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) Glenbard South at (16) Payton
(24) Crystal Lake South at (9) Sycamore
(20) Lakes at (13) Senn
(21) Freeport at (12) Belvidere North
(18) St. Francis at (15) Grayslake North
(23) Prairie Ridge at (10) Comer
(19) Grayslake Central at (14) Deerfield
(22) Fenton at (11) Hinsdale South
South
(17) Marion at (16) Bloomington
(24) Champaign Centennial at (9) Corliss
(20) Peoria at (13) Lemont
(21) Washington at (12) Mascoutah
(18) Galesburg at (15) LaSalle-Peru
(23) Springfield at (10) Carbondale
(19) Danville at (14) Oak Forest
(22) Mt. Vernon at (11) Providence
North
Payton/Glenbard South at (1) Antioch
Sycamore/Crystal Lake South at (8) Belvidere
Senn/Lakes at (4) Wauconda
Belvidere North/Freeport at (5) Wheaton Academy
Grayslake North/St. Francis at (2) Kaneland
Comer/Prairie Ridge at (7) Woodstock
Deerfield/Grayslake Central at (3) King
Hinsdale South/Fenton at (6) Cary-Grove
South
Bloomington/Marion at (1) Mahomet-Seymour
Corliss/Champaign Centennial at (8) Crete-Monee
Lemont/Peoria at (4) Morton
Mascoutah/Washington at (5) Triad
LaSalle-Peru/Galesburg at (2) Ag. Science
Carbondale/Springfield at (7) TF North
Oak Forest/Danville at (3) Morgan Park
Providence/Mt. Vernon at (6) Kankakee
