Mount Carmel No. 1 in O'Brien's Super 25 for IHSA football
Mount Carmel opens the 2026 season as No. 1 in Michael O'Brien's preseason Super 25, putting the four-time defending Class 8A champions atop the Chicago-area hierarchy for IHSA football. Brother Rice, Loyola, Montini and Nazareth round out the top five as elite recruiting and title races heat up statewide.
Key Takeaways
- Mount Carmel is No. 1 in Michael O'Brien's Chicago Sun-Times Super 25 and also leads the Illinois Media Class 8A poll for Week 1.
- Brother Rice (No. 2 Super 25) and Montini (No. 4) enter as defending Class 7A and 4A champions, respectively.
- O'Brien says Illinois high school football is in a golden age, citing five-star talent and more than 50 Power Four commits in the senior class.
- The Illinois Media poll ranks East St. Louis No. 1 in Class 6A and Providence No. 1 in Class 5A, with Nazareth second in 6A.
- Mike McGraw's Chicago Tribune Top 25 also starts with Mount Carmel, then Brother Rice, with Montini third rather than fourth.
Who leads Michael O'Brien's preseason Super 25?
According to the Chicago Sun-Times, Mount Carmel sits at No. 1 ahead of Brother Rice, Loyola, Montini and Nazareth. The Caravan have won five state titles under coach Jordan Lynch and are chasing a fifth straight crown with senior quarterback Ryder Startz stepping into the role.
College talent surrounds Startz, including linebacker Roman Igwebuike (Notre Dame), defensive back Tavares Harrington (Michigan), receiver Quentin Burrell (Michigan) and junior receiver Marshaun Thornton. Both lines are described as exceptionally strong as the program reloads with future college players across the roster.
Brother Rice leans on defensive line stars Kam McGee and Brayden Parks (Notre Dame) while coach Casey Quedenfeld plans to use two quarterbacks. Loyola returns coach John Holecek with a loaded young core. Montini rides Israel Abrams after 24 consecutive wins and back-to-back titles. Nazareth, seeking another Class 6A run, features transfer junior quarterback JJ Chapman.
How do other Week 1 IHSA football rankings compare?
The Illinois Media preseason poll, detailed by the Peoria Journal Star on Aug. 19, also ranks Mount Carmel No. 1 in Class 8A with eight first-place votes and 80 points. Oswego, Bolingbrook and Loyola follow in 8A. Brother Rice tops Class 7A, Montini leads Class 4A with 11 first-place votes, and Nazareth is No. 2 in Class 6A behind East St. Louis.
Mike McGraw's Chicago Tribune Chicagoland Top 25 likewise opens with Mount Carmel and Brother Rice. Differences appear quickly: McGraw has Montini third and Batavia fourth, while O'Brien slots Loyola third, Montini fourth and Batavia eighth. Oswego is No. 6 for O'Brien and No. 7 for McGraw after returning 15 starters from an 8A title-game run.
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Why does this Super 25 matter for the 2026 season?
O'Brien frames the moment as a golden age for the sport in Illinois. Montini's Israel Abrams and St. Patrick's David Folorunsho are five-star seniors per 247Sports, while Bolingbrook's Darieon Prescott and Brother Rice's Kam McGee are five-star juniors. The senior class has six players in the national top 100; the junior class has seven. More than 50 seniors have already committed to Power Four schools.
Eight state titles are up for grabs, and O'Brien's board highlights several contenders beyond the top five. St. Francis (No. 7) added seven summer transfers, including quarterback Jadon Wilson. Batavia (No. 8) returns Wyoming-bound Michael Vander Luitgaren after 2,708 yards and 31 touchdowns. Hersey (No. 10) features Kentucky recruit Jake Nawrot, listed among the nation's top quarterbacks after a 3,078-yard, 41-touchdown junior season.
Week 1 already tests the hierarchy: the Tribune notes Mount Carmel faces East St. Louis in Normal, while Brother Rice visits Lincoln-Way East. Early results will show whether O'Brien's Super 25 or the class-by-class IHSA football polls hold as the regular season unfolds.