The 2026 Illinois high school football season is set to begin in August, and excitement is already building as the Massey Ratings have released their early rankings for the state's top programs.
How the Rankings Are Calculated
Massey Ratings, developed by statistician Kenneth Massey, blend game outcomes, strength of schedule and margin of victory into a single metric that aims to reflect a team’s true competitive level.
Because the model leans heavily on recent performance, the initial 2026 lists are built on the 2025 records of each program, giving a snapshot of continuity and momentum heading into the new campaign.
The early national top ten features traditional powerhouses such as Baltimore St. Frances Academy, Buford (Georgia), and Bradenton (Florida) IMG Academy, each entering the season with unbeaten or near‑perfect 2025 campaigns.
Within Illinois, the top twenty‑five teams are led by Chicago Mount Carmel, which finished 2025 at 14‑0 and sits 48th nationally, while East St. Louis, Chicago Brother Rice and several suburban programs round out the upper tier with records ranging from 9‑3 to 11‑2.
The Peoria area rankings highlight Washington, Peoria High and Dunlap among the state’s elite, while the broader top ten around the city includes teams like Lockport and Glen Ellyn Glenbard West, each carrying distinct win‑loss histories that the Massey algorithm weighs against their schedules.
Analysts note that while the first five games will sharpen the accuracy of the ratings, the current snapshot already offers a compelling narrative for coaches, recruits and fans eager to see how the new season will reshape the hierarchy.