Illinois High School Football Top 25 State Rankings (Sept. 7, 2026)

The top nine teams in the Illinois high school football rankings are unchanged this week, but there is plenty of movement further down as the season heats up heading into conference play across the state.

East St. Louis continues to hold the No. 1 spot in the Land of Lincoln, rebounding from a loss to Florida powerhouse American Heritage with an impressive home win against another Southeastern heavyweight. The Flyers slipped past Gainesville (Ga.), 24-21, to get back in the win column heading into their conference opener this weekend against O'Fallon.

No. 2 Chicago Mt. Carmel added a big win over No. 8 Nazareth Academy, and the Caravan have a trio of undefeated teams just behind them in the Top 5: No. 3 Loyola Academy, No. 4 Fenwick and No. 5 Lincoln-Way East. Loyola will face off against No. 6 Brother Rice at home Friday in one of the week's biggest Illinois high school football games.

Three other games feature Top 25 matchups. No. 2 Chicago Mt. Carmel squad hosts No. 24 Marist, while No. 8 Nazareth Academy will entertain No. 19 Montini Catholic. No. 13 St. Rita hosts No. 17 St. Francis in an intriguing matchup between two 1-2 squads looking to get back on track.

Here's a look at the latest High School On SI Illinois high school football Top 25 rankings:

Illinois high school football state rankings — High School On SI

PREVIOUS: PRESEASON | WK1 | WK2 | WK3 |

1. East St. Louis

Record: 2-1

Previous Rank: 1

Last Week: East St. Louis 24, Gainesville (Ga.) 21

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

One week after losing on the road to American Heritage in Florida, East St. Louis returned home and added a statement win against Gainesville of Georgia. The Flyers always play a tough early-season schedule before settling into conference play, where they generally dominate. They should get a bit of a breather this weekend against O'Fallon.

2. Chicago Mt. Carmel

Record: 2-1

Previous Rank: 2

Last Week: Chicago Mt. Carmel 35, Nazareth Academy 7

Loss(es): East St. Louis, 42-23

Chicago Mt. Carmel has bounced back nicely from its season-opening loss to No. 1 East St. Louis, defeating New Jersey's St. Joseph Regional 48-44 before taking down a Top 10 Illinois squad in Nazareth Academy 35-7. The Caravan host No. 24 Marist this weekend with a chance to add to their track record.

3. Loyola Academy

Record: 3-0

Previous Rank: 3

Last Week: Loyola Academy 31, St. Rita 0

Loss(es): None

Loyola Academy is the top-ranked undefeated team in Illinois, and it will have to keep winning to have any chance of dislodging the two teams above it in the rankings. That's easier said than done with No. 6 Brother Rice paying a visit Friday night.

4. Fenwick

Record: 3-0

Previous Rank: 4

Last Week: Fenwick 38, DePaul College Prep 14

Loss(es): None

The defending Class 6A state champions just keep winning, but the real tests start Friday against a stout Saint Ignatius College Prep squad before games against a trio of ranked teams in St. Francis, Providence Catholic and Brother Rice.

5. Lincoln-Way East

Record: 3-0

Previous Rank: 5

Last Week: Lincoln-Way East 38, Homewood-Flossmoor 7

Loss(es): None

Lincoln-Way East is off to a phenomenal start, and the Griffins look to keep it rolling Friday at home against Bradley-Bourbonnais.

6. Brother Rice

Record: 2-1

Previous Rank: 6

Last Week: Brother Rice 43, St. Francis 0

Loss(es): Lincoln-Way East, 22-21

Brother Rice has rebounded from its season-opening loss to Lincoln-Way East with two shutout wins, including a 43-0 rout of current No. 17 St. Francis. A visit to No. 3 Loyola Academy looms Friday night, representing its biggest opportunity to date.

7. IC Catholic Prep

Record: 3-0

Previous Rank: 7

Last Week: IC Catholic Prep 22, Saint Ignatius College Prep 15

Loss(es): None

IC Catholic Prep hasn't blinked despite facing three quality opponents out of the gate, including a 35-21 win over current No. 8 Nazareth Academy in the season opener. The Knights will host DePaul College Prep on Friday looking to maintain their undefeated start.

8. Nazareth Academy

Record: 1-2

Previous Rank: 8

Last Week: Chicago Mt. Carmel 35, Nazareth Academy 7

Loss(es): IC Catholic Prep, 35-21; Chicago Mt. Carmel, 35-7

It's been a tough three-week stretch to open the season for Nazareth Academy, which has faced three ranked opponents out of the gate. Its next three opponents are all currently ranked, too, including Friday's foe, No. 19 Montini Catholic.

9. Providence Catholic

Record: 3-0

Previous Rank: 9

Last Week: Providence Catholic 27, Joliet Catholic 0

Loss(es): None

Providence Catholic has a quality win over current No. 13 St. Rita in the season opener, and it will face Carmel on Friday night in its final tuneup before taking on No. 8 Nazareth Academy on Sept. 18.

10. Rochester

Record: 3-0

Previous Rank: 11

Last Week: IDLE (Forfeit win vs. Decatur Eisenhower which canceled its season)

Loss(es): None

Rochester was originally scheduled to play Decatur Eisenhower, but the school was forced to cancel its season because of low participation numbers. The Rockets took the week off and will play at MacArthur on Friday night.

11. Oswego

Record: 3-0

Previous Rank: 12

Last Week: Oswego 34, Plainfield North 14

Loss(es): None

Oswego's biggest win to date is over current No. 22 Geneva, a 44-42 shootout on Aug. 28. It has a favorable schedule that provides an opportunity to potentially go undefeated in the regular season, and the next step toward that goal comes Friday at Bolingbrook.

12. Downers Grove North

Record: 3-0

Previous Rank: 13

Last Week: Downers Grove North 28, Hinsdale Central 0

Loss(es): None

After a close call in a 17-12 season-opening win over Morgan Park, Downers Grove North has won big the past two weeks and will look to keep the momentum rolling Friday at home against Glenbard West.

13. St. Rita

Record: 1-2

Previous Rank: 10

Last Week: Loyola Academy 31, St. Rita 0

Loss(es): Providence Catholic, 28-21; Loyola Academy, 31-0

St. Rita's two losses are both against teams currently ranked in the top nine, and the hard-luck Mustangs face another tough test Friday against No. 17 St. Francis.

14. Byron

Record: 3-0

Previous Rank: 14

Last Week: Byron 26, Dixon 13

Loss(es): N/A

Byron has faced little resistance in its 3-0 start, and the Tigers' next test is Friday against an Oregon squad that is 1-2.

15. Sandburg

Record: 3-0

Previous Rank: 15

Last Week: Sandburg 37, Thornwood 14

Loss(es): None

Sandburg has a 35-28 win over current No. 19 Montini Catholic in Week 2, but the Eagles now enter the toughest stretch of their schedule, with two of their next four opponents ranked here, including No. 5 Lincoln-Way East and No. 20 Lincoln-Way West. Friday's opponent, Homewood-Flossmoor, was also previously ranked, so the Eagles will have to be at their best for the next month.

16. Fremd

Record: 3-0

Previous Rank: 17

Last Week: Fremd 31, Metea Valley 7

Loss(es): None

Fremd will get the week started early with a Thursday night trip to Prospect, looking to build on an unbeaten start.

17. St. Francis

Record: 1-2

Previous Rank: 16

Last Week: Brother Rice 43, St. Francis 0

Loss(es): New Palestine (Ind.), 28-17; Brother Rice, 43-0

St. Francis has two losses to teams ranked in the Top 10 here, and it will face No. 13 St. Rita on Friday. With No. 4 Fenwick and No. 8 Nazareth Academy on deck the following two weeks, the Spartans can't afford another loss at the moment.

18. Batavia

Record: 2-1

Previous Rank: 23

Last Week: Batavia 49, Glenbard North 21

Loss(es): Rochester, 44-16

Batavia rebounded from a big loss to No. 10 Rochester with a big win of its own over current No. 25 Glenbard North. Having played three straight ranked opponents to start the season, the Bulldogs now face an unranked Lake Park squad that is 1-2.

19. Montini Catholic

Record: 2-1

Previous Rank: 25

Last Week: Montini Catholic 35, Marist 28

Loss(es): Sandburg, 35-28

Montini Catholic has split its last two games against ranked opponents, ending up on opposite ends of identical 35-28 scores. The Broncos could be playing for their place in the Top 25 in a Friday night trip to No. 8 Nazareth Academy.

20. Lincoln-Way West

Record: 3-0

Previous Rank: 21

Last Week: Lincoln-Way West 31, Andrew 6

Loss(es): N/A

Lincoln-Way West has piled up three lopsided wins to start the season, and that would seem to bode well for the Warriors heading into a Friday night road trip to Lockport. The Porters are 0-3 but are probably better than their record indicates — something the Warriors would be wise to consider before getting on the bus.

21. Maine South

Record: 2-1

Previous Rank: 22

Last Week: Maine South 41, Maine West 7

Loss(es): Batavia, 49-35

Maine South has a loss to current No. 18 Batavia on its record, and the Hawks don't have much margin for error heading into a Thursday night game at undefeated New Trier (3-0).

22. Geneva

Record: 2-1

Previous Rank: 19

Last Week: Geneva 49, St. Charles North 17

Loss(es): Oswego, 44-42

Geneva slipped out of the rankings for a week after losing to Oswego, but a win over last week's No. 19 St. Charles North has the Vikings back in the Top 25 mix. They have an opportunity to secure a spot here for the next couple of weeks against unranked opponents, starting with Friday's home contest against Wheaton-Warrenville South before facing stiffer competition down the stretch.

23. Lyons

Record: 3-0

Previous Rank: 24

Last Week: Lyons 48, Berwyn/Cicero Morton 0

Loss(es): N/A

Lyons inches up a spot this week after blowing out Berwyn-Cicero Morton, but the Lions can't look past a Hinsdale Central squad that can give them a challenge if they aren't in top form Friday.

24. Marist

Record: 2-1

Previous Rank: 18

Last Week: Montini Catholic 35, Marist 28

Loss(es): Montini Catholic, 35-28

Marist suffered its first loss of the season against No. 19 Montini Catholic and now faces an even bigger challenge Friday at No. 2 Chicago Mt. Carmel.

25. Glenbard North

Record: 2-1

Previous Rank: 20

Last Week: Batavia 49, Glenbard North 21

Loss(es): Batavia, 49-21

Glenbard North was rolled at home by Batavia last week, and the Panthers will have to bounce back quickly to hang onto their spot. Friday night's road game at St. Charles East is very winnable, but the Panthers can't afford to overlook their opponent.

Summary

Approaching the midway point of the regular season, there are still plenty of opportunities for teams to make a run at the postseason. But with many of the frontrunners set to collide in the coming weeks, there's very little margin for error. Week 4 could provide another clear indication of which teams are legitimate state championship contenders and which teams may end up as also-rans in 2026.

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