Illinois High School Class Selection Guide

How many IHSA playoff points does a team need?

Playoff points become less important for qualification. In the last two seasons, every eligible team has reached the playoffs with five wins. In 2022, a four-win team made the field, and last season six four-win teams made the playoffs. Teams with four wins need a very high playoff score to qualify. The four-win teams that made the field in 2023 had between 49 and 56 playoff points.

Wait. Teams with losing records get in?

Yes. Last season, for the second time since the IHSA expanded to eight classes in 2001, the 256-player field included major teams with four wins. This is largely due to fewer and fewer schools playing 11-player football – whether because schools are forming cooperatives or because programs are switching to 8-player football. Heading into Week 9, IHSA bracketologist Steve Soucie of Friday Night Drive predicts five four-win teams will make the 256-team field: Chicago Lane, Chicago Kenwood, Oswego East, Elmhurst Immaculate Conception Catholic and Glen Ellyn Glenbard West.

How do we know who is in each class?

First, forget anything about polls or playoff prospects. A school's in-season ranking is a guideline only and has no bearing on its post-season ranking. The IHSA takes the 256 teams that qualify and ranks them in order of their football entries (including unlimited multipliers, high-playing teams and success adjustments). The 32 qualifiers with the lowest enrollments form Class 1A, the 32 with the next highest number form Class 2A, etc. in all eight classes.

Programs have the option to “play” in a larger class than their enrollment requires, an option used this season by three schools: Glen Ellyn Glenbard South (6A), East St. Louis (6A) and Antioch (6A ). Through the “success adjustment” two teams move up one class. Springfield Sacred Heart-Griffin will play in Class 5A, while Chicago St. Rita will play in Class 7A.