Which prep football teams sit on the edge of the playoff picture?
For all the talk about focusing on one week at a time, make no mistake about high school football players and coaches.
From the moment the schedules are announced, they’re plotting a path to the playoffs. They might not be thinking about how to beat that Week 8 opponent quite yet, but they’re thinking about how to get to five or six wins.
Now that we’re in Week 8, it’s a good time to look at some area football teams with their backs against the wall. They’ll need to win their remaining games and possibly get help to qualify.
We’ll be talking about playoff points, which represents the total number of victories by the opponents on a team’s schedule. It’s a strength-of-schedule statistic used by the IHSA to rank teams with the same record.
The more playoff points, the better. Last season, every 5-4 team qualified and 4-5 teams with at least 49 points also got in.
It’s not a guarantee 4-5 teams will qualify this season — only one made it in 2022 and none the season before that — but there’s a chance. However, there’s also a chance some five-win teams won’t get in.
We’ll have to wait and see how the records and points turn out.
Elk Grove (3-4)
Can the Grenadiers stay hot? They’ve overcome a 1-4 start to stay in playoff contention, beating Wheeling and Buffalo Grove, but the real work begins now.
They close with Prospect (5-2) and Rolling Meadows (5-2). With 33 playoff points, they’d likely get in with five wins.
Grayslake Central (3-4)
The Rams were on the outside looking in after finishing 4-5 last season, and they’re trying to avoid the same fate in 2024.
Winless Round Lake is the Week 8 matchup, but the postseason may boil down to the regular-season finale against Antioch (6-1).
Grayslake Central is on the low end with 28 playoff points.
IC Catholic Prep (3-4)
The six-time state champion Knights, who haven’t missed the playoffs since 2014, find themselves in an unusual position.
With 39 playoff points, they’ll safely get in with wins over St. Viator (3-4) and St. Rita (5-2). But that’s no easy ask.
IC Catholic Prep broke a four-game losing streak with last week’s win over Marmion (4-3), which is a good sign. The Knights are among a few area teams with a shot to get in with a 4-5 record.
Mundelein (3-4)
Once again, the Mustangs are on the edge. They’ve finished out of the playoffs at 4-5 in two of the last three seasons.
Mundelein, seeking its first playoff berth since 2004, finish with Waukegan (1-6) and Lake Forest (5-2). The Mustangs must find the form that pushed them to a 3-0 start.
St. Viator (3-4)
The Lions have lost four straight after starting 3-0 and must to beat IC Catholic Prep (3-4) and St. Patrick (2-5) to qualify.
With 30 playoff points, they won’t get in with five losses. And even with five wins, it’s not a guarantee they’ll qualify.
Wheaton North (3-4)
Three years removed from winning the Class 7A title, the Falcons have ridden a roller coaster this season. A 3-1 start, then three straight losses. Three games decided by 4 points or fewer.
But with wins over Glenbard North (2-5) and Lake Park (3-4), all will be good for Wheaton North — especially with 36 playoff points.
Glenbard West (2-5)
The Hilltoppers find their streak of 16 straight playoff appearances in serious jeopardy.
But after six 4-5 teams qualified last season, including eventual state champion Nazareth, there’s a glimmer of hope.
Glenbard West has 40 playoff points and remaining games against Proviso West (2-5) and Oak Park (1-6).
Win both and give yourself a chance, right?
St. Charles East (2-5)
You think 40 playoff points are impressive, how about 41?
If the Saints somehow find a way to beat unbeaten Geneva and Wheaton Warrenville South (4-3), they may just have a shot to get in at 4-5.