Because what else is there to do on a Friday night without any games? Also to be in this bracket you need to have played in the playoff bracket era of the IHSA playoffs. Sorry pre-1974 teams. Also class size matters. Playing the best of the best at higher classes gets more credit. I'll seed them, but you predict them since I was awful this year in Edgy's Playoff Contest. 
#1 Seed (First Round Bye) ISU Bowl at Hancock Stadium:
1985 East St. Louis: Only Illinois high school team to finish #1 in the national rankings so good enough for me to put them at #1 overall. Also #6 overall on an ESPN list from last year of the greatest American High School Football teams of all time. (No other post-1974 Illinois team makes the Top 50)
#2 Seed: (First Round Bye) NIU Bowl at Huskie Stadium:
1984 East St. Louis: Only Ilinois high school team to finish #2 in the national rankings to my knowledge though others can correct me on this.
#3 Seed: (First Round Bye) Bears Bowl at Soldier Field:
1998 Wheaton Warrenville South: Their QB still has the all time single season passing TDs record at 60 despite the emergence of the passing game throughout football in the 21st century. He's also a really good coach too as evidenced by the 8A run by Lyons Township this year.
#4 Seed: (First Round Bye) South Side Bowl at Gately Stadium:
1996 Mt. Carmel: In my opinion the greatest Mt. Carmel season of all time so of course they need to host a first round playoff game at Gately.
#5 Seed: 1978 Joliet Catholic vs. #12 Seed: 2005 Lincoln-Way East @ Joliet Catholic:
1978 Joliet Catholic: Didn't allow a point in the playoffs. A feat unlikely to ever be repeated.
2005 Lincoln-Way East: Absolute monster of a schedule having to play 10 playoff teams in 14 games. However, it also feels like they are holding a spot somewhere in these rankings for another team potentially looking to overtake them as the greatest Lincoln-Way East team of all time. We shall see soon.
#6 Seed: 1999 Naperville Central vs. #11 Seed: 1997 Lincoln-Way @ Naperville Central
1999 Naperville Central: Absolutely loaded and finished #5 nationally.
1997 Lincoln-Way: Imagine if East, Central, and West were still combined today. This team was loaded even though Andrew gave them everything they could handle for 6 out of 8 quarters that season.
#7 Seed: 2010 Wheaton Warrenville South vs. #10 Seed: 2008 Maine South TBD @ Wheaton Warrenville South
2010 Wheaton Warrenville South: One of the most dominant teams in recent memory and finished #10 nationally.
2008 Maine South: The other most dominant team in recent memory that comes to mind and finished #21 nationally.
#8 Seed: 2001 Providence vs. #9 Seed: 1983 East St. Louis @ Providence
2001 Providence: They finished at #8 nationally and played in a buzzsaw of a conference in the Catholic Metro Blue.
1983 East St. Louis: Finished 14-0 and #4 nationally as the first team in an unbelievable 3 year dynasty run.
#1 Seed (First Round Bye) ISU Bowl at Hancock Stadium:
1985 East St. Louis: Only Illinois high school team to finish #1 in the national rankings so good enough for me to put them at #1 overall. Also #6 overall on an ESPN list from last year of the greatest American High School Football teams of all time. (No other post-1974 Illinois team makes the Top 50)
#2 Seed: (First Round Bye) NIU Bowl at Huskie Stadium:
1984 East St. Louis: Only Ilinois high school team to finish #2 in the national rankings to my knowledge though others can correct me on this.
#3 Seed: (First Round Bye) Bears Bowl at Soldier Field:
1998 Wheaton Warrenville South: Their QB still has the all time single season passing TDs record at 60 despite the emergence of the passing game throughout football in the 21st century. He's also a really good coach too as evidenced by the 8A run by Lyons Township this year.
#4 Seed: (First Round Bye) South Side Bowl at Gately Stadium:
1996 Mt. Carmel: In my opinion the greatest Mt. Carmel season of all time so of course they need to host a first round playoff game at Gately.
#5 Seed: 1978 Joliet Catholic vs. #12 Seed: 2005 Lincoln-Way East @ Joliet Catholic:
1978 Joliet Catholic: Didn't allow a point in the playoffs. A feat unlikely to ever be repeated.
2005 Lincoln-Way East: Absolute monster of a schedule having to play 10 playoff teams in 14 games. However, it also feels like they are holding a spot somewhere in these rankings for another team potentially looking to overtake them as the greatest Lincoln-Way East team of all time. We shall see soon.
#6 Seed: 1999 Naperville Central vs. #11 Seed: 1997 Lincoln-Way @ Naperville Central
1999 Naperville Central: Absolutely loaded and finished #5 nationally.
1997 Lincoln-Way: Imagine if East, Central, and West were still combined today. This team was loaded even though Andrew gave them everything they could handle for 6 out of 8 quarters that season.
#7 Seed: 2010 Wheaton Warrenville South vs. #10 Seed: 2008 Maine South TBD @ Wheaton Warrenville South
2010 Wheaton Warrenville South: One of the most dominant teams in recent memory and finished #10 nationally.
2008 Maine South: The other most dominant team in recent memory that comes to mind and finished #21 nationally.
#8 Seed: 2001 Providence vs. #9 Seed: 1983 East St. Louis @ Providence
2001 Providence: They finished at #8 nationally and played in a buzzsaw of a conference in the Catholic Metro Blue.
1983 East St. Louis: Finished 14-0 and #4 nationally as the first team in an unbelievable 3 year dynasty run.
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