Super 25 football rankings for Week 13: Marist, Nazareth join top five

By Beth Long

Nazareth’s Chaddrian West Jr. Worsom Robinson/For the Sun-Times.

The Super 25 sees several changes this week entering the semifinals of the IHSA state football playoffs. With just two weeks to go, will No. 1 Lincoln-Way East (12-0) be able to hang onto its spot atop the rankings? The Griffins face No. 12 Loyola (9-3) in a rematch of last year’s Class 8A title game on Saturday with a spot in Champaign on the line.

Sixteen of the 32 teams remaining in the hunt for state championships across the eight classes are included in this week’s Super 25. Three newcomers – Notre Dame (10-2), Crete-Monee (9-3) and Joliet Catholic (8-4) – enter the fray as part of their playoff runs. Seven ranked teams, including Lincoln-Way East, Batavia and Richards, remain unbeaten 12 weeks into the season.

Maine South (10-2) is the big dropper this week after its quarterfinal defeat to Loyola sent it from No. 6 to No. 14. Homewood-Flossmoor (10-2) and Simeon (11-1), while sticking in the top 10, also saw their seasons end prematurely. In all, nine of the ranked teams will be following the action from home for the upcoming weekend.

With record and last week’s ranking

1. Lincoln-Way East (12-0) 1

Saturday at Loyola

2. Batavia (12-0) 2

Saturday at Nazareth

3. Brother Rice (12-0) 5

Saturday at Marist

4. Marist (11-1) 7

Saturday vs. Brother Rice

5. Nazareth (11-1) 8

Saturday vs. Batavia

6. Mount Carmel (11-1) 9