Illinois High School Football Top 25 State Rankings (Oct. 19, 2026)

The Illinois high school football regular season is in the books, and the playoff brackets are set in the Land of Lincoln.

Class 7A's East St. Louis remains in the overall No. 1 position in our latest Illinois High School Football Top 25 State Rankings, and the Flyers have earned a first-round bye as most of the top teams here. They await the winner of Elgin vs. Burbank this weekend.

Meanwhile, No. 5 Chicago Mt. Carmel defeated No. 2 Loyola Academy 38-21, and that opened the door for Lincoln-Way East to move up to the No. 2 position here this week. In terms of playoff brackets, however, the Griffins are the No. 1 team in Class 8A, where they will take a bye before facing the winner of Aurora East and Oak Park-River Forest next week.

Lincoln-Way East has the misfortune of being in a quadrant with No. 4 Chicago Mt. Carmel which received the eight seed after losing two games this season. The Caravan will play the winner of Marist and Neuqua Valley next week, and if both Lincoln-Way East and Chicago Mt. Carmel advance, they will meet the following week in the round of sixteen, and one of the state's top four teams will be ousted from the postseason there.

Other teams receiving byes in the Top 10 include No. 3 Brother Rice (Class 7A #8 seed); No. 5 Loyola Academy (Class 8A #3 seed); No. 6 IC Catholic Prep (Class 3A #3 seed); No. 7 St. Ignatius College Prep (Class 8A #11 seed); No. 8 Providence Catholic (Class 5A #11 seed); No. 9 St. Rita (Class 7A #14 seed); and No. 10 Downers Grove North (Class 7A #3 seed).

This is your High School On SI Illinois Top 25 Football State Rankings.

Illinois high school football state rankings — High School On SI

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1. East St. Louis

Record: 8-1

Previous Rank: 1

Last Week: East St. Louis 35, Naperville North 8

Loss(es): American Heritage (Fla.), 35-28

East St. Louis took care of business against Naperville North, earning a 27-point victory to close the regular season. The Flyers remain atop the rankings despite their lone loss to Florida power American Heritage and will look to make another championship push in the postseason.

2. Lincoln-Way East

Record: 9-0

Previous Rank: 3

Last Week: Lincoln-Way East 37, Lincoln-Way West 14

Loss(es): None

Lincoln-Way East completed an unbeaten regular season with a 23-point victory over Lincoln-Way West. The Griffins move up to No. 2 after another strong performance, and their perfect record puts them among the leading contenders as the postseason begins.

3. Brother Rice

Record: 7-2

Previous Rank: 4

Last Week: Brother Rice 49, Marist 6

Loss(es): Lincoln-Way East, 22-21; Loyola Academy, 27-24

Brother Rice closed the regular season with a statement, overwhelming Marist by 43 points. The Crusaders have two narrow losses against top competition and move up a spot as they prepare to make their postseason push.

4. Chicago Mt. Carmel

Record: 7-2

Previous Rank: 5

Last Week: Chicago Mt. Carmel 38, Loyola Academy 21

Loss(es): East St. Louis, 42-23; Brother Rice, 35-24

Chicago Mt. Carmel delivered one of the week's biggest results, handing previously unbeaten Loyola Academy its first loss of the season. The Caravan climb to No. 4 after a 17-point victory that reinforces their standing among Illinois' elite programs.

5. Loyola Academy

Record: 8-1

Previous Rank: 2

Last Week: Chicago Mt. Carmel 38, Loyola Academy 21

Loss(es): Chicago Mt. Carmel, 38-21

Loyola Academy's unbeaten run ended with a 17-point loss to Chicago Mt. Carmel, dropping the Ramblers three spots in the rankings. They remain one of the state's premier programs, but the setback adds another layer of intrigue to the postseason picture.

6. IC Catholic Prep

Record: 8-1

Previous Rank: 6

Last Week: IC Catholic Prep 6, Joliet Catholic 0

Loss(es): Loyola Academy, 45-35

IC Catholic Prep won a defensive battle against Joliet Catholic, pitching a shutout in a game where every point mattered. The Knights have bounced back from their loss to Loyola Academy and enter the postseason with a victory over a traditionally strong program.

7. Saint Ignatius College Prep

Record: 7-2

Previous Rank: 7

Last Week: Saint Ignatius College Prep 53, Providence Catholic 33

Loss(es): IC Catholic Prep, 22-15; Loyola Academy, 38-7

Saint Ignatius College Prep won a high-scoring showdown with Providence Catholic, putting up 53 points to secure a 20-point victory. The Wolfpack move up a spot after a strong finish to the regular season and will look to carry their offensive momentum into the playoffs.

8. Providence Catholic

Record: 6-3

Previous Rank: 8

Last Week: Saint Ignatius College Prep 53, Providence Catholic 33

Loss(es): Nazareth Academy, 17-7; Chicago Mt. Carmel, 49-14; Saint Ignatius College Prep, 53-33

Providence Catholic couldn't keep pace with Saint Ignatius College Prep in a game that featured 86 combined points. The Celtics slide one spot after the loss and will need to regroup quickly as the postseason begins.

9. St. Rita

Record: 6-3

Previous Rank: 9

Last Week: St. Rita 17, Nazareth Academy 14

Loss(es): Providence Catholic, 28-21; Loyola Academy, 31-0; Saint Ignatius College Prep, 42-16

St. Rita earned a hard-fought three-point victory over Nazareth Academy to close the regular season. The Mustangs move into the top 10 after showing they can win a tight game, a valuable experience heading into the postseason.

10. Downers Grove North

Record: 8-1

Previous Rank: 10

Last Week: Downers Grove North 58, Proviso East 0

Loss(es): York, 18-17

Downers Grove North finished the regular season in emphatic fashion, shutting out Proviso East in a 58-0 rout. The Trojans' only loss came by a single point against York, and they remain a team to watch in the postseason.

11. Fenwick

Record: 6-3

Previous Rank: 11

Last Week: Fenwick 28, Carmel 7

Loss(es): Saint Ignatius College Prep, 30-20; Providence Catholic, 28-21; Brother Rice, 42-21

Fenwick closed out the regular season with a convincing victory over Carmel, winning by three touchdowns. The Friars have faced several of the state's top programs and will look to use that experience as they enter the postseason.

12. Joliet Catholic

Record: 5-4

Previous Rank: 12

Last Week: IC Catholic Prep 6, Joliet Catholic 0

Loss(es): Fenwick, 28-13; Providence Catholic, 27-0; Chicago Mt. Carmel, 42-14; IC Catholic Prep, 6-0

Joliet Catholic couldn't find the end zone in a defensive struggle against IC Catholic Prep, falling 6-0. The Hilltoppers have faced a challenging schedule, but they'll need to regroup quickly as the postseason begins.

13. Sacred Heart-Griffin

Record: 8-1

Previous Rank: 13

Last Week: Sacred Heart-Griffin 48, Glenwood 0

Loss(es): Joliet Catholic, 21-14

Sacred Heart-Griffin delivered a dominant performance, shutting out Glenwood 48-0. The Cyclones have won eight of nine games, and their latest victory provides a strong springboard into the postseason.

14. Rochester

Record: 8-1

Previous Rank: 14

Last Week: Rochester 42, Quincy Notre Dame 7

Loss(es): Sacred Heart-Griffin, 29-28

Rochester bounced back from its heartbreaking loss to Sacred Heart-Griffin with a convincing victory over Quincy Notre Dame. The Rockets have won eight games and will look to turn that strong regular-season record into a deep postseason run.

15. Homewood-Flossmoor

Record: 7-2

Previous Rank: 15

Last Week: Homewood-Flossmoor 49, Andrew 7

Loss(es): Lincoln-Way East, 38-7; Lincoln-Way Central, 38-27

Homewood-Flossmoor rolled past Andrew to close the regular season, erupting for 49 points in a 42-point victory. The Vikings have been strong against much of their schedule, with their two losses coming against Lincoln-Way East and Lincoln-Way Central.

16. Sandburg

Record: 7-2

Previous Rank: 16

Last Week: Sandburg 35, Bradley-Bourbonnais 19

Loss(es): Homewood-Flossmoor, 35-13; Lincoln-Way East, 38-17

Sandburg finished the regular season with a 16-point victory over Bradley-Bourbonnais. The Eagles have won seven games and will look to carry their momentum into the postseason after navigating a schedule that included losses to two strong opponents.

17. Montini Catholic

Record: 7-2

Previous Rank: 17

Last Week: Montini Catholic 28, St. Francis 24

Loss(es): Sandburg, 35-28; St. Rita, 39-38

Montini Catholic edged St. Francis by four points in a competitive regular-season finale. The Broncos have two narrow losses on their résumé and showed they can handle a close finish, a quality that could serve them well in the postseason.

18. Byron

Record: 8-0

Previous Rank: 18

Last Week: Byron 64, Lutheran 6

Loss(es): None

Byron completed an unbeaten regular season in spectacular fashion, rolling past Lutheran by 58 points. The Tigers have been one of the state's most dominant teams and now turn their attention to the postseason with a perfect record and plenty of momentum.

19. Oswego

Record: 8-1

Previous Rank: 20

Last Week: Oswego 35, Oswego East 18

Loss(es): Bolingbrook, 21-7

Oswego took care of its crosstown rival, defeating Oswego East by 17 points to close the regular season. The Panthers have won eight games, with their only loss coming against Bolingbrook, and move up a spot as they prepare for the postseason.

20. Geneva

Record: 8-1

Previous Rank: 21

Last Week: Geneva 42, St. Charles East 21

Loss(es): Oswego, 44-42

Geneva closed the regular season with a convincing victory over St. Charles East, scoring 42 points in a 21-point win. The Vikings have won eight of nine games, with their lone loss coming in a high-scoring showdown against Oswego.

21. Batavia

Record: 7-2

Previous Rank: 22

Last Week: Batavia 27, Wheaton-Warrenville South 24

Loss(es): Rochester, 44-16; Geneva, 56-49

Batavia survived a close contest against Wheaton-Warrenville South, earning a three-point victory to finish the regular season. The Bulldogs have put together seven wins and will look to build on that momentum as the postseason begins.

22. York

Record: 6-3

Previous Rank: 23

Last Week: York 16, Lyons 14

Loss(es): Nazareth Academy, 27-3; Oak Park-River Forest, 24-21; Hinsdale Central, 24-21

York added another close victory to its résumé, edging Lyons by two points in a defensive battle. The Dukes have now shown they can win tight games against quality opponents, and that ability could be important as they move into the postseason.

23. Hersey

Record: 9-0

Previous Rank: Unranked

Last Week: Hersey 48, Prospect 35

Loss(es): None

Hersey earned a place in the rankings after outscoring Prospect in a 13-point victory. The Huskies put together an impressive offensive performance to close the regular season and enter the postseason looking to make an impact.

24. Glenbard West

Record: 6-3

Previous Rank: 24

Last Week: Glensbard West 56, Proviso West 6

Loss(es): St. Rita, 36-35; Downers Grove North, 24-14; York, 25-22

Glenbard West bounced back with a dominant performance against Proviso West, scoring 56 points in a 50-point victory. The Hilltoppers have had a challenging stretch against strong competition, but they'll look to build on the win as the postseason begins.

25. Hinsdale Central

Record: 6-3

Previous Rank: Unranked

Last Week: Hinsdale Central 21, Oak Park-River Forest 19

Loss(es): Downers Grove North, 28-0; Lyons, 38-28; Glenbard West, 42-24

Hinsdale Central earned its spot in the Top 25 with a narrow victory over Oak Park-River Forest. The Red Devils came through in a two-point game to close the regular season and will look to carry that momentum into the postseason.

Final Analysis

Illinois' regular season has set the stage for what should be an intriguing postseason, with East St. Louis still holding the top spot and Lincoln-Way East, Brother Rice and Chicago Mt. Carmel waiting in the wings should the Flyers fall. Lincoln-Way East is one of only three undefeated teams on this list along with Byron and Hersey, which makes its debut here this week. These rankings no doubt will change in the weeks to come as the postseason gets under way in Illinois.

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