Schmit: The Big Three — Abrams, Nawrot and Purcell — take their last ride in the IHSA football playoffs

They were the undisputed “Big Three” heading into the season.

Now they’re saddled up for one final ride.

Senior quarterbacks Israel Abrams, Jake Nawrot and Jameson Purcell begin their state title quests in earnest this weekend, each coming off a bye week as part of the expanded IHSA football playoffs.

Stacked in three different classes, all three could reach the finals Thanksgiving weekend in Normal. Statewide fans would get a treat seeing any of them, let alone all of them, on the IHSA’s biggest stage.

You could argue the triumvirate merits company, especially the way quarterbacks like Batavia’s Michael Vander Luitgaren, Geneva’s Ben Peterson and Prospect’s Jackson Cacini have performed this season.

But there’s simply no avoiding the immense attention Abrams, Nawrot and Purcell have received as rabid college fan bases followed their stats and highlights every week.

Let’s take a look at the chances for each nationally ranked quarterback to play for an IHSA title.

Israel Abrams, Montini

Abrams (6-foot-4, 195 pounds) narrowed a list of 23 scholarship offers to Miami, Auburn, Florida State, Kentucky and Purdue. In April he chose south Florida to play for the Hurricanes.

For Abrams, the third-ranked senior quarterback nationally by On3, this postseason is all about getting that cherry on top of the gravy. Or something along those lines of extreme excess.

He and the Broncos are vying for a third straight title to match the ones Abrams led them to as a sophomore and junior. He exploded on the scene two years ago, maturing before our eyes while overcoming a 2-2 start.

This postseason? It’ll be a challenge in Class 4A after a difficult regular season featuring losses to St. Rita and Class 8A Sandburg. A win this week against Geneseo likely earns a second-round trip to unbeaten Morris.

Abrams has been stellar again this season, throwing for 2,577 yards and 26 touchdowns.

Jake Nawrot, Hersey

No one in the Class of 2027 — perhaps in the nation — experienced such a rapid rise in recruiting attention. Nawrot (6-5, 200 pounds) is the fifth-ranked quarterback nationally, an achievement that didn’t seem remotely possible a year ago.

He was great as a junior while throwing for more than 3,000 yards. But ranked fifth nationally? That’s a rare leap.

Nawrot is headed to the SEC after committing to Kentucky in April, which allowed him plenty of time to focus on his final season with the Huskies. He’s been nothing short of spectacular, guiding Hersey to a 9-0 record and the second seed in a loaded Class 7A field.

He’s completed 72% of his passes for more than 2,200 yards while throwing 31 touchdowns against zero interceptions. That’s 200 passes without a single pick.

The question is how far can Nawrot carry Hersey, which seeks its first state title since 1987? Last season was the first time the Huskies reached the quarterfinals since that championship run, and no Mid-Suburban League team has worn the crown since Prospect in 2005.

That’s a lot of history to overcome. It starts this weekend against Yorkville.

Jameson Purcell, Maine South

Given the quarterback history with Maine South, not to mention the six state titles, it’s tough to stand out.

Purcell (6-3, 205) has found a way, starting when he entered the lineup as a sophomore for a 1-3 team and guided it to the state quarterfinals. Last year featured 3,000 passing yards and another quarterfinal run.

Purcell, the 34th-ranked senior quarterback in the nation, committed to defending national champion Indiana before his junior season in 2025 and hasn’t wavered.

This season the Hawks (8-1), seeded sixth in 8A, have been dominant as ever offensively, scoring at least 35 points in all nine games. They’ve been so dominant, though, Purcell often has been removed from games shortly after halftime.

That means his numbers are down a bit but still impressive. He’s thrown for nearly 2,000 yards with 28 touchdowns.

Maine South should beat O’Fallon, but then the road gets much tougher against potentially St. Ignatius and then Loyola as the Hawks chase their first state title since 2016.