Chicago High School Football Rankings Update

This week in Chicago, the high school football landscape is buzzing as the Super 25 rankings undergo some significant changes. After some great matchups, making selections proved to be quite a challenge. Lincoln-Way East and Mount Carmel continue to hold the top two spots in the area, which seems to be a settled matter.

The big question arose at No. 3 on the list. Nazareth faced a tough loss against Mount Carmel, ending the game at 56-33. Although that score may not reflect a close game, it is worth noting that the contest was tightly contested, with Nazareth trailing by just two points, 35-33, heading into the final minutes of the third quarter. Despite this, Nazareth has a solid track record, boasting back-to-back state titles and many players bound for college football. This led to the decision to place them at the No. 3 position.

In terms of opponents, the Roadrunners’ rivals this season, which include Kankakee, Kenwood, and Mount Carmel, have a combined record of 5-4. Comparatively, the other potential contenders for the No. 3 spot, such as Downers Grove North, with a record of 1-8 for their opponents, and Batavia, who sits at 3-6, simply do not measure up.

There are also some newcomers in this week’s rankings. St. Francis, Lake Forest, St. Rita, and Hersey have all made their debut. Lake Forest earned their spot after toppling Warren, while St. Rita made waves by beating Brother Rice. Hersey makes a comeback after a win against Maine South, and St. Francis returns after scoring impressively against Loyola, even without their starting quarterback, Ryan Fitzgerald.

As a result, the updated Super 25 rankings for Week 4 are as follows:

1. Lincoln-Way East (3-0) – Friday at Naperville North
2. Mount Carmel (2-1) – Friday vs. St. Ignatius
3. Nazareth (2-1) – Friday vs. IC Catholic
4. Downers Grove North (3-0) – Friday at Proviso West
5. Batavia (3-0) – Friday vs. No. 12 St. Charles North
6. Cary-Grove (3-0) – Friday vs. Jacobs
7. Barrington (3-0) – Friday at No. 20 Maine South
8. Marist (3-0) – Friday at No. 23 Joliet Catholic
9. St. Francis (3-0) – NR Friday vs. No. 15 St. Rita
10. Loyola (1-2) – Friday vs. Brother Rice
11. Naperville Central (3-0) – Saturday vs. Stagg
12. St. Charles North (3-0) – 19 Friday at No. 5 Batavia
13. Lake Forest (3-0) – NR Friday at Zion-Benton
14. Oswego (3-0) – Saturday vs. Joliet Central
15. St. Rita (2-1) – NR Friday at No. 9 St. Francis
16. Kankakee (2-1) – Friday vs. Normal
17. York (3-0) – Friday at Oak Park
18. Lyons (3-0) – Saturday vs. Glenbard West
19. Morgan Park (2-1) – Saturday vs. Kenwood at Lane
20. Maine South (1-2) – Friday vs. No. 7 Barrington
21. Hersey (1-2) – NR Friday at Glenbrook South
22. Warren (1-2) – Friday vs. Waukegan
23. Joliet Catholic (2-1) – 22 Friday vs. No. 8 Marist
24. Prairie Ridge (3-0) – 24 Friday at Huntley
25. Sycamore (3-0) – 25 Friday at Rochelle

Teams currently just outside the Super 25 include Geneva, Carmel, Libertyville, Fremd, St. Laurence, and Sandburg.