Previewing and predicting the IHSA Class 8A state football playoffs

The brackets are out and it is prediction time. These are my quickfire, need it fast for the print newspaper deadline initial impressions. I reserve the right to change my mind later in the week.

Class 8A pairings

#32 Loyola at #1 Mount Carmel
#17 Belleville East at #16 West Aurora
#25 Palatine at #8 Young
#24 Stevenson at #9 Lincoln-Way East
#29 Huntley at #4 Fremd
#20 York at #13 Lyons
#28 New Trier at #5 Warren
#21 Oswego East at #12 Bolingbrook
#31 Elgin at #2 Barrington
#18 Minooka at #15 Glenbrook South
#26 Homewood-Flossmoor at #7 Curie
#23 Lockport at #10 Sandburg
#30 Downers Grove South at #3 Maine South
#19 Hinsdale Central at #14 South Elgin
#27 Perspectives at #6 Lane
#22 Naperville North at #11 Oswego

Class 8A Preview

Favorite: Mount Carmel

Top Contender: Maine South

Darkhorse/Bracket Buster: Fremd

Best first round game: York at Lyons

Toughest path to title game: Mount Carmel

Class 8A predictions

Second Round
Mount Carmel beats West Aurora
Lincoln-Way East beats Palatine
Fremd beats Lyons
Warren beats Bolingbrook
Barrington beats Glenbrook South
Lockport beats H-F
Maine South beats Hinsdale Central
Naperville North beats Lane

Quarterfinals
Mount Carmel beats Lincoln-Way East
Fremd beats Warren
Barrington beats Lockport
Maine South beats Naperville North

Semifinals
Mount Carmel beats Fremd
Maine South beats Barrington

Title game
Mount Carmel beats Maine South