Any scenario where Loyola and Mt Carmel don't play in the state championship???

AwGabJazz · Oct 22, 2026

Seems like EVERYONE has already penciled in Mt. Carmel vs Loyola for the State Championship in 8A!

Can anyone see them losing before they get there? Mt. Carmel would have to play LincolnWay East and probably Oswego to get to the state championship. Loyola would most likely have to play York then Maine South or St. Ignatius, then probably Homewood-Flossmoor to get in.

Not sure that is shoe-in for either team to get there. There is a very high probability and both teams will be favored heavily in each game they play, but I wouldn't be surprised if one of them loses in the 3rd or 4th round. Mt. Carmel has the harder draw for sure. Loyola hasn't played great the last few weeks and I heard it was 7 - 7 mid 2nd quarter when they played Benet Academy who is 2-7.

Thoughts? If either of them would lose before they get to the state championship, who do you think that would be and to whom?

80sRambler · Oct 22, 2026

Yes. They are high school kids. There are many scenarios where they don't get there. Loyola clearly is vulnerable to a hot QB on a team with multiple quality receivers. Putting aside their now having the top defense in the history of the state under Saint TP, MC has given up points this year. But bringing up that Benet scored an early TD on LA in a game LA won 42-10 is probably not the best take.

vester71 · Oct 22, 2026

MC dominated LWE in the playoffs last year. Will LWE be super motivated this year? Yes, and it's Coach Z's last year, which will add a bit more motivation for the LWE. Will MC be a little overconfident after that dominating performance against LWE last year? I hope so. If LWE plays an error-free game and doesn't miss field goals and extra points, they can knock out MC.

Oswego did play MC tough last year, but I'm not sure about Oswego this year.

That all said, if MC makes it past LWE and Oswego, can they beat Loyola twice (assuming Loyola does what everyone thinks and makes it to the championship with a fairly easy path)?

Based on overall talent and potential, MC is the team to beat, but if anyone's going to beat them in the playoffs, this is the year for it.

SiuCubFan8 · Oct 22, 2026

Who cares about last year? This is 2026. Games that happened last year have no bearing on a match-up this year. Every game is different and we have all seen good teams have a game get away from them before...it happens.

Still Missing34 · Oct 22, 2026

"Oswego did play MC tough last year, but I'm not sure about Oswego this year."

Oswego is better than last year, specifically on offense.

Cross Bones · Oct 22, 2026

Crown their buttockses

AwGabJazz · Oct 22, 2026

Can you see Loyola losing to either York, Maine South or St Ignatius, or HF?? York has been hot winning some games vs top teams in the state. Maine South has a D1 QB and great WR's so can they score points on Loyola like ICCP did? Loyola beat St Ignatius earlier in the year and HF lost to both LWE and LincolnWay Central.

Mt Carmel is for sure playing the "best" team to get there in LWE but if they get past them, they should easily beat Oswego in my opinion. Keep in mind Mt Carmel killed LWE last year with Jonas Williams.

If I was a betting man, I would assume it will be Mt Carmel vs Loyola but it would be great if one or both got knocked out before they get to the finals

DuquesneDuke · Oct 22, 2026

Still Missing34 said:
"Oswego did play MC tough last year, but I'm not sure about Oswego this year."

Oswego is better than last year, specifically on offense.

The defense is not as good as last years, the defensive line last year was very underrated. Secondary lost some key pieces as well. But they are very well coached and run a good scheme. 100% agree the offense is much better this year. Is #2 going to be healthy for the playoffs? Will need him for sure.

RetiredReferee · Oct 22, 2026

I predict that if one, or both, loses a game in the playoffs then it's a 65% chance that they don't play each other in the state championship game.

Still Missing34 · Oct 22, 2026

DuquesneDuke said:
The defense is not as good as last years, the defensive line last year was very underrated. Secondary lost some key pieces as well. But they are very well coached and run a good scheme. 100% agree the offense is much better this year. Is #2 going to be healthy for the playoffs? Will need him for sure.

Banire is practicing this week. Defense certainly not as good.

LWN_Pheonix · Oct 22, 2026

If Loyola and MC lose in their first game… will both of them play each other in the prep bowl???

DirtySixThirty · Oct 22, 2026

I've already gone out on a limb and said this would be the year Lincoln-Way East finally gets past the Catholic League.

AlabamaTimberwolf · Oct 22, 2026

SiuCubFan8 said:
Who cares about last year? This is 2026. Games that happened last year have no bearing on a match-up this year. Every game is different and we have all seen good teams have a game get away from them before...it happens.

Aside from the psychological affect!~

Caravan92 · Oct 22, 2026

Yup. They’re kids and anything can happen. Sometimes the most talented team on paper doesn’t always win. A kid has a bad game, opponents player steps up and has the game of his life, a coach finds something to exploit or another coach makes a bad decision. And I will never complain about refs, they can change the whole dynamic by keying in on certain penalties or deciding they aren’t calling those tonight.

MAP12 · Oct 22, 2026

DirtySixThirty said:
I've already gone out on a limb and said this would be the year Lincoln-Way East finally gets past the Catholic League.

I don’t think so. The game against Rice was handed to them by BR. If that game was played again BR wins by two or three scores. They have a shot against Loyola - similar to years past. I don’t see them being able to compete with MC.

ODERTY1 · Oct 22, 2026

MAP12 said:
I don’t think so. The game against Rice was handed to them by BR. If that game was played again BR wins by two or three scores. They have a shot against Loyola - similar to years past. I don’t see them being able to compete with MC.

Wow this is a bold that lol

vester71 · Oct 23, 2026

DirtySixThirty said:
I've already gone out on a limb and said this would be the year Lincoln-Way East finally gets past the Catholic League.

I hope you are right

McCaravan · Oct 23, 2026

vester71 said:
I hope you are right

I've watched the MC/LWE game last year a few times, I think I still have it saved. I don't know if you have seen it since I don't blame you if you haven't, but if you really watch it, there was a lot of plays that LWE missed by inches.....just off receivers hands, couple throws by MC that they probably got very lucky they completed....basically the score was a blowout but MC did not have there way with them...they just had a lot of plays go there way if that makes sense.

Any scenario where Loyola and Mt Carmel don't play in the state championship???

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