Illinois High School Football Top 25 State Rankings - Oct. 1, 2025

St. Charles North heads north 11 spots to No. 10; Sadburg cracks the Top 25

Undefeated St. Charles North (5-0) scored 15 points in the final 45 seconds to shock then-No. 10 Batavia, 43-42, and earn a spot in this week's Top 10, at No. 10. / Dan Reid

St. Charles North leaps into the top 10 after a comeback for the ages and Sandburg joins the Illinois Top 25 rankings.

1. Mount Carmel (5-0)

Previous ranking: 1

Last week: Def. Benet 48-0

Up next: vs. Brother Rice, Oct. 3

Emmett Dowling passed for five touchdowns, while Quentin Burrell had a TD catch and a 78-yard kickoff return for a score.

2. Lincoln-Way East (5-0)

Previous ranking: 2

Last week: Def. Naperville Central 44-7

Up next: vs. Metea Valley, Oct. 3

USC commit Jonas Williams threw for two touchdowns, tying the IHSA career record of 127.

3. East St. Louis (3-2)

Previous ranking: 3

Last week: Def. Belleville West 67-0

Up next: at Edwardsville, Oct. 3

Ronnie GoMiller scored on a run and a punt return, while Myson Johnson-Cook had a 70-yard rushing TD for the Flyers.

4. Brother Rice (5-0)

Previous ranking: 4

Last week: Def. St. Patrick 56-14

Up next: at Mount Carmel, Oct. 3

Army-bound CJ Gray passed for 324 yards and four touchdowns for the Crusaders and Jaylin Green had 120 receiving yards.

5. Loyola (3-1)

Previous ranking: 5

Last week: Def. DePal Prep 42-14

Up next: vs. St. Ignatius, Oct. 4

Matthew Lee threw two touchdown passes to Charlie Fowler and Jayden Garrett ran for two scores for the Ramblers. 

6. Fremd (5-0)

Previous ranking: 6

Last week: Def. Conant 42-7

Up next: at Hoffman Estates, Oct. 3

Northwestern-bound Johnny O'Brien was 13-of-17 passing for 192 yards and four TDs for the Vikings. He also ran for a score.

7. Glenbard West (5-0)

Previous ranking: 7

Last week: Def. Lyons 24-17

Up next: vs. Hinsdale South, Oct. 4

Jamarcus Kelly had a 65-yard TD run for the Hilltoppers and Chase Cavan caught a 57-yard touchdown pass from AJ Rayford.

8. Maine South (4-1)

Previous ranking: 8

Last week: Def. Evanston 33-0

Up next: at New Trier, Oct. 3

Indiana commit Jameson Purcell passed for 283 yards and had five total TDs, while Niko Kokosioulis had 172 all-purpose yards.

9. Nazareth (4-1)

Previous ranking: 9

Last week: Def. Joliet Catholic 48-21

Up next: vs. St. Rita, Oct. 3

Jackson Failla completed 16 of 20 passes for 308 yards and six TDs, including four to Illinois State commit Jake Cestone.

10. St. Charles North (5-0)

Previous ranking: 21

Last week: Def. Batavia 43-42

Up next: at St. Charles East, Oct. 3

Down 14, the North Stars scored 15 points in the final 45 seconds for the epic win. JT Padron passed for 250 yards, including a 9-yard TD to EJ Mondesier with 0.9 seconds remaining, and hit Chris Akpede with the game-winning conversion.

11. Batavia (3-2)

Previous ranking: 10

Last week: Lost to St. Charles North 43-42

Up next: at Geneva, Oct. 3

Michael VanderLuitgaren passed for 303 yards and four touchdowns. Three went to Thomas Prescott, including a 96-yarder.

12. Downers Grove North (4-1)

Previous ranking: 11

Last week: Def. Proviso West 49-0

Up next: at Oak Park-River Forest, Oct. 3

The Trojans led 28-0 after one quarter and 42-0 at halftime.

13. Prairie Ridge (5-0)

Previous ranking: 12

Last week: Def. McHenry 43-22

Up next: at Huntley, Oct. 3

Luke Vanderwiel rushed for 206 yards and four touchdowns as the Wolves stayed unbeaten.

14. Warren (4-1)

Previous ranking: 13

Lost week: Def. Zion-Benton 42-22

Up next: vs. Mundelein, Oct. 3

Illinois football and wrestling commit Aaron Stewart scored six touchdowns for the Blue Devils.

15. St. Francis (4-1)

Previous ranking: 14

Last week: Def. Providence 47-35

Up next: vs. IC Catholic, Oct. 3

Southern Illinois commit Dario Milivojevic had six catches for 177 yards and four touchdowns, including a 61-yarder.

16. Barrington (4-1)

Previous ranking: 15

Last week: Def. Palatine 42-21

Up next: at Conant, Oct. 3

Luke Tepas ran for three touchdowns for the Broncos and Lamar Osterhues rushed for two scores.

17. Glenbrook South (4-1)

Previous ranking: 16

Last week: Def. Glenbrook North 50-0

Up next: at Evanston, Oct. 3

Andrew Bonvechio was 14-of-17 passing for 283 yards and four touchdowns, pushing his season totals to 1,345 yards and 17 TDs with a 71% completion rate.

18. York (4-1)

Previous ranking: 17

Last week: Def. Oak Park-River Forest 34-11

Up next: at Hinsdale Central, Oct. 3

The Dukes outscored the Huskies 21-0 in the third quarter to pull away for the win.

19. Montini (5-0)

Preseason ranking: 18

Last week: Def. Marmion 47-0

Up next: at Carmel, Oct. 3

Israel Abrams threw for 250 yards and two TDs for the Broncos.

20. Fenwick (4-1)

Previous ranking: 19

Last week: Def. De La Salle 42-0

Up next: vs. St. Laurence, Oct. 3

Through five weeks, Jamen Williams has completed 68% of his passes for 1,018 yards and 14 TDs with two interceptions.

21. Hinsdale Central (4-1)

Previous ranking: 22

Last week: Def. Downers Grove South 52-40

Up next: vs. York, Oct. 3

Patrick Connors ran for 153 yards and two touchdowns, caught a 58-yard TD pass and had a 65-yard pick-six for the Red Devils.

22. Lyons (3-2)

Previous ranking: 23

Last week: Lost to Glenbard West 24-17

Up next: at Proviso West, Oct. 3

Jack Slightom threw for two touchdowns for the Lions.

23. St. Rita (2-3)

Previous ranking: 24

Last week: Def. Notre Dame 48-13

Up next: at Nazareth, Oct. 3

Brandon Johnson Jr. ran for 110 yards and two touchdowns for the Mustangs.

24. Sandburg (5-0)

Previous ranking: Not ranked

Last week: Def. Homewood-Flossmoor 31-7

Up next: at Naperville North, Oct. 3

Sean Ruisz threw TD passes of 85 and 26 yards, and also ran for a touchdown for the Eagles.

25. Lincoln-Way West (5-0)

Previous ranking: 25

Last week: Def. Waubonsie Valley 27-17

Up next: at DeKalb, Oct. 3

Jimmy Talley Jr. ran for two TDs as Lincoln-Way West rallied from a 14-0 deficit to stay unbeaten.