Byron rolled past Rock Falls 57-7, but the defending Class 3A champion slips two spots because of significant wins by teams above it. The Tigers visit Dixon on Friday.

15. Sandburg

Record: 2-0

Previous Rank: Not ranked

Last Week: Sandburg 35, Montini Catholic 28

Sandburg makes its debut this week after upsetting previous No. 6 Montini Catholic. The Eagles will defend their home nest Friday against Thornwood.

16. St. Francis

Record: 1-1

Previous Rank: 16

Last Week: St. Francis 48, Clemente 0

St. Francis holds steady this week at No. 16 after blowing out Clemente, 48-0. It's about to get real for the Spartans on Friday night, however, when they hit the road to tackle No. 6 Brother Rice.

17. Fremd

Record: 2-0

Previous Rank: 17

Last Week: Fremd 35, Glenbrook South 21

Fremd handled Glenbrook South, 35-21, last week, and now the Vikings turn their attention to Friday night's visitors from Metea Valley.

18. Marist

Record: 2-0

Previous Rank: 18

Last Week: Marist 43, King 7

Marist defeated King in a 43-7 deposing last week, but they'll host No. 25 Montini Catholic squad, which is looking to rebound from 35-28 loss to Sandburg last weekend.

19. St. Charles North

Record: 2-0

Previous Rank: 19

Last Week: St. Charles North 56, South Elgin 21

St. Charles North has recorded two solid wins to start the season, but it will face its biggest test yet on Friday at a Geneva team that pushed No. 12 Oswego to the finish in a 44-42 loss last week.

20. Glenbard North

Record: 2-0

Previous Rank: 20

Last Week: Glenbard North 49, Benet Academy 7

Glenbard North made it look easy in a 49-7 rout of Benet Academy last week, but this week's opponent represents a significant upgrade in quality when No. 23 Batavia comes to town Friday.

21. Lincoln-Way West

Record: 2-0

Previous Rank: 21

Last Week: Lincoln-Way West 35, Peoria 0

Lincoln-Way West has only given up one touchdown in its first two games. It hosts Andrew on Friday before facing a test at Lockport the following week.

22. Maine South

Record: 1-1

Previous Rank: 22

Last Week: Maine South 54, Warren Township 14

Maine South holds steady at No. 22 this week after belting Warren Township, 54-14, last week. They'll host Maine West on Friday in a game that appears to be a another mismatch on paper.

23. Batavia

Record: 1-1

Previous Rank: 7

Last Week: Rochester 44, Batavia 16

Batavia takes the week's biggest fall, dropping 16 spots after a 44-16 loss to previously unranked Rochester. The Bulldogs could be at risk of falling out of the rankings altogether if they can't find a way to go on the road Friday and beat No. 20 Glenbard North.

24. Lyons

Record: 2-0

Previous Rank: 24

Last Week: Lyons 18, Wheaton-Warrenville South 9

Lyons is off to a 2-0 start and hosts Berwyn/Cicero Morton on Friday.

25. Montini Catholic

Record: 1-1

Previous Rank: 6

Last Week: Sandburg 35, Montini Catholic 28

Montini Catholic came up short against a solid Sandburg contingent last week, but the Broncos have to regroup quickly. They'll take to the highway to face No. 18 Marist Friday with their spot here in the top 25 on the line.

If Week 2 was any indication, the Illinois high school football season is already shaping up to be a wild one. East St. Louis' loss, Chicago Mt. Carmel's remarkable comeback and Rochester's arrival near the top of the rankings have created plenty of movement, while several other contenders are waiting for their opportunities to make statements. With a loaded schedule of ranked matchups ahead, including several games that could have major implications on next week's Top 25, the race for the top spot is only beginning to take shape.

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