Previewing and predicting the Class 8A state football playoffs

Loyola’s Will Nimesheim (21) drags Mount Carmel’s Nicholas Jaujokas (4) across the goal to score. (Allen Cunningham/For the Sun-Times)

Loyola’s loss to Mount Carmel on Saturday dropped the Ramblers to a No. 6 seed. Lincoln-Way East, York, Plainfield North and South Elgin are unbeaten, so slotted in before Loyola. But the Ramblers are still the heavy favorites to win the Class 8A state championship in Champaign.

Class 8A pairings

#32 Conant (5-4) at #1 Lincoln-Way East (9-0)
#17 Neuqua Valley (7-2) at #16 Lane (7-2)
#25 Stevenson (6-3) at #8 Warren (8-1)
#24 Andrew (6-3) at #9 Huntley (8-1)
#29 Belleville East (5-4) at #4 South Elgin (9-0)
#20 Bolingbrook (6-3) at #13 Maine South (7-2)
#28 Lockport (5-4) at #5 Glenbard West (8-1)
#21 Homewood-Flossmoor (6-3) at #12 Glenbrook South (8-1)

#31 Oswego East (5-4) at #2 York (9-0)
#18 Marist (6-3) at #15 Naperville North (7-2)
#26 Downers Grove South (6-3) at #7 Palatine (8-1)
#23 Minooka (6-3) at #10 Glenbard East (8-1)
#30 Rich (5-4) at #3 Plainfield North (9-0)
#19 Naperville Central (6-3) at #14 Lyons (7-2)
#27 Plainfield South (6-3) at #6 Loyola (8-1)
#22 Edwardsville (6-3) at #11 O’Fallon (8-1)

Class 8A Preview

Favorite: Loyola

Top Contender: Lincoln-Way East

Darkhorse/Bracket Buster: Bolingbrook

Best first round game: Bolingbrook at Maine South

Toughest path to title game: Glenbard West

Class 8A Predictions

First round

Lincoln-Way East defeats Conant

Neuqua Valley d. Lane

Warren d. Stevenson

Andrew d. Huntley

South Elgin d. Belleville East

Maine South d. Bolingbrook

Glenbard West d. Lockport

H-F d. Glenbrook South

York d. Oswego East

Marist d. Naperville North

Palatine d. Downers Grove South

Glenbard East d. Minooka

Plainfield North d. Rich

Naperville Central d. Lyons

Loyola d. Plainfield South

O’Fallon d. Edwardsville

Second round

Lincoln-Way East d. Neuqua Valley

Warren d. Andrew

Maine South d. South Elgin

Glenbard West d. Homewood-Flossmoor

York d. Marist

Palatine d. Glenbard East

Naperivlle Central d. Plainfield North

Loyola d. O’Fallon

Quarterfinals

Warren d. Lincoln-Way East

Glenbard West d. Maine South

York d. Palatine

Loyola d. Naperville Central

Semifinals

Glenbard West d. Warren

Loyola d. York

Championship

Loyola d. Glenbard West