Super 25 football rankings for Week 12: Loyola returns after playoff wins

By Beth Long

Loyola’s Rory Boos, left, and Artie Collins celebrate after Boos’ touchdown. Allen Cunningham/For the Sun-Times.

The Super 25 sees a major shakeup after several ranked teams lost in the second round of the IHSA state football playoffs. Oswego (10-1) falls from No. 24 to No. 3 after being knocked out, Glenbard East (10-1) exits the list entirely and four new teams join the rankings as the quarterfinals await this weekend.

Loyola (8-3) returns to the Super 25 for the first time in months at No. 15 following its 22-0 shutout of Oswego in Wilmette. The Ramblers appear to have overcome their midseason struggles at the right time, especially on the defensive end of the ball. However, the road to Champaign doesn’t get any easier from here with a road matchup against Maine South (10-1), which is coming off a 41-14 second-round win over Waubonsie Valley.

St. Charles North (8-3), Naperville Central (7-4) and Antioch (11-0) are the other newcomers for Week 12.

There are 21 ranked teams still alive in the playoffs and 10 of them remain unbeaten this season. Those numbers will get smaller by the end of the quarterfinals. Here’s the full list entering Week 12 of the 2018 season.

With record and last week’s ranking

1. Lincoln-Way East (11-0) 1

Saturday vs. Edwardsville

2. Batavia (11-0) 2

Saturday vs. Willowbrook

3. Homewood-Flossmoor (10-1) 4

Saturday vs. Marist

4. Simeon (11-0) 5

Saturday vs. Nazareth at Gately Stadium

5. Brother Rice (11-0) 6

Saturday vs. Warren

6. Maine South (10-1) 7