(11-13-23) It might be time for the Illinois High School Association (IHSA) football playoff qualifications in the future.

This coming weekend the 32 final teams in state semifinal games in the 8 divisions will look to make the trip to Illinois State’s Hancock Stadium for the chance to win an Illinois state title.

Playoff qualifications might need to be tweaked in the future, take a look at some of these items—

  • The 5A final four teams should draw some major attention…it is a guaranteed private school title. The four schools were seeded #8, #12 and two #15s. Three of the schools with 3 losses, 4 losses and 5 losses.
  • Only 7 of the 32 remaining teams were #1 seeds.
  • 10 of the 32 teams are private schools.
  • 5 teams have double-digit seeds
  • Only one #1 vs. #2 seed game in 4A will be played.
  • There are 11 12-0 teams remaining

1A

Semifinals

Game 29 — #1-Lena-Winslow (12-0) at #3-Chicago Hope Academy (11-1)

Game 30 — #3-Greenfield-Northwestern Coop (12-0) at #1-Camp Point Central (12-0)

2A

Semifinals

Game 29 — #2-Maroa-Forsyth (12-0) at #5-Wilmington (11-1)

Game 30 — #4-Athens (10-2) at #2-Shelbyville (11-1)

3A

Semifinals

Game 29 — #1-Byron (12-0) at #6-Montini (9-3)

Game 30 — #4-Mt. Carmel (11-1) at #3-Roxana (12-0)

4A

Semifinals

Game 29 — #4-Wheaton Academy (11-1) at #11-St. Laurence (9-3)

Game 30 — #1-Rochester (12-0) at #2-Murphysboro (11-1)

5A

Semifinals

Game 29 — #8-Wheaton St. Francis (10-2) at #15-Nazareth Academy (7-5)

Game 30 — #15-Providence Catholic (8-4) at #12-Joliet Catholic Academy (9-3)

6A

Semifinals

Game 29 — #3-Cary Grove (10-2) at #1-Lake Zurich (11-1)

Game 30 — #4-East St. Louis (Sr.) (10-2) at #2-Washington (11-1)

7A

Semifinals

Game 29 — #1-Normal Community (12-0) at #13-Downers Grove North (10-2)

Game 30 — #7-Batavia (11-1) at #6-Chicago Mt. Carmel (11-1)

8A

Semifinals

Game 29 — #5-York (11-1) at #1-Loyola Academy (12-0)

Game 30 — #3-Barrington (12-0) at #2-Lincoln-Way East (12-0)