Michael O’Brien’s Super 25 high school football rankings for Week 8

Week 7 was much wilder than expected. That led to a fun Sunday morning, with several new teams joining the Super 25, which is odd for late in the season. 

It’s been a unique year. Maybe there is a lot of parity? Or maybe it is just taking longer than usual to sort out the top teams. 

Geneva, which has been ranked all season, falls out. The Vikings lost the last two weeks (Batavia, Wheaton North). There’s no shame in those defeats, but they were the two biggest tests of the season for Geneva. 

Downers Grove North and IC Catholic also drop out after losing two consecutive games. And Brother Rice is gone after losing to Nazareth. 

All of that cleared out room for several teams to join. Carmel, Lake Zurich, St. Laurence and Glenbard West are in. 

Carmel’s only loss this season is Mount Carmel. The Corsairs have beaten Crete-Monee, Lake Forest and Providence. 

St. Laurence also debuts. The Vikings’ only loss is to St. Francis, which looks a lot better now than it did back in Week 3. They have a huge test on Friday at St. Rita. 

Glenbard West, which knocked off York, is back in the rankings along with Lake Zurich.

Super 25 rankings for Week 8
With record and last week’s ranking

1. Mount Carmel (7-0) 1
Friday vs. Providence

2. Loyola (7-0) 2
Saturday vs. Benet

3. Lincoln-Way East (7-0) 3
Friday vs. Sandburg

4. Batavia (6-1) 5
Friday at Wheaton-Warrenville South

5. Maine South (6-1) 6
Friday at Deerfield

6. Hersey (7-0) 10
Friday vs. Wheeling

7. Prairie Ridge (7-0) 7
Friday vs. Crystal Lake Central

8. Kankakee (7-0) 8
Friday at Thornton

9. Barrington (7-0) 9
Friday vs. No. 12 Palatine

10. York (6-1) 4
Saturday at Lyons

11. St. Charles North (5-2) 13
Friday at Lake Park

12. Palatine (5-2) 14
Friday at No. 9 Barrington

13. Morgan Park (6-1) 15
Friday at Brooks

14. Warren (5-2) 17
Friday vs. Lake Forest

15. Lincoln-Way West (6-1) 18
Friday at Homewood-Flossmoor

16. St. Francis (5-2) 20
Saturday at Leo

17. Naperville Central (6-1) 19
Friday vs. Metea Valley

18. St. Rita (4-3) 12
Friday vs. No. 22 St. Laurence

19. Carmel (6-1) NR
Friday vs. Notre Dame

20. Joliet Catholic (5-2) 22
Friday at Marmion

21. Lake Zurich (6-1) NR
Friday at Mundelein

22. St. Laurence (6-1) NR
Friday at No. 18 St. Rita

23. Sycamore (7-0) 23
Friday vs. LaSalle-Peru

24. Morris (7-0) 24
Friday at Ottawa

25. Glenbard West (5-2) NR
Friday vs. Proviso West