Previewing and predicting the Class 8A state football playoffs

This all sure looks familiar. The usual suspects are back and look likely to make the semifinals: Loyola could face York again and Lincoln-Way East and Maine South could matchup in a semifinal.

Barrington and Lockport are interesting teams that are very capable of causing some trouble. It wouldn’t be out of the question to see Barrington in the title game.

The top-seeded Ramblers might actually have the toughest road to the title game. That says a lot about the way the format is currently set up.

Class 8A Pairings

#32 Plainfield North (4-5) at #1 Loyola (9-0)
#17 Palatine (6-3) at #16 Neuqua Valley (6-3)
#25 Niles West (6-3) at #8 Huntley (8-1)
#24 St. Ignatius (6-3) at #9 Joliet West (8-1)
#29 West Aurora (5-4) at #4 Edwardsville (8-1)
#20 Naperville North (6-3) at #13 Glenbard West (7-2)
#28 Homewood-Flossmoor (5-4) at #5 York (8-1)
#21 Lyons (6-3) at #12 Stevenson (7-2)

#31 Taft (4-5) at #2 Lincoln-Way East (9-0)
#18 Sandburg (6-3) at #15 Minooka (7-2)
#26 Lane (6-3) at #7 South Elgin (8-1)
#23 Oswego (6-3) at #10 Warren (7-2)
#30 Glenbrook South (4-5) at #3 Barrington (9-0)
#19 Downers Grove South (6-3) at #14 Naperville Central (7-2)
#27 Lockport (5-4) at #6 Maine South (8-1)
#22 East Aurora (6-3) at #11 Belleville East (7-2)

Class 8A Preview

Favorite: Loyola

Top Contender: Lincoln-Way East

Darkhorse/Bracket Buster: Barrington

Best first round game: Lockport at Maine South

Toughest path to title game: Loyola

Class 8A Predictions

Second round

Loyola vs. Palatine
Huntley vs. St. Ignatius
Edwardsville vs. Naperville North
York vs. Lyons
Lincoln-Way East vs. Sandburg
South Elgin vs. Warren
Barrington vs. Naperville Central
Maine South vs. Belleville East

Quarterfinals

Loyola vs. Huntley
Edwardsville vs. York
Lincoln-Way East vs. Warren
Barrington vs. Maine South

Semifinals

Loyola vs. York
Lincoln-Way East vs. Maine South

Title game

Loyola beats Lincoln-Way East