Week 4 Illinois Small-School Football Digest
Week 4 Digest: Early Season Rankings and Score Discrepancies
This digest covers the 2026-27 season. The IHSA rankings poll data provided is dated September 9, 2026 (Week 2), and reflects the standings as of that publication date. Consequently, the rankings below do not yet reflect the results from the Week 4 games (September 11-12) listed in the scores data. The scores section includes games from Weeks 1 through 4, with several Week 4 results marked as “unconfirmed” or “disputed” in the source data.
Class 1A
Per the IHSA rankings poll (Week 2), Eureka holds the top spot, followed by East Dubuque and Clinton. Clinton has climbed from fifth to third, while Elmwood moved up from seventh to fourth. Chillicothe (Illinois Valley Central) dropped from third to fifth, and St. Joseph (S.J.-Ogden) fell significantly from fourth to 17th.
Recent results from the scores data show Heyworth dominating Clinton 58-6 in Week 2, and Galena posting a 54-13 win over Morrison in Week 3. In Week 4, Lena (L.-Winslow) defeated Galena 16-6, and Ottawa (Marquette) beat LeRoy 34-24. Several Week 4 games, including Dwight at Fithian (Oakwood) and Forreston at Dakota, are listed as unconfirmed.
Class 2A
In the Week 2 poll, Dixon remains the No. 1 team. Deerfield has risen from fourth to second, while Aurora (Central Catholic) moved up from fifth to third. Morton dropped from second to fifth, and Peoria (Notre Dame) fell from third to sixth. Normal (University) made a significant leap from 19th to 8th.
The scores data highlights Pana’s 68-0 victory over Gillespie in Week 4. Johnston City also posted a dominant 67-0 win over Albion (Edwards County) in Week 3. In Week 4, Bismarck edged Kewanee 36-34, and Chester beat Sparta 36-28. Results for Eureka at El Paso (Gridley) and Toledo (Cumberland) at Arthur are currently unconfirmed.
Class 3A
Plainfield (South) leads the 3A rankings, followed by Elmhurst (York) and St. Charles (North). St. Charles has climbed from eighth to third, while Frankfort (Lincoln-Way East) jumped from 14th to fifth. Downers Grove (North) moved up from third to sixth, and Chicago (Lane) slipped from fourth to seventh.
Week 4 scores include Monticello’s 39-20 win over Decatur (St. Teresa) and Stanford (Olympia)’s 63-13 rout of Pittsfield. Hillsboro defeated Greenville 35-14. Several other Week 4 matchups, such as Bloomington (Central Catholic) at Rantoul and St. Joseph (Ogden) at Tolono (Unity), are marked as unconfirmed in the source data.
Storylines to Watch
- Ranking Volatility: Significant movement in the 3A poll, particularly the rise of St. Charles and Frankfort, suggests early-season upsets are reshaping the landscape.
- Data Verification: A notable portion of Week 4 scores (e.g., Lena-Galena, Bismarck-Kewanee, Monticello-Decatur) are flagged as “unconfirmed” or “disputed” in the IHSA feed. Final records and standings may shift once these results are officially certified.
- Cross-Class Play: The scores data reflects games between teams of different classes (e.g., 1A Heyworth vs. 1A Clinton, 2A Dixon vs. 3A Byron). These cross-class matchups are included in the scores but do not directly impact the class-specific rankings polls in the same manner as intra-class games.