2026 High School Football Schedule Released For Brother Rice

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.

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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.

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

Coach Casey Quedenfeld returns as the head coach for the returning 7A IHSA State Champions, Brother Rice Crusaders, who finished 2025 13-1 overall and 2-1 in conference.

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

The Brother Rice Crusaders open the 2026 season on the road Friday, Aug. 21, against the Lincoln Way-East Griffins in Frankfort.

Locally, the Crusaders open at home Aug. 28 against Woodlawn, according to the IHSA and MaxPreps.

The final game of the regular 2026 season culminates with the Pulaski Road Super Bowl against South Side rival Marist.

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

• Aug. 21 - 6:30 p.m. Friday, Brother Rice @ Lincoln Way-East non-conference (away)
• Aug. 28 - 7 p.m. Friday, Brother Rice vs. Woodlawn, non-conference (home)
• Sept. 4 - Friday, 7 p.m. Brother vs. St. Francis, non-conference, home
• Sept. 11 - 7 p.m. Friday, Brother Rice @ Loyola Academy, conference (away)
• Sept. 18 - 7:30 p.m. Friday, Brother Rice @ Niles Notre Dame, non-conference (away)

• Sept. 25 - 7:30 p.m. Friday, Brother Rice vs. Chicago Mount Carmel, conference (home)
• Oct. 2 - 7:30 p.m. Friday, Brother Rice vs. Fenwick, non-conference (home)
• Oct. 9 - 7:30 p.m. Friday, Brother Rice @ DePaul College Prep, non-conference (away)
• Oct. 16 - 7 p.m. Friday, Pulaski Road Super Bowl: Brother Rice vs. Marist, conference (home)

~ Patch editor Eric DeGrechie contributed to this report.