Illinois High School Football Top 25 State Rankings - Sept. 2, 2025

Mount Carmel assumes the No. 1 spot after knocking of Ohio's Archbishop Moeller; Prairie Ridge jumps into the Top 25 at No. 11

Mount Carmel quarterback Emmett Dowling looks to pass during his team's 43-42 win over Archbishop Moeller in Ohio. / Mount Carmel Caravan

Several Illinois high school football powers took road trips out of state, and the one with the most impressive performance is the new No. 1 team.

1. Mount Carmel (1-0)

Preseason ranking: 3

Last week: Def. Cincinnati Moeller (Ohio) 43-42

Up next: vs. St. Rita, Sept. 5

Playing fellow Midwest power Moeller for the first time in 35 years, the Caravan pulled out the win in Ironton, Ohio on a touchdown with no time left and a successful two-point conversion. Quarterback Emmett Dowling had a big day in his debut as Mount Carmel's full-time starter, throwing for 382 yards and four TDs and running for 64 yards.

2. Lincoln-Way East (1-0)

Preseason ranking: 4

Last week: Def. Maine South 40-0

Up next: vs. Kankakee, Sept. 5

USC recruit Jonas Wiliams and the Griffins offense were in high gear, with Williams throwing for 315 yards and four touchdowns. In his East debut after transferring from Libertyville, Washington commit Blaise LaVista caught six passes for 118 yards and two touchdowns.

3. East St. Louis (0-1)

Preseason ranking: 1

Last week: Lost to Bergan Catholic (N.J.) 22-21

Up next: vs. Gadsden County (Fla.), Sept. 6

The Flyers were winning the matchup of nationally ranked teams until Bergan Catholic returned a blocked punt for a touchdown and got the winning two-point conversion in the final minute.

4. Loyola (1-0)

Preseason ranking: 2

Last week: Def. Merrillville (Ind.) 21-14

Up next: at St. Francis, Sept. 13

After a sluggish start, the Ramblers rallied with sophomore quarterback Matthew Lee running the offense. They got a 20-yard touchdown pass from Lee to Teddy Kurtzweil and two-point conversion with 12.7 seconds left to erase a one-point deficit. 

5. Nazareth (1-0)

Preseason ranking: 7

Last week: Def. Kankakee 33-12

Up next: vs. Morgan Park, Sept. 5

The Roadrunners and Kankakee were tied at 12 in the third quarter before Nazareth went on a game-ending 21-0 run. Jackson Failla and Frankie Nichols split quarterback duties, combining for 294 passing yards and three TDs.

6. Brother Rice (1-0)

Preseason ranking: 10

Last week: Def. Valparaiso (Ind.) 43-19

Up next: at Marist, Sept. 5

CJ Gray passed for two scores and Jaylin Green ran for a pair of touchdowns as the Crusaders won the interstate matchup.

7. Warren (1-0)

Preseason ranking: 12

Lost week: Def. Hersey 43-36

Up next: vs. Maine South, Sept. 5

Illinois football and wrestling commit Aaron Stewart started his senior season with a huge game, running 43 times for 438 yards and six touchdowns.

8. Downers Grove North (1-0)

Preseason ranking: 6

Last week: Def. Morgan Park 11-8

Up next: at Downers Grove South, Sept. 5

Baker Glomb kicked a 22-yard field goal as time expired to help the Trojans pull out the road win. Minnesota commit Owen Lansu was 10-of-25 passing for 105 yards with an interception.

9. Fremd (1-0)

Preseason ranking: 13

Last week: Def. Lake Zurich 35-3

Up next: vs. Buffalo Grove, Sept. 5

Northwestern commit Johnny O'Brien completed 23 of 31 passes for 315 yards and three touchdowns to power the Vikings.

10. St. Rita (1-0)

Preseason ranking: 18

Last week: Def. Marist 28-21

Up next: at Mount Carmel, Sept. 5

Stephen Armbruster passed for two touchdowns, giving him a program-record 27 for his career, and Brandon Johnson Jr. scored the game-winning touchdown with 13 seconds left.

11. Prairie Ridge (1-0)

Preseason ranking: Not ranked

Last week: Def. Cary-Grove 34-21

Up next: vs. Jacobs, Sept. 5

Shifty quarterback Luke Vanderwiel had 200 yards and three touchdowns by halftime, and fullback Jake Wagler kept the chains moving in the second half for the Wolves.

12. Glenbard West (1-0)

Preseason ranking: Not ranked

Last week: Def. Batavia 31-28

Up next: vs. Joliet Catholic, Sept. 6

Jack Swick's 24-yard field goal as time expired lifted the Hilltoppers to the road win.

13. Batavia (0-1)

Preseason ranking: 8

Last week: Lost to Glenbard West 31-28

Up next: at South Elgin, Sept. 5

Michael Vander Luitgaren threw for 200 yards and two touchdowns with no interceptions, but the Bulldogs lost on a field goal at the buzzer. Brett Berggren had nine catches for 126 yards.

14. Marist (0-1)

Preseason ranking: 11

Last week: Lost to St. Rita 28-21

Up next: vs. Brother Rice, Sept. 5

Kevin Bartolotta ran 27 times for 173 yards and three touchdowns, but the RedHawks lost on a touchdown with 13 seconds remaining.

15. Maine South (0-1)

Preseason ranking: 5

Last week: Lost to Lincoln-Way East 40-0

Up next: at Warren, Sept. 5

Indiana commit Jameson Purcell was 37-of-64 passing for 305 yards, but the Hawks had three possessions inside the Griffins' 15-yard line that resulted in no points.

16. St. Francis (1-0)

Preseason ranking: 19

Last week: Def. Kenwood 38-34

Up next: vs. Mount Zion Prep (Md.), Sept. 6

Brock Phillip, a transfer from Geneva, passed for four touchdowns, including the game-winner to Dario Milivojevic with four seconds left. The Spartans rallied after trailing by 10 late in the third quarter.

17. Glenbrook South (1-0)

Previous ranking: Not ranked

Last week: Def. York 35-28 (OT)

Up next: at Taft, Sept. 5

After scoring first in overtime, the Titans forced a York fumble on third down and recovered to clinch the win.

18. York (0-1)

Preseason ranking: 9

Last week: Lost to Glenbrook South 35-28 (OT) 

Up next: vs. Plainfield North, Sept. 5

Conner Smith ran for 189 yards and two touchdowns for the Dukes. Quarterback Andrew Tinch ran for 115 yards and two TDs and threw for 117 yards and a score.

19. Normal (1-0)

Preseason ranking: 15

Last week: Def. Richwoods 40-6

Up next: at Normal West, Sept. 5

Cole Kretsinger scored two touchdowns and the Ironmen forced five turnovers, including a pick-six by Jalen Smith.

20. Geneva (1-0)

Preseason ranking: 17

Last week: Def. Larkin 56-0

Up next: at Oswego, Sept. 5

Ben Peterson passed for 118 yards and four touchdowns as the Vikings opened a 56-0 halftime lead and coasted to the victory. .

21. Fenwick (1-0)

Preseason ranking: 20

Last week: Def. DePaul Prep 40-14

Up next: vs. Oak Park-River Forest, Sept. 5

Jamen Williams Jr. was 15-for-18 passing for 208 yards and four touchdowns to pace the Friars, who led 33-0 at halftime.

22. Montini (1-0)

Preseason ranking: 21

Last week: Def. Lumen Christi (Mich.) 20-16

Up next: at Hillcrest, Sept. 5

Johnny Louise kicked a pair of 42-yard field goals after halftime as the Broncos beat a three-time defending state champ.

23. St. Charles North (1-0)

Preseason ranking: 22

Last week: Def. Minooka 36-35

Up next: vs. Homewood-Flossmoor, Sept. 5

Jesse Padron threw a touchdown pass to Braden Harms with 55 seconds left and Northwestern commit Keaton Reinke ran in the two-point conversion to help the North Stars rally for the win.

24. Palatine (1-0)

Preseason ranking: 24

Last week: Def. Rolling Meadows 39-22

Up next: vs. Prospect, Sept. 5

St. Thomas commit Will Santiago passed for 308 yards and three touchdowns, and also ran for 73 yards to pace the Pirates.

25. Richards (1-0)

Preseason ranking: 25

Last week: Def. Crete-Monee 51-41

Up next: at Sandburg, Sept. 5

Noah Escobedo passed for 305 yards and three touchdowns, while Ahmad Buchanan scored three times and picked off a pass for Richards.

Elsewhere, Prairie Ridge, Glenbard West and Glenbrook South join the rankings this week.