As the Illinois High School Association (IHSA) football playoffs advance, several top-ranked teams prepare for key matchups in the expanded postseason format. Among the 25 ranked squads, Providence is the only team that had to secure an opening-round victory to remain in contention.
Lincoln-Way East holds the top spot with a 9-0 record, boasting one of the nation’s stingiest defenses, having allowed just 6.4 points per game over the last seven weeks, including three shutouts. The Griffins will face Oak Park-River Forest on Friday.
Holding steady at second place, Mount Carmel (7-2) is led by coach Jordan Lynch, recently honored with a jersey retirement at Northern Illinois University. The Caravan earned a bye week and will meet Marist this Friday.
Third-ranked Loyola enters its contest against Minooka after suffering its first loss of the season to Mount Carmel. With the expanded playoffs providing a week off, the Ramblers have had additional time to strategize for the next challenge.
Brother Rice’s freshman quarterback, Sam Holcomb, has been pivotal in guiding the balanced offense that has accumulated roughly 1,500 combined passing and rushing yards. The Crusaders, currently fourth, square off against St. Charles North on Saturday.
Other notable teams include IC Catholic at fifth, featuring sophomore running back Jakobe Baldwin, who has rushed for 1,124 yards, and senior quarterback Nate Lang, who has thrown for 1,782 yards. They will face Genoa-Kingston on Friday.
Undefeated Hersey, sixth in the rankings, is led by quarterback Jake Nawrot, who boasts 31 touchdown passes without an interception and a completion rate of 72 percent. The Blue Devils clash with Yorkville on Friday.
Oswego (eighth) relies heavily on junior running back Ammar Banire, who has garnered attention with five Big Ten offers, while Geneva’s potent offense, ranked eighth, features standout performances from Bennett Konkey (1,400 receiving yards), Nelson Wendell (1,125 rushing yards), and Ben Peterson (2,677 passing yards). Geneva faces Carmel on Saturday.
Huntley (ninth) boasts a dynamic quarterback-running back duo in juniors Malik Carter and Chase Hojnacki, whose combined total of 50 touchdowns helps propel the team against Oswego East on Friday.
Rounding out the top ten is St. Ignatius, led by sophomore running back Nino Capuano, the Catholic League Orange’s offensive player of the year, who has amassed 1,330 rushing yards. The Wildcats visit West Aurora on Friday.
Several other teams are poised for impactful playoff runs. Downers Grove North (11th) brings experience from 12 postseason games over three years and takes on West Chicago. Batavia’s Michael Vander Luitgaren, a Wyoming commit with over 3,000 combined yards, faces Lincoln-Way Central. Bolingbrook, Maine South, Prospect, and Montini also enter the playoffs with strong narratives, as do Homewood-Flossmoor, Morgan Park, and St. Rita.
Prov idence, ranked 19th, earned a first-round victory over Mount Vernon led by Broden Mackert’s two touchdowns but now faces a tougher challenge at Kankakee on Saturday.
Notable rising talents include Fenwick’s Jake Thies, who has 1,121 combined yards and 18 touchdowns, and Morris’ junior quarterback Marion Persich, who stands 6-foot-4 and 232 pounds with more than 2,000 yards combined passing and rushing.
The playoff schedule extends through Friday and Saturday, with many programs seeking to extend their seasons amid strong competition throughout the state.