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.
North
(17) St. Charles East at (16) Elk Grove
(24) Rockford East at (9) Burlington Central
(20) UIC Prep at (13) Muchin
(21) Maine West at (12) Notre Dame
(18) Carmel at (15) Bulls Prep
(23) Rolling Meadows at (10) Addison Trail
(19) Amundsen at (14) Willowbrook
(22) Streamwood at (11) Highland Park
South
(17) Champaign Central at (16) United
(24) TF South at (9) Quincy
(20) Nazareth at (13) Shepard
(21) Simeon at (12) Lindblom
(18) Glenwood at (15) Brooks
(23) Richwoods at (10) Thornton
(19) Plainfield East at (14) Thornwood
(22) Bradley-Bourbonnais at (11) Joliet Catholic
North
Elk Grove/St. Charles East at (1) Harlem
Burlington Central/Rockford East at (8) Lake Zurich
Muchin/Bulls Prep at (4) Libertyville
Notre Dame/Maine West at (5) Grant
Bulls Prep/Carmel at (2) Geneva
Addison Trail/Rolling Meadows at (7) Wheaton North
Willowbrook/Amundsen at (3) Hononegah
Highland Park/Streamwood at (6) Fenwick
South
United/Champaign Central at (1) Kennedy
Quincy/TF South at (8) Goode
Shepard/Nazareth at (4) Dunlap
Lindblom/Simeon at (5) Oak Lawn
Brooks/Glenwood at (2) Normal West
Thornton/Richwoods at (7) Pekin
Thornwood/Plainfield East at (3) Riverside-Brookfield
Joliet Catholic/Bradley-Bourbonnais at (6) Wheaton-Warrenville South
