The Illinois High School Association state football playoff pairings have been revealed. The top 16 seeds receive a bye in the Opening Round.
In the Opening Round, the higher seed hosts the game. In subsequent rounds, the school that has hosted fewer times during the current playoff series hosts the game. If both teams have hosted an equal number of times, the higher seed hosts. The game must be played on Saturday, unless both schools agree to play the game on Friday.
One playoff round will take place each week, starting with the Opening Round games on Friday, Oct. 23 and Saturday, Oct. 24. This season’s state championship games will be held at Hancock Stadium in Normal. The Class 1A thru 4A title games will take place on Friday, Nov. 27. The Class 5A thru 8A title games will be Saturday, Nov. 28.
In Class 7A and 8A, the 48 teams are seeded #1 through #48. Seeds #1–#16 receive an Opening Round bye.
In Class 1A through 6A, each 24-team half is seeded #1 through #24. Seeds #1–#8 in each half receive an Opening Round bye.
The Opening Round winners then join the bye teams in Round 1.
(33) Lincoln Park at (32) Edwardsville
(48) Bartlett at (17) Glenbard East
(40) McHenry at (25) St. Charles North
(41) Jefferson at (24) Lincoln-Way Central
(36) Reavis at (29) Elgin
(45) Collinsville at (20) St. Patrick
(37) DePaul Prep at (28) Hampshire
(44) Glenbrook North at (21) Zion-Benton
(34) Palatine at (31) Yorkville
(47) Benet at (18) Moline
(39) St. Laurence at (26) Belleville East
(42) Mundelein at (23) Lincoln-Way West
(35) West Chicago at (30) Prosser
(46) Andrew at (19) Buffalo Grove
(38) Glenbard North at (27) Hoffman Estates
(43) Rich at (22) Niles North
Edwardsville/Lincoln Park at (1) Normal
Glenbard East/Bartlett at (16) Kenwood
St. Charles North/McHenry at (8) Brother Rice
Lincoln-Way Central/Jefferson at (9) Batavia
Elgin/Reavis at (4) East St. Louis
St. Patrick/Collinsville at (13) Westinghouse
Hampshire/DePaul Prep at (5) Prospect
Zion-Benton/Glenbrook North at (12) Guilford
Yorkville/Palatine at (2) Hersey
Moline/Benet at (15) Glenbard West
Belleville East/St. Laurence at (7) Plainfield South
Lincoln-Way West/Mundelein at (10) Plainfield North
Prosser/West Chicago at (3) Downers Grove North
Buffalo Grove/Andrew at (14) St. Rita
Hoffman Estates/Glenbard North at (6) Jacobs
Niles North/Rich at (11) Richards
