2026 High School Football Schedule Released For Shepard High School

PALOS HEIGHTS, 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. 20 through 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.

In Palos Heights, fans will especially be keeping tabs on CHSD rivals conference teams, as well as the area Catholic high schools Marist, St. Lawrence, Brother Rice, St. Rita and Mount Carmel.

John Rone returns as the head coach of the Shepard Astros, who finished the 2025 season with an overall record of 4-6 and 4-2 in the conference.

This fall, Shepard will compete in the South Suburban Conference (Red) alongside Oak Lawn, Evergreen Park, Richards, Eisenhower, Reavis and Argo.

The Shepard Astros open the 2026 season on the road, Friday, Aug. 21, in a non-conference game against Lane Tech, according to the IHSA and MaxPreps.

Locally, Shepard’s home opener will take place at 7 p.m. Aug. 28, against Chicago Bulls College Prep.

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

• Aug. 21 - 7:30 p.m. Friday, Shepard @ Lane Tech, non-conference (away)
• Aug. 28 - 7 p.m. Friday, Shepard vs. Chicago Bulls College Prep, non-conference (home)
• Sept. 4 - 6:30 p.m. Friday, Shepard @ Blue Island Eisenhower, conference (away)
• Sept. 11 - 7 p.m. Friday, Shepard @ EPCHS, conference (away)
• Sept. 18 - 7 p.m. Friday, Shepard vs. OLCHS, conference (home)
• Sept. 25 - 7p.m. Friday, Shepard @ Thornton Fractional North, non-conference (away
• Oct. 2 - 7 p.m. Friday, Shepard @ Reavis, conference (away)
• Oct. 9 - 7 p.m. Friday, EPCHS @ Argo, conference (away)
• Oct. 16 - 7 p.m. Friday, EPCHS vs. Blue Island Eisenhower, conference (home)

~ Patch editor Eric DeGrechie contributed to this report.