Illinois High School Football Top 25 State Rankings (Sept. 28, 2026)

The top of the Illinois high school football rankings is starting to take shape, but there is still plenty of room for movement as the regular season enters its final weeks.

East St. Louis of Class 6A remains firmly planted at No. 1 after another dominant defensive performance, while Loyola Academy and Lincoln-Way East continue to make their cases as the top contenders in Class 8A.

Brother Rice, meanwhile, is the frontrunner in Class 7A, and the Crusaders made a major statement, knocking off the the previous No. 2 Chicago Mt. Carmel, which was at the front of the line in Class 8A prior to the loss.

Finally, St. Rita got a much needed win over No. 12 Montini Catholic. The Mustangs were in danger of falling out of the Top 25 altogether, but instead, the win propels them all the way back up to No. 12 while sending the vanquished Broncos tumbling all the way to No. 18.

With undefeated teams still jockeying for position, several ranked teams trying to protect their spots and a handful of major showdowns on the horizon, this week's Top 25 reflects both what has happened on the field while also foreshadowing what could be coming next.

Illinois high school football state rankings — High School On SI

PREVIOUS: PRESEASON | WK1 | WK2 | WK3 | WK4 | WK5 | WK6

1. East St. Louis

Record: 5-1

Previous Rank: 1

Last Week: East St. Louis 35, Edwardsville 0

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

As expected, East St. Louis won comfortably, but as we predicted here last week, it was more of a challenge than the Flyers' typical matchups against in-state competition. After back-to-back wins in which they topped the 60-point mark, the Flyers managed only 35 against a salty Edwardsville squad. Their defense, however, remained up to its stingy standard, pitching its second consecutive shutout.

They'll likely be back around that 60-point mark — or beyond it — Friday against a 1-5 Belleville West team.

2. Loyola Academy

Record: 6-0

Previous Rank: 3

Last Week: Loyola Academy 42, Marist 12

Loss(es): None

Loyola Academy kept its perfect record intact last weekend against Marist, but Saturday afternoon's home game against No. 8 St. Ignatius College Prep marks the beginning of a three-game stretch that will tell us just how good this Ramblers team really is. They'll close the season with games against No. 6 IC Catholic Prep and No. 5 Chicago Mt. Carmel, setting up a trio of contests that could lead to some serious reshuffling near the top of these rankings.

3. Lincoln-Way East

Record: 6-0

Previous Rank: 4

Last Week: Lincoln-Way East 54, Andrew 0

Loss(es): None

Lincoln-Way East pummeled Andrew as expected, but now the Griffins will visit their No. 19 rivals from Lincoln-Way Central in a matchup that could be a spirited affair. Still, East appears to have the clear edge on paper, and we expect the Griffins to ultimately find a way to remain undefeated.

4. Brother Rice

Record: 4-2

Previous Rank: 6

Last Week: Brother Rice 35, Chicago Mt. Carmel 24

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

Brother Rice pulled the upset over the previous No. 2 Chicago Mt. Carmel, one of the Class 8A frontrunners, strengthening the Crusaders' case as the clear favorites to defend their 2025 Class 7A state title. Next up they'll measure themselves against the defending Class 6A champions as No. 11 Fenwick visits Friday night.

5. Chicago Mt. Carmel

Record: 4-2

Previous Rank: 2

Last Week: Brother Rice 35, Chicago Mt. Carmel 24

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

Chicago Mt. Carmel's only losses to date are to No. 1 East St. Louis, the state's top-ranked Class 6A squad, and No. 4 Brother Rice, the Class 7A frontrunners. But with two undefeated heavyweights in Class 8A ahead of them in No. 2 Loyola Academy and No. 3 Lincoln-Way East, the Caravan finds itself in an unfamiliar position — ranked behind two teams in its own division as the regular season begins to wind toward a conclusion.

The Caravan has a challenging home game Friday against No. 10 Providence Catholic, but it will get an opportunity to shake up the Class 8A order with a season-ending showdown against Loyola Academy fast approaching on Oct. 16.

6. IC Catholic Prep

Record: 6-0

Previous Rank: 5

Last Week: IC Catholic Prep 28, St. Laurence 12

Loss(es): None

IC Catholic Prep has a couple of marquee wins over Nazareth Academy and St. Ignatius College Prep and has avoided any major stumbles on its way to a 6-0 start. The Knights should be able to handle Friday night's trip to Benet Academy, but things get serious from there, with home games against No. 2 Loyola Academy and No. 13 Joliet Catholic to close out the regular season.

7. Rochester

Record: 6-0

Previous Rank: 7

Last Week: Rochester 65, Glenwood 21

Loss(es): None

Rochester remains steady at No. 7, with just one game against a ranked opponent left on the regular-season schedule when No. 14 Sacred Heart-Griffin visits next week. Before then, the Rockets should have another win in hand Friday when Normal University High comes to town.

8. Saint Ignatius College Prep

Record: 5-1

Previous Rank: 8

Last Week: Saint Ignatius College Prep 49, Carmel 22

Loss(es): IC Catholic Prep, 22-15

Saint Ignatius College Prep's only loss came against No. 6 IC Catholic Prep, but the Wolfpack face a stiff test Saturday afternoon on the road against No. 2 Loyola Academy.

9. Downers Grove North

Record: 6-0

Previous Rank: 9

Last Week: Downers Grove North 41, Oak Park-River Forest 0

Loss(es): None

Downers Grove North has two challenging games over the next two weeks, but a win Friday at a top-80 York team would set up a home showdown with top-30 Lyons next week. If the Trojans can clear both hurdles, they could enter the postseason undefeated.

10. Providence Catholic

Record: 5-1

Previous Rank: 14

Last Week: Providence Catholic 28, Fenwick 21

Loss(es): Nazareth Academy, 17-7

Providence Catholic faces one of its toughest challenges to date when it visits No. 5 Chicago Mt. Carmel on Friday.

11. Fenwick

Record: 4-2

Previous Rank: 11

Last Week: Providence Catholic 28, Fenwick 21

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

Fenwick lost to previous No. 14 Providence Catholic, but a number of losses among teams ranked above and below the Friars allowed them to hold onto the No. 11 spot for another week. That could be harder to do next Monday if Fenwick can't find a way to win Friday at No. 4 Brother Rice.

12. St. Rita

Record: 3-3

Previous Rank: 24

Last Week: St. Rita 39, Montini Catholic 38

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

St. Rita has been all over the rankings this year, but a win over last week's No. 12 Montini Catholic gives the Mustangs an opportunity to make a giant leap from No. 24 to No. 12. Their only losses now are to teams currently ranked in the top 10. They head to Leo on Friday, where they should have enough firepower to outrun the Lions.

13. Joliet Catholic

Record: 4-2

Previous Rank: 17

Last Week: Joliet Catholic 14, DePaul College Prep 7

Loss(es): Fenwick, 28-13; Providence Catholic, 27-0

Joliet Catholic's only losses are to the teams currently ranked Nos. 10 and 11 on this list, while many of the losses by teams ranked below the Hilltoppers can be traced back to Sacred Heart-Griffin — a team Joliet Catholic beat 21-14 on Aug. 29. That all adds up to the Hilltoppers landing at No. 13 this week, but they'll have to avoid an upset Friday at top-60 St. Patrick. With games against No. 5 Chicago Mt. Carmel and No. 6 IC Catholic Prep to close the season, this feels like a game the 'Toppers can't afford to lose.

14. Sacred Heart-Griffin

Record: 5-1

Previous Rank: 18

Last Week: Sacred Heart-Griffin 19, Quincy Notre Dame 0

Loss(es): Joliet Catholic, 21-14

Sacred Heart-Griffin's 5-1 resume is helping, in part, to boost Joliet Catholic, which is ranked immediately above the Cyclones. Their most notable win to date is a 27-23 victory over current No. 19 Lincoln-Way Central, and several other ranked teams in that chain also trace back to Sacred Heart-Griffin through that win. Suffice it to say, the Cyclones could use another big win or two to solidify their position, but they won't get that opportunity Friday at home against winless Lanphier.

15. Homewood-Flossmoor

Record: 4-2

Previous Rank: 20

Last Week: Homewood-Flossmoor 14, Lincoln-Way West 10

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

Homewood-Flossmoor is one of the teams with a loss to Lincoln-Way Central, which in turn lost to Sacred Heart-Griffin. The Vikings won't get much of an opportunity to improve their standing Friday when they host a struggling Stagg team.

16. Byron

Record: 6-0

Previous Rank: 15

Last Week: Byron 68, Winnebago 8

Loss(es): None

Byron is getting pushed down slightly by some of the teams from the upper divisions in Illinois, but the Class 3A Tigers continue to dominate on a weekly basis. This week could be a little more challenging, as Friday's opponent, Durand/Pecatonica, is actually a top-80 squad in the Land of Lincoln. The Tigers will host in what could be one of their biggest challenges of the season so far.

17. Sandburg

Record: 4-2

Previous Rank: Unranked

Last Week: Sandburg 21, Lincoln-Way Central 17

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

Sandburg has been in and out of the rankings, but a big win over Lincoln-Way Central last weekend lifts the Eagles back into the Top 25 this week. They'll visit a top-80 Lincoln-Way West on Friday, needing a win to stick around for another week.

18. Montini Catholic

Record: 4-2

Previous Rank: 12

Last Week: St. Rita 39, Montini Catholic 38

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

Montini Catholic slips six spots this week after losing to the previous No. 24 St. Rita. The Broncos have a solid but unspectacular résumé, and they should cruise Friday at winless De La Salle.

19. Lincoln-Way Central

Record: 4-2

Previous Rank: 19

Last Week: Sandburg 21, Lincoln-Way Central 17

Loss(es): Sacred Heart-Griffin, 27-23; Sandburg, 21-17

Lincoln-Way Central holds steady at No. 19 despite losing to Sandburg, thanks to a number of losses among teams ranked above them. They could be in for a long night Friday when they host No. 3 Lincoln-Way East.

20. Bolingbrook

Record: 5-1

Previous Rank: 21

Last Week: Bolingbrook 46, Oswego East 8

Loss(es): Homewood-Flossmoor, 31-0

Bolingbrook's only loss is to No. 15 Homewood-Flossmoor, and a solid win over No. 21 Oswego is the highest mark on its report card so far in 2026. The Raiders should be significantly better than the Joliet Central squad they'll visit Friday in a bid for their sixth win.

21. Oswego

Record: 5-1

Previous Rank: 22

Last Week: Oswego 44, Yorkville 21

Loss(es): Bolingbrook, 21-7

Oswego has its loss to Bolingbrook holding it back, but the Panthers have a solid win over Geneva bolstering their case for a Top 25 spot. They likely won't face much resistance Friday when they make the trip to Joliet West.

22. Geneva

Record: 5-1

Previous Rank: 23

Last Week: Geneva 56, Batavia 49

Loss(es): Oswego, 44-42

Geneva earned its biggest win of the season last weekend in a wild 56-49 shootout against Batavia. The Vikings could be pushed to the limit Friday at home by a top-40 Glenbard North team hungry for an upset.

23. Batavia

Record: 4-2

Previous Rank: 10

Last Week: Geneva 56, Batavia 49

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

Batavia fell for the second time in 2026 in last weekend's loss to Geneva, costing the Bulldogs 13 spots in the Top 25. They can't afford another slip-up Friday at top-35 Wheaton North, a 5-1 team making its bid for a spot on this list.

24. Maine South

Record: 5-1

Previous Rank: 16

Last Week: Maine South 49, Niles West 0

Loss(es): Batavia, 49-35

With no real marquee wins, Maine South is hanging on by a thread here, but the Hawks should be fine Friday at Vernon Hills, a team that will likely struggle to keep pace with them.

25. Prospect

Record: 5-0

Previous Rank: 25

Last Week: Prospect 56, Rolling Meadows 14

Loss(es): None

Prospect is another team with very little margin for error here, but the undefeated Knights should roll Friday at winless Wheeling.

Final Analysis

The final weeks of the regular season are quickly approaching, and the Illinois Top 25 is beginning to separate into contenders and pretenders whose flaws have been increasingly exposed. East St. Louis remains the team to beat, but the battles behind the Flyers are becoming increasingly intriguing, with the Class 8A trio of Loyola Academy, Lincoln-Way East, and Chicago Mt. Carmel looking especially enticing as they appear set to crash into each other in various matchups in the coming weeks.

Add us as a preferred source on Google