IHSA football practice opens Wednesday, Aug. 5, and both Maine South and Maine East will hit the field preparing for a 2026 season that kicks off a week earlier than usual.

The Hawks and Blue Demons play their first games Friday, Aug. 21, eight days after District 207 students return to class on Thursday, Aug. 13. The earlier start is the result of the IHSA's expansion of the state playoff field from 32 to 48 qualifiers per class, growing the total bracket from 256 to 384 teams statewide, according to the IHSA's July schedule release.

Maine South: Top-10 ranking, Indiana-bound QB

Maine South enters the fall ranked No. 10 in Illinois in the preseason Massey Ratings, according to On3's preseason rankings. Head coach Dave Inserra's squad went 10-1 last year and reached the Class 8A state quarterfinals.

The centerpiece is senior quarterback Jameson Purcell, a 6-foot-2, 195-pound Indiana commit who completed 70 percent of his passes for 2,572 yards and 30 touchdowns with seven interceptions as a junior. Purcell grew up around the program. His father, James, played defensive end for the Hawks, and Jameson was a ball boy as a child.

"In a positive way, his ego allows him to make plays," Inserra told the Chicago Tribune in November 2025, after Purcell rallied Maine South from a 22-6 halftime deficit to beat Hinsdale Central in the Class 8A second round. "He's not afraid of the big stage."

The Hawks open at Batavia on Aug. 21 at 7 p.m., then host Warren Township on Friday, Aug. 28, before the Central Suburban League South slate begins Friday, Sept. 11, at New Trier.

Maine East: Young core matures under McNally

Maine East head coach Shane McNally enters 2026 with a roster that should look different from the injury-ravaged 2025 squad. The Blue Demons leaned heavily on sophomores last fall after a wave of injuries depleted the varsity depth chart.

"They are a very talented sophomore group that is being asked to do things right now a little sooner than they probably should be," McNally told the Journal & Topics in October 2025.

Those sophomores are now juniors. Zayveon Brooks, who led the Blue Demons in rushing last season, returns as part of a more experienced core heading into CSL North play. Maine East is ranked No. 525 in the state by MaxPreps, reflecting the rebuilding climb.

The Blue Demons open at Fenton in Bensenville on Aug. 21 at 7 p.m. and host West Chicago on Friday, Aug. 28, before conference play starts Friday, Sept. 4, at Evanston.

Full fall football schedules

Maine South Hawks (CSL South), home field: 1111 S. Dee Road, Park Ridge

| Week | Date | Opponent | Time |
|------|------|----------|------|
| 1 | Fri., Aug. 21 | at Batavia | 7 p.m. |
| 2 | Fri., Aug. 28 | vs. Warren Township | 7:30 p.m. |
| 3 | Fri., Sept. 4 | vs. Maine West | 7:30 p.m. |
| 4 | Fri., Sept. 11 | at New Trier* | TBA |
| 5 | Fri., Sept. 18 | at Glenbrook South* | TBA |
| 6 | Fri., Sept. 25 | vs. Niles North* | TBA |
| 7 | Fri., Oct. 2 | at Evanston* | TBA |
| 8 | Fri., Oct. 9 | vs. New Trier* | TBA |
| 9 | Fri., Oct. 16 | at Glenbrook South* | TBA |

Maine East Blue Demons (CSL North), home field: 2601 W. Dempster St., Park Ridge

| Week | Date | Opponent | Time |
|------|------|----------|------|
| 1 | Fri., Aug. 21 | at Fenton | 7 p.m. |
| 2 | Fri., Aug. 28 | vs. West Chicago | 7:30 p.m. |
| 3 | Fri., Sept. 4 | at Evanston* | 7:30 p.m. |
| 4 | Thu., Sept. 10 | vs. Highland Park* | 7:30 p.m. |
| 5 | Fri., Sept. 18 | at Maine West* | 6:30 p.m. |
| 6 | Fri., Sept. 25 | vs. Vernon Hills* | 7:30 p.m. |

*Conference game

IHSA playoffs begin Friday, Oct. 23, with state finals set for Nov. 27-28 at Hancock Stadium in Normal.