Updated Illinois High School Football Playoff Brackets: Matchups, Scores and State Championship Schedule

The Illinois high school football playoffs are down to 128 teams, and the road to Normal is getting tougher.

After the opening round Oct. 23-24 and first round Oct. 30-31, the Illinois High School Association's expanded 2026 tournament has reached the Round of 16 in all eight classifications.

The remaining teams will compete Friday, Nov. 6, and Saturday, Nov. 7, for spots in the state quarterfinals. By Saturday night, the championship field will be reduced to 64 teams.

Several of Illinois' traditional powers remain in contention, including Lincoln-Way East, Loyola Academy, Mount Carmel, East St. Louis, Nazareth Academy and Byron.

There have already been some remarkable results.

In Class 6A, Quincy survived an extraordinary 88-84 shootout against Chicago Goode, one of the highest-scoring games of the postseason. In Class 8A, Lincoln-Way East defeated Oak Park-River Forest 31-7, while Mount Carmel rolled past Marist 55-21.

Meanwhile, undefeated programs including Huntley, Normal Community, Hersey, Antioch, Morris, Richmond-Burton and Heyworth continue their pursuit of perfect seasons.

The second-round winners advance to the quarterfinals Nov. 13-14, followed by the semifinals Nov. 20-21. The eight state championship games will be played Nov. 27-28 at Hancock Stadium on the campus of Illinois State University.

Here are the updated official Illinois high school football playoff brackets, second-round matchups and championship information for all eight classifications.

Class 8A Illinois High School Football Playoff Bracket

The state's largest classification features a collection of established championship contenders and two undefeated teams.

Lincoln-Way East enters the second round 10-0 after defeating Oak Park-River Forest 31-7. The Griffins host Hinsdale Central, which has won eight games.

Huntley is also undefeated and will host Chicago Lane Tech.

Loyola Academy advanced with a 41-0 shutout of Minooka and now faces York, while Mount Carmel meets Barrington after its convincing victory over Marist.

View the Official Class 8A Playoff Bracket

Class 8A Second-Round Matchups

Friday, Nov. 6

Barrington at Mount Carmel — 7 p.m.
Naperville North at Oswego — 6 p.m.
Lane Tech at Huntley — 7 p.m.
Homewood-Flossmoor at New Trier — 7 p.m.

Saturday, Nov. 7

Hinsdale Central at Lincoln-Way East — Noon
Lyons at Bolingbrook — 7 p.m.
York at Loyola Academy — 3 p.m.
St. Ignatius at Maine South — 2 p.m.

State championship: Saturday, Nov. 28, at 7 p.m. CT.

Class 7A Illinois High School Football Playoff Bracket

Class 7A features unbeaten Normal Community and Hersey, along with East St. Louis, Brother Rice and Downers Grove North.

Normal Community enters the second round 10-0 and hosts Chicago Kenwood.

Hersey also carries a perfect record into its matchup against Glenbard West.

East St. Louis, one of Illinois' most accomplished programs, will host St. Patrick, while Brother Rice faces Batavia in a meeting of 8-2 teams.

View the Official Class 7A Playoff Bracket

Class 7A Second-Round Matchups

Friday, Nov. 6

St. Patrick at East St. Louis — 6 p.m.
Rockford Guilford at Prospect — 7 p.m.
St. Rita at Downers Grove North — 7 p.m.

Saturday, Nov. 7

Kenwood at Normal Community — 4:30 p.m.
Batavia at Brother Rice — 4 p.m.
Glenbard West at Hersey — 5 p.m.
Lincoln-Way West at St. Laurence — 2 p.m.
Richards at Glenbard North — 1 p.m.

State championship: Saturday, Nov. 28, at 4 p.m. CT.

Class 6A Illinois High School Football Playoff Bracket

Class 6A produced one of the postseason's wildest games when Quincy defeated Chicago Goode 88-84.

Quincy now hosts East Moline United with a quarterfinal berth at stake.

Undefeated Harlem survived a much tighter contest, defeating St. Charles East 21-14. The Huskies host Burlington Central.

Nazareth Academy advanced with a 28-7 victory over Dunlap and will face Chicago Simeon, while Geneva hosts Wheaton North.

View the Official Class 6A Playoff Bracket

Class 6A Second-Round Matchups

Friday, Nov. 6

Burlington Central at Harlem — 7 p.m.
Wheaton North at Geneva — 6:30 p.m.
Pekin at Normal Community West — 7 p.m.
Wheaton Warrenville South at Riverside-Brookfield — 7:15 p.m.

Saturday, Nov. 7

Niles Notre Dame at Libertyville — 1 p.m.
Fenwick at Hononegah — 1 p.m.
East Moline United at Quincy — 1:30 p.m.
Simeon at Nazareth Academy — 1 p.m.

State championship: Saturday, Nov. 28, at 1 p.m. CT.

Class 5A Illinois High School Football Playoff Bracket

Two undefeated teams headline the Class 5A championship race.

Antioch enters the second round 10-0 and hosts Sycamore, while Mahomet-Seymour also brings a perfect record into its matchup against Crete-Monee.

Triad and Morton meet in an intriguing matchup between 9-1 teams.

Elsewhere, Cary-Grove faces Chicago King at Eckersall Stadium, while Morgan Park meets Providence Catholic at Stagg Stadium.

View the Official Class 5A Playoff Bracket

Class 5A Second-Round Matchups

Friday, Nov. 6

Belvidere North at Wauconda — 7:30 p.m.

Saturday, Nov. 7

Sycamore at Antioch — 1 p.m.
Woodstock at St. Francis — 1 p.m.
King vs. Cary-Grove at Eckersall Stadium — 1 p.m.
Crete-Monee at Mahomet-Seymour — 4 p.m.
Triad at Morton — 2 p.m.
LaSalle-Peru at Carbondale — 2:30 p.m.
Morgan Park vs. Providence Catholic at Stagg Stadium — Noon

State championship: Saturday, Nov. 28, at 10 a.m. CT.

Class 4A Illinois High School Football Playoff Bracket

Class 4A features three undefeated teams and several programs with championship experience.

Morris enters the second round 10-0 and hosts Montini in one of the classification's most anticipated games.

Centralia also remains unbeaten and faces Mount Zion, while Carterville takes its perfect record into a matchup against Highland.

Rochester, Sacred Heart-Griffin and Coal City are among the other contenders hoping to reach the quarterfinals.

View the Official Class 4A Playoff Bracket

Class 4A Second-Round Matchups

Friday, Nov. 6

Hillcrest at Sterling — 7 p.m.
Mount Zion at Centralia — 7 p.m.

Saturday, Nov. 7

Montini at Morris — 4 p.m.
Dixon at Coal City — 1 p.m.
Rochelle at Aurora Central Catholic — 1 p.m.
Metamora at Sacred Heart-Griffin — 1:30 p.m.
Highland at Carterville — 2 p.m.
Cahokia at Rochester — 4 p.m.

State championship: Friday, Nov. 27, at 7 p.m. CT.

Class 3A Illinois High School Football Playoff Bracket

Class 3A features several unbeaten teams, including Richmond-Burton, Byron, St. Joseph-Ogden and Mount Carmel.

Richmond-Burton hosts Manteno, while Byron travels to Pontiac.

St. Joseph-Ogden enters the second round after scoring 80 points against Althoff Catholic in its previous game. The Spartans now host Tolono Unity.

Mount Carmel, another undefeated contender, faces Benton.

View the Official Class 3A Playoff Bracket

Class 3A Second-Round Matchups — Saturday, Nov. 7

Manteno at Richmond-Burton — 1 p.m.
Sandwich vs. Chicago Hope Academy at Altgeld Park — 2 p.m.
Byron at Pontiac — 1 p.m.
Johnsburg at IC Catholic Prep — 2 p.m.
Roxana at Monticello — 2 p.m.
Macomb at Williamsville — 1 p.m.
Tolono Unity at St. Joseph-Ogden — 1 p.m.
Benton at Mount Carmel — 2 p.m.

State championship: Friday, Nov. 27, at 4 p.m. CT.

Class 2A Illinois High School Football Playoff Bracket

Class 2A includes unbeaten El Paso-Gridley and Johnston City, along with several programs capable of making deep postseason runs.

El Paso-Gridley hosts Warrensburg-Latham, while Johnston City faces Newton.

Wilmington travels to Tri-Valley in a matchup between 9-1 teams, and Maroa-Forsyth faces Aurora Christian in another meeting of teams with identical records.

Shelbyville, which entered the postseason with a losing record, continues its unexpected run against Flora.

View the Official Class 2A Playoff Bracket

Class 2A Second-Round Matchups — Nov. 6-7

Peotone at Eastland
Wilmington at Tri-Valley
Warrensburg-Latham at El Paso-Gridley
Maroa-Forsyth at Aurora Christian
Newton at Johnston City
Vandalia at Nashville
Auburn at West Frankfort
Flora at Shelbyville

State championship: Friday, Nov. 27, at 1 p.m. CT.

Class 1A Illinois High School Football Playoff Bracket

Class 1A features undefeated Heyworth and Brown County, along with several teams with extensive playoff experience.

Heyworth enters the second round 10-0 and hosts Fisher.

Brown County also remains unbeaten and faces Oakwood.

Stockton hosts Forreston, while Newman Central Catholic travels to Fulton in another intriguing postseason matchup.

View the Official Class 1A Playoff Bracket

Class 1A Second-Round Matchups — Nov. 6-7

Fisher at Heyworth
Dwight at Clifton Central
Forreston at Stockton
Newman Central Catholic at Fulton
Oakwood at Brown County
Camp Point Central at Sullivan
Salt Fork at Arthur-Lovington/Atwood-Hammond
Tuscola at Calhoun

State championship: Friday, Nov. 27, at 10 a.m. CT.

When Are the 2026 Illinois High School Football State Championships?

All eight IHSA state championship games will be played at Hancock Stadium on the campus of Illinois State University in Normal.

Friday, Nov. 27

10 a.m. CT: Class 1A championship
1 p.m. CT: Class 2A championship
4 p.m. CT: Class 3A championship
7 p.m. CT: Class 4A championship

Saturday, Nov. 28

10 a.m. CT: Class 5A championship
1 p.m. CT: Class 6A championship
4 p.m. CT: Class 7A championship
7 p.m. CT: Class 8A championship

What's Next in the Illinois High School Football Playoffs?

The second round of the IHSA playoffs will reduce the field from 128 teams to 64 on Nov. 6-7.

The winners advance to the quarterfinals Nov. 13-14, followed by the state semifinals Nov. 20-21.

The postseason concludes Thanksgiving weekend, when eight state champions will be crowned at Hancock Stadium.

High School On SI will continue updating the official Illinois high school football playoff brackets with final scores, upcoming matchups and championship information throughout November.

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