Instant predictions: Picking every game in the 2026 IHSA Class 8A state football playoffs

The bracket it out and here are my way too quick, instant, gut-feeling predictions:

Class 8A Opening Round predictions

Oak Park beats East Aurora

Hinsdale Central beats Lake Park

Marist beats Neuqua Valley

Barrington beats Waubonsie Valley

Naperville Central beats Warren

Fremd beats Taft

Lockport beats Stevenson

Lyons beats Metea Valley

Oswego East beats Curie

Lane beats Joliet Central

Glenbrook South beats Young

Conant beats Dundee-Crown

Evanston beats Minooka

York beats Bloom

O'Fallon beats Joliet West

West Aurora beats Leyden

First Round predictions

Lincoln-Way East beats Oak Park

Hinsdale Central beats Von Steuben

Mount Carmel beats Marist

Sandburg beats Barrington

Oswego beats Naperville Central

Naperville North beats Fremd

Bolingbrook beats Lockport

Lyons beats Perspectives

Huntley beats Oswego East

South Elgin beats Lane

New Trier beats Glenbrook South

Homewood-Flossmoor beats Conant

Loyola beats Evanston

York beats Downers Grove South

Maine South beats O'Fallon

St. Ignatius beats West Aurora

Second Round predictions

Lincoln-Way East beats Hinsdale Central

Mount Carmel beats Sandburg

Oswego beats Naperville North

Bolingbrook beats Lyons

Huntley beats South Elgin

New Trier beats Homewood-Flossmoor

Loyola beats York

Maine South beats St. Ignatius

Quarterfinal predictions

Mount Carmel beats Lincoln-Way East

Bolingbrook beats Oswego

Huntley beats New Trier

Loyola beats Maine South

Semifinal predictions

Mount Carmel beats Bolingbrook

Loyola beats Huntley

Title game prediction

Loyola beats Mount Carmel