The Illinois High School Association’s recent expansion of the football playoff field to 48 teams per class, up from 32, has sparked discussion following the opening round of the state playoffs. This change allowed the top 16 seeded teams in each class to receive byes, while additional lower-seeded teams—including some with losing records—were given opportunities to compete in an opening round.
The expanded format yielded mixed results. Several opening round matchups exhibited considerable competitive imbalance, given the presence of teams with 2-7 or 3-6 regular season records. Nevertheless, a number of games disproved expectations, as schools from traditionally strong conferences, such as Glenbard North, St. Charles East, St. Francis, and Nazareth, demonstrated performance beyond their records. For example, Rolling Meadows, holding a 2-7 record, advanced by defeating Addison Trail.
A notable game unfolded between Reavis and Elgin—both teams that had not won a playoff game in over ten years. The closely contested match featured multiple lead changes in the fourth quarter and concluded with Reavis prevailing 31-28. While Reavis faces a challenging matchup this week against East St. Louis, the expanded format allowed Reavis to experience postseason success and the celebration that accompanies it—an opportunity that would not have existed under the prior system.
Turning to the Class 8A bracket, the standout contest is Barrington visiting Sandburg. Barrington, initially 0-4 due to injuries including four starting quarterbacks, has since won six consecutive games and presents a formidable challenge to Sandburg, ranked 22nd in the Chicago Tribune’s Top 25. Mount Carmel, currently ranked No. 2, remains the favorite after a strong performance at Loyola in Week 9. Lincoln-Way East, the top seed, is poised for a potential quarterfinal home game against Mount Carmel if it advances past Hinsdale Central and subsequent rounds.
In Class 7A, Glenbard East’s matchup against Kenwood is seen as evenly matched. Kenwood showed improvement late in the season, while Glenbard East overcame early-season mistakes to secure wins. Brother Rice and East St. Louis are considered the leading contenders in the class, with Hersey also in contention. A notable second-round encounter could pit Batavia against Brother Rice, while other potential early-round matchups include Downers Grove North versus St. Rita.
Class 6A features a key game between Joliet Catholic and Wheaton Warrenville South. Despite having only six senior starters, Wheaton Warrenville South has outperformed expectations, while Joliet Catholic’s 6-4 record reflects a challenging schedule, including losses to several top-ranked opponents. Geneva is regarded as the strongest team to beat in this class, bolstered by wide receiver Bennett Konkey, who recently received a college offer from Ohio State. The upper half of this bracket contains a concentration of the region’s premier teams.
The Class 5A game of the week is St. Francis against Kaneland. Kaneland, with just one regular-season loss to No. 23 Morris, positions itself as a title contender. St. Francis, the defending champion, faced a demanding schedule and boasts a roster with considerable collegiate talent, making the contest highly competitive. Additionally, the Providence-Kankakee matchup presents a battle between two strong teams, with the victor likely facing a capable Morgan Park squad in subsequent rounds. Mahomet-Seymour remains undefeated and is the team to beat in the division but is unlikely to face a true challenge in the immediate weeks.
Lower classes such as 4A and 3A are expected to see more decisive developments in the coming weeks, with marquee matchups like Montini versus Morris in 4A and eventual confrontations involving undefeated Byron and Richmond-Burton in 3A. Aurora Christian stands out among Chicago-area squads in Class 2A with the potential to make a deep playoff run.
While the expanded playoff field has produced some uneven matchups, it has also afforded more student-athletes the experience of postseason competition and the opportunity to create lasting memories. The full impact of this change will become clearer as the playoffs progress.