Illinois High School Football Top 25 State Rankings - Sept. 10, 2025

Glenbard West and Main South jump into the Top 10; Glenbrook South climbs five spots; Barrington, Lyons and Hinsdale Central enter the Top 25

No. 2 Lincoln-Way East blew past Kankakee, 41-0, to improve to 2-0, early in the 2025 Illinois high school football season. / Dan Reid

Mount Carmel and Lincoln-Way East remain 1-2 in Illinois high school football, while East St. Louis and Loyola didn't play last week. Barrington, Lyons and Hinsdale Central are newcomers to the rankings.

1. Mount Carmel (2-0)

Previous ranking: 1

Last week: Def. St. Rita 35-13

Up next: at Nazareth, Sept. 12

Senior quarterback Emmett Dowling had another big night in the South Side rivalry win, passing for 263 yards and four touchdowns and also running for a TD. Sophomore Marshaun Thornton had two TD receptions..

2. Lincoln-Way East (2-0)

Previous ranking: 2

Last week: Def. Kankakee 41-0

Up next: vs. Kankakee, Sept. 5

USC recruit Jonas Wiliams continued to move closer to the Illinois career records for passing yards and passing touchdowns. With seven regular-season games remaining and as many as five playoff contests, Williams has 9.491 yards and 119 TDs.

3. East St. Louis (1-1)

Previous ranking: 3

Last week: Def. Gadsden County (Fla.) 1-0

Up next: at Las Vegas (Nev.) Bishop Gorman, Sept. 12

Gadsden County — which had a turbulent offseason that included player suspensions and reinstatements, the resignation of its head coach and a playoff ban — announced it was forfeiting the game a few days before kickoff.

4. Loyola (1-0)

Previous ranking: 4

Last week: Idle

Up next: at St. Francis, Sept. 12

The young Ramblers end a two-week layoff against a team that upset them last season. 

5. Nazareth (2-0)

Previous ranking: 5

Last week: Def. Morgan Park 33-6

Up next: vs. Mount Carmel, Sept. 12

The Roadrunners get a big test this week in a rare matchup of three-time defending state champions.

6. Brother Rice (2-0)

Previous ranking: 6

Last week: Def. Marist 35-0

Up next: at St. Rita, Sept. 12

Army commit CJ Gray accounted for three TDs and a defensive line anchored by King Liggins, Brayden Parks and Kameron McGee shut down the RedHawks' offense.

7. Fremd (2-0)

Previous ranking: 9

Last week: Def. Buffalo Grove 55-6

Up next: vs. Evanston, Sept. 12

In less than a half, Northwestern commit Johnny O'Brien passed for 197 yards and finished with five total touchdowns.

8. Glenbard West (2-0)

Previous ranking: 12

Last week: Def. Joliet Catholic 27-21

Up next: at Oak Park-River Forest, Sept. 12

With starting quarterback AJ Rayford out injured, Jack Walti passed for 139 yards and the game-winning TD, a 58-yarder to Brady Johnson with 4:25 remaining.

9. Maine South (1-1)

Previous ranking: 15

Last week: Def. Warren 42-14

Up next: vs. Palatine, Sept. 12

Indiana commit Jameson Purcell threw for 243 yards and three touchdowns as the Hawks bounced back from a season-opening shutout loss to Lincoln-Way East.

10. Downers Grove North (2-0)

Previous ranking: 8

Last week: Def. Downers Grove South 55-14

Up next: vs. Hinsdale Central, Sept. 12

Kevin Jay filled in for Minnesota commit Owen Lansu at quarterback, running for three touchdowns and passing for a fourth to lead the Trojans.

11. Prairie Ridge (2-0)

Previous ranking: 11

Last week: Def. Jacobs 33-22

Up next: at Hampshire, Sept. 12

Luke Vanderwiel scored four more touchdowns to spark the Wolves, running for three and returning an interception 60 yards for another.

12. Batavia (1-1)

Previous ranking: 13

Last week: Def. South Elgin 35-3

Up next: vs. Glenbard North, Sept. 12

Michael Vander Luitgaren passed for 226 yards and two touchdowns, while Nick Jansey had three tackles for loss.

13. Warren (1-1)

Previous ranking: 7

Lost week: Lost to Maine South 42-14

Up next: vs. Lake Forest, Sept. 12

Maine South held Illinois commit Aaron Stewart relatively in check, as he finished with 116 total yards and a TD.

14. St. Francis (2-0)

Previous ranking: 19

Last week: Def. Mt. Zion Prep (Md.) 47-25

Up next: vs. Loyola, Sept. 12

Two-way standout Tanner Glock had a touchdown catch and picked off two passes for the Spartans.

15. St. Rita (1-1)

Previous ranking: 10

Last week: Lost to Mount Carmel 35-14

Up next: at Mount Carmel, Sept. 5

Stephen Armbruster threw for 149 yards and one touchdown for the Mustangs.

16. Glenbrook South (2-0)

Previous ranking: 17

Last week: Def. Taft 47-0

Up next: vs. Barrington, Sept. 12

Andrew Bonvechio was 17-of-22 passing for 223 yards and three touchdowns for the Titans.

17. York (1-1)

Previous ranking: 18

Last week: Def. Plainfield North 38-3

Up next: vs. Proviso West, Sept. 12

The Dukes bounced back from an overtime loss to Glenbrook South and aren't likely to be tested again till going to Hinsdale Central on Oct. 3.

18. Normal (2-0)

Previous ranking: 19

Last week: Def. Normal West 35-22

Up next: at Urbana, Sept. 12

Jalen Smith returned an interception return for a touchdown for the second straight week for the Ironmen.

19. Fenwick (2-0)

Previous ranking: 21

Last week: Def. Oak Park-River Forest 35-0

Up next: vs. Joliet Catholic, Sept. 12

Jamen Williams Jr. passed for two touchdowns and ran for another for the Friars.

20. Montini (2-0)

Preseason ranking: 21

Last week: Def. Hillcrest 35-12

Up next: vs. Marist, Sept. 12

Israel Abrams passed for three touchdowns and ran for another as the Broncos opened a 28-0 lead early in the second quarter and cruised to the win.

21. St. Charles North (2-0)

Previous ranking: 23

Last week: Def. Homewood-Flossmoor 35-16

Up next: vs. Geneva, Sept. 12

Carsen Durante ran for 169 yards, averaging 9.4 yards per carry, and had three total TDs for the North Stars.

22. Barrington (2-0)

Previous ranking: Not ranked

Last week: Def. Hersey 35-21

Up next: at Glenbrook South, Sept. 12

Sophomore Lamar Osterhues ran for 205 yards and three TDs, including two carries of at least 50 yards, to power the Broncos.

23. Palatine (2-0)

Previous ranking: 24

Last week: Def. Prospect 37-34 (OT)

Up next: at Maine South, Sept. 12

Kole Fager scored four touchdowns, including the game-winner in overtime, as the Pirates rallied from 14 down in the fourth quarter to pull out the win.

24. Lyons (2-0)

Previous ranking: Not ranked

Last week: Def. Wheaton Warrenville South 31-28

Up next: at Morton, Sept. 12

Jack Slightom passed for two scores and ran for another as the Lions held off the Tigers.

25. Hinsdale Central (2-0)

Previous ranking: Not ranked

Last week: Def. Naperville Central 28-14

Up next: at Downers Grove North, Sept. 12

Two-way standout Riley Contreras passed for 235 yards, ran for two TDs and had six tackles for the Red Devils.