High School Football Returns Next Week
- 8 hours ago
- 4 min read
Football season is just around the corner as high school teams across central Illinois prepare to take the field for the 2026 season. Schools in the Central State Eight Conference and Sangamo Conference will open regular season play the weekend of Aug. 20-21, beginning a nine-game schedule before the IHSA playoffs get underway later this fall. Below is a look at every scheduled matchup involving teams from both conferences throughout the regular season.
Several teams enter the new season after deep postseason runs in 2025. Rochester finished 12-2 and advanced to the Class 4A state championship game, where the Rockets fell to Montini 47-33. Chatham Glenwood finished 10-1 after advancing to the second round of the Class 6A playoffs.
Sangamo Conference teams also found postseason success. Williamsville won the conference with a 9-0 record and finished 11-1 overall, while Maroa-Forsyth reached the Class 2A state championship game. The Trojans finished 11-3 following a 42-6 loss to Wilmington in the title game.
Decatur Eisenhower notified the Central State Eight Conference on Aug. 10 that it would not field a varsity football team for the 2026 season. Teams scheduled to play Eisenhower can accept a forfeit victory or attempt to schedule a new opponent for that week.
Friday, Aug. 21
Central State Eight
Chatham Glenwood vs. Normal Community West
Decatur Eisenhower at Mascoutah
Decatur MacArthur at Mattoon
Jacksonville at Jerseyville
Lincoln vs. Peoria Manual
Normal University at Rochelle
Quincy Notre Dame at Decatur St. Teresa
Rochester at Moline
Springfield High vs. Cahokia
Springfield Lanphier at LaSalle-Peru
Springfield Southeast at East Peoria
Sangamo
Athens at Riverton
Auburn vs. Olympia
Maroa-Forsyth vs. New Berlin
Petersburg PORTA vs. Pittsfield
Pleasant Plains vs. Williamsville
Note: Sacred Heart-Griffin opens its season Saturday, Aug. 22, at New Lenox (Lincoln-Way Central).
Friday, Aug. 28
Central State Eight
Chatham Glenwood at Alton
Decatur Eisenhower at Mt. Zion
Decatur MacArthur vs. Granite City
Jacksonville vs. St. Peters (Fort Zumwalt East), Mo.
Lincoln at Marion
Normal University at Mahomet-Seymour
Quincy Notre Dame vs. Carbondale
Rochester vs. Batavia
Springfield High at Collinsville
Springfield Lanphier vs. East Peoria
Springfield Southeast vs. Mascoutah
Sangamo
Athens vs. Maroa-Forsyth
Auburn at Williamsville
New Berlin vs. Pleasant Plains
Petersburg PORTA at Olympia
Pittsfield vs. Riverton
Note: Sacred Heart-Griffin plays Saturday, Aug. 29, at Joliet (Catholic Academy).
Friday, Sept. 4 — Central State Eight Conference play begins
Central State Eight
Chatham Glenwood at Normal University
Decatur Eisenhower at Rochester
Decatur MacArthur at Lincoln
Jacksonville at Springfield High
Quincy Notre Dame vs. Springfield Lanphier
Sacred Heart-Griffin at Springfield Southeast
Sangamo
Auburn vs. New Berlin
Athens at Pittsfield
Maroa-Forsyth at Pleasant Plains
Petersburg PORTA vs. Williamsville
Riverton vs. Olympia
Friday, Sept. 11
Central State Eight
Chatham Glenwood vs. Lincoln
Decatur Eisenhower vs. Normal University
Decatur MacArthur vs. Rochester
Jacksonville vs. Quincy Notre Dame
Springfield High vs. Sacred Heart-Griffin
Sangamo
Athens vs. Pleasant Plains
Auburn at Maroa-Forsyth
New Berlin vs. Petersburg PORTA
Riverton at Williamsville
Olympia vs. Pittsfield
Note: Springfield Lanphier and Springfield Southeast play a day later than the rest of the West division.
Saturday, Sept. 12
Central State Eight
Springfield Lanphier vs. Springfield Southeast
Friday, Sept. 18
Central State Eight
Chatham Glenwood at Decatur Eisenhower
Decatur MacArthur at Normal University
Lincoln vs. Rochester
Jacksonville at Sacred Heart-Griffin
Quincy Notre Dame vs. Springfield Southeast
Springfield High at Springfield Lanphier
Sangamo
Athens vs. Olympia
Auburn vs. Pleasant Plains
Maroa-Forsyth at Petersburg PORTA
New Berlin at Riverton
Pittsfield vs. Williamsville
Friday, Sept. 25
Central State Eight
Chatham Glenwood vs. Rochester
Lincoln at Normal University
Jacksonville vs. Springfield Lanphier
Quincy Notre Dame vs. Sacred Heart-Griffin
Springfield High at Springfield Southeast
Sangamo
Athens at Auburn
Maroa-Forsyth vs. Riverton
New Berlin vs. Pittsfield
Petersburg PORTA at Pleasant Plains
Olympia at Williamsville
Central State Eight note: Decatur Eisenhower and Decatur MacArthur meet Saturday, Sept. 26, at 1 p.m. in the annual Decatur rivalry, with Eisenhower hosting.
Friday, Oct. 2
Central State Eight
Chatham Glenwood at Decatur MacArthur
Decatur Eisenhower at Lincoln
Normal University at Rochester
Jacksonville vs. Springfield Southeast
Quincy Notre Dame at Springfield High
Springfield Lanphier at Sacred Heart-Griffin
Sangamo
Auburn at Petersburg PORTA
Maroa-Forsyth at Pittsfield
Pleasant Plains at Riverton
Williamsville at Athens
Olympia vs. New Berlin
Friday, Oct. 9 — East-West crossover begins
Central State Eight
Chatham Glenwood vs. Quincy Notre Dame
Decatur Eisenhower vs. Springfield Southeast
Decatur MacArthur vs. Springfield High
Lincoln vs. Springfield Lanphier
Normal University vs. Jacksonville
Rochester vs. Sacred Heart-Griffin
Sangamo
Athens at Petersburg PORTA
Auburn vs. Riverton
Maroa-Forsyth vs. Olympia
New Berlin vs. Williamsville
Pittsfield at Pleasant Plains
Thursday, Oct. 15
Central State Eight
Normal University at Springfield High
Friday, Oct. 16
Central State Eight
Chatham Glenwood at Sacred Heart-Griffin
Decatur Eisenhower at Springfield Lanphier
Decatur MacArthur at Jacksonville
Lincoln at Springfield Southeast
Rochester at Quincy Notre Dame
Sangamo
Athens vs. New Berlin
Auburn at Pittsfield
Maroa-Forsyth at Williamsville
Petersburg PORTA at Riverton
Pleasant Plains at Olympia
Complete schedules, scores, standings and additional information for every IHSA football program are available on the Illinois High School Association website.