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.
Class 3A Opening Round
North
(17) Princeton at (16) South Shore
(24) Mendota at (9) Manteno
(20) Lisle at (13) Sandwich
(21) Monmouth-Roseville at (12) Hope Academy
(18) Prairie Central at (15) Chicago Christian
(23) Pontiac at (10) Dyett
(19) North Boone at (14) Genoa-Kingston
(22) Marian Central at (11) Kewanee
South
(17) Massac County at (16) Roxana
(24) Columbia at (9) Olympia
(20) Breese Mater Dei at (13) Sparta
(21) Eureka at (12) Paris
(18) Harrisburg at (15) Althoff
(23) Robinson at (10) Tolono Unity
(19) Porta at (14) Greenville
(22) Staunton at (11) Fairfield
First Round
North
South Shore/Princeton at (1) Richmond-Burton
Manteno/Mendota at (8) Peru St. Bede
Sandwich/Lisle at (4) Pecatonica
Hope Academy/Monmouth-Roseville at (5) McNamara
Chicago Christian/Prairie Central at (2) Byron
Dyett/Pontiac at (7) Woodlawn
Genoa-Kingston/North Boone at (3) IC Catholic
Kewanee/Marian Central at (6) Johnsburg
South
Roxana/Massac County at (1) Hillsboro
Olympia/Columbia at (8) Monticello
Sparta/Breese Mater Dei at (4) Williamsville
Paris/Eureka at (5) Macomb
Althoff/Harrisburg at (2) St. Joseph-Ogden
Tolono Unity/Robinson at (7) Bloomington CC
Greenville/Porta at (3) Mt. Carmel
Fairfield/Staunton at (6) Benton