IHSA Football Week Eight Recap
Written by Quinn Lyons on October 12, 2026
Image Courtesy of Normal West High School Athletics
NORMAL, Ill. — Winning a state championship is a dream come true for a high school football player. Before you get the chance to win one, teams must put together a strong regular season. The teams in Bloomington-Normal are ready to turn the corner into the IHSA state playoffs.
Bloomington Central Catholic pulled out a close win this week against Pontiac 31-28. The Saints improve to 6-2 on the season and hope to finish the season on a high note. They face off against 4-4 playoff hopefuls, Prairie Central on the road in the regular-season finale.
Normal West has had one of the highest-powered offenses in the entire state this year. The Wildcats took down Richwoods 68-19 to remain unbeaten at 8-0. Next week will be their biggest test yet as they face undefeated Normal Community at home.
Bloomington had another close matchup this week against Champaign Central, losing 12-10. The loss drops the Purple Raiders to 4-4 on the season. This weeks matchup against undefeated Mahomet-Seymour is Bloomington’s final chance to qualify for a playoff spot.
Normal Community continues to look dominate this season. This week the Ironmen took down Centennial 55-13 to add another win to their undefeated record. They now face a heavyweight matchup against Normal West on the road, with both teams entering at 8-0.
The matchup between the Wildcats and the Ironmen has game of the year written all over it . The Wildcats are averaging over 40 points per game, while only allowing 12 per game. The Ironmen are averaging over 50 points per game while allowing just 13. With two very high-powered offenses and efficient defenses, this game could be one for the ages.
University High are winding down their difficult season. The Pioneers fell to Jacksonville 43-13, dropping to 1-7 on the year. Although the IHSA playoffs are out of the picture, University High looks to end the season on a high note against 2-6 Springfield on the road.
To stay up to date on IHSA football, follow along on wznd.com.
