2026 High School Football Schedule Released For Marist

CHICAGO, IL—The Illinois High School Association and MaxPreps have released the 2026 high school football schedules for the upcoming fall season.

The nine-week regular season begins with Week 1 games scheduled for Aug. 21 and Aug. 22. The season culminates with the IHSA Football State Finals on Nov. 27-28 at Hancock Stadium on the campus of Illinois State University in Normal.

The postseason will have a significantly different look this year after IHSA member schools voted to expand the football playoffs for the first time since 1985.

Each of the eight classes will have 48 playoff qualifiers, up from 32. The change expands the total field from 256 to 384 teams.

To maintain historical consistency in the number of teams competing in each stage, the playoff rounds will be called the Opening Round, First Round, Second Round, Quarterfinals and Semifinals.

The 2026 playoff schedule is:

• Opening Round: Oct. 23-24
• First Round: Oct. 30-31
• Second Round: Nov. 6-7
• Quarterfinals: Nov. 13-14
• Semifinals: Nov. 20-21
• State Finals: Nov. 27-28

The 384 playoff qualifiers will be revealed during a live statewide telecast at 9 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 17.

RedHawks fans will especially be keeping tabs on the Catholic high schools St. Laurence, St. Rita, Mount Carmel and especially Pulaski Road rival Brother Rice.

Coach Mike Fitzgerald returns as the head coach of the Marist High School football team, which finished the 2025 season with a 4-5 overall record and 1-2 in the conference.

This fall, Marist will compete in the CCL/ESCC (Blue) conference, alongside Chicago Mount Carmel, Loyola Academy and Brother Rice.

The Marist RedHawks open the 2026 season at home at Red and White Stadium this Saturday, Aug. 22, in a non-conference matchup against Simeon Wolverines, according to the IHSA and MaxPreps.

Here is a look at the 2026 schedule for Marist courtesy of MaxPreps:

• Aug. 22 - 1:30 p.m. Saturday, Marist vs. Simeon,, non-conference (home)
• Aug. 29 - 1:30 p.m. Saturday, Marist vs. King, non-conference (home)
• Sept. 4 - Friday, 7:30 p.m. Marist vs. Montini-Catholic, non-conference, home
• Sept. 11 - 7:30 p.m. Friday, Marist @ Chicago Mount Carmel, conference (away)
• Sept. 18 - 7:30 p.m. Friday, Marist @ Marmion, non-conference (away)
• Sept. 25 - 7:30 p.m. Friday, Marist vs. Loyola Academy, conference (home)
• Oct. 2 - 7:30 p.m. Friday, Marist vs. Carmel, non-conference (home)
• Oct. 9 - 7:30 p.m. Friday, Marist @ St. Laurence, non-conference (away)
• Oct. 16 - 7 p.m. Friday, Pulaski Road Super Bowl, Marist vs. Brother Rice, conference (home)

~ Patch editor Eric DeGrechie contributed to this report.