Illinois High School Football Rankings: Preseason Top 25 teams

Some of the best football in the Midwest resides in the state of Illinois. From Chicagoland to Carbondale, the Prairie State can churn out top talent on the gridiron.

The On3 Massey Ratings, officially used during the BCS era, is a model that ranks sports teams by analyzing game outcomes, strength of schedule and margin of victory. According to the model, four Illinois schools rank in the top 150 nationwide.

Two top-50 programs — Loyola Academy and Mount Carmel — sit atop the state rankings and are set to square off against each other at the end of the regular season in October. Below are the top 25 programs in Illinois heading into the 2024 season.

1. Wilmette Loyola Academy

The Ramblers became back-to-back state champions for the first time ever last season, finishing with a perfect 14-0 record a season ago. Spearheaded by Washington linebacker commit Donovan Robinson, Iowa safety commit Drew MacPherson and uncommitted senior quarterback Ryan Fitzgerald, Loyola — ranked No. 43 nationally — will look to make even more history in 2024. The two toughest matchups of the season for the Ramblers will bookend their schedule, as they open the year at home against East St. Louis before closing the regular season on the road at Mount Carmel.

2. Chicago Mount Carmel

Checking in right behind Loyola at No. 46 nationally, the Mount Carmel Caravan also claimed a state title a season ago — their 15th all-time, tying the state record. Despite losing now Wisconsin running back Darrion Dupree, the 2024 roster will still be a force, headlined by Vanderbilt quarterback commit Jack Elliot and 2026 4-star EDGE Braeden Jones, a top-200 recruit in the junior cycle. Mount Carmel fell to Loyola last season, so all eyes will be on the Oct. 25 matchup this fall.

3. East St. Louis

Projected to have the toughest schedule in the state this season, East St. Louis will get a crack at Loyola Academy to open the season on Aug. 31. The Flyers are also slated for road trips to Philadelphia’s Imhotep Charter, as well as IMG Academy (Fla.), a top-10 program nationally. Missouri four-star safety commit Charles Bass is ranked as a top-10 senior in the state and will lead the way this season. The Flyers have won 10 or more games three seasons in a row.

4. Frankfort Lincoln-Way East

The Griffins fell to Loyola Academy in the 8A state title game last season, but still managed a 13-win campaign for the second year in a row. Now, Lincoln-Way East is home to the top quarterback recruit in the state, as Oregon four-star junior QB commit Jonas Williams transferred in. Williams, along with Northwestern EDGE commit Caden O’Rourke and Miami (Ohio) tight end pledge Trey Zvonar, will be a tough out in 2024.

5. Batavia

Batavia won 11 games a season ago but fell to Mount Carmel in the 7A state semifinals. The Bulldogs lost a slew of seniors but will still be one of the top programs in the state and are currently projected to win all nine of its regular season games, according to the Massey Ratings. Perhaps the toughest test of the season will come later this month, as Batavia heads to Glenbard West to open the 2024 campaign.

6. Joliet Catholic

The Hilltoppers fell in the 5A state title game last season but will enter 2024 as the team to beat in the class once again. Four of Joliet’s final five games will come on the road, including a matchup at Mount Carmel on Oct. 11. September showdowns against Marist and Nazareth will also loom large as the program eyes another 10-win season.

7. Chicago St. Rita

The Mustangs will look to rebound following a down 8-5 season in 2023 that did end with a Prep Bowl victory over Kenwood Academy. Pegged to have a top-five defense in the state, St. Rita will be tested early, as it will take on Mount Carmel and fellow top-10 school Brother Rice in the first three weeks of the season.

8. Oak Lawn Brother Rice

Also coming off a disappointing 2023 campaign, the Crusaders will once again take on one of the toughest schedules in the state. Four games against top-10 schools in the state are on the docket, including home games against Marist, St. Rita and Mount Carmel, as well as a road trip to Loyola Academy. Linebacker Christian Pierce is the No. 15 senior in the state, per the On3 Industry Ranking.

9. Chicago Marist

Heading into the 2024 season with a new head coach, Marist is eyeing another playoff run after a mediocre 6-6 campaign last year. Iowa defensive lineman commit Brad Fitzgibbon is a top-25 player in the state. Three tough road matchups at Brother Rice, Joliet Catholic and St. Ignatius await the RedHawks this season.

10. Park Ridge Maine South

Falling in the 8A playoff quarterfinals for the second year in a row last season, Maine South is aiming to contend with the best in the state once again in 2024. The season will open with a tough matchup at Lincoln-Way East, but the Hawks are currently favored to win their following eight regular season contests.

11. Elmhurst York
12. Downers Grove North
13. Cary-Grove
14. Glen Ellyn Glenbard West
15. LaGrange Park Nazareth Academy

16. Gurnee Warren Township
17. Crystal Lake Prairie Ridge
18. Edwardsville
19. Arlington Heights John Hersey
20. Chicago St. Ignatius

21. New Lenox Providence Catholic
22. LaGrange Lyons
23. Naperville Neuqua Valley
24. Barrington
25. Wheaton St. Francis