(UPDATED) ISU Campus Closure Forces Postponement of IHSA Class 5A-8A Football State Championship Games

IHSA Class 5A-8A Football State Finals Rescheduled; Class 7A-8A Returns to DeKalb on Wednesday

The Illinois High School Association (IHSA) and Northern Illinois University (NIU) have announced that NIU’s Huskie Stadium will host the 2025 IHSA Class 7A and Class 8A Football State Championship games in DeKalb on Wednesday, December 3 at 3:00 PM and 6:00 PM, respectively.

“We are incredibly thankful to NIU, the Huskie Athletic Department, and the DeKalb community for welcoming back the IHSA Football State Finals on short notice,” said IHSA Executive Director Craig Anderson. “We had a wonderful state final experience in DeKalb over the course of a decade and have a relationship of hosting IHSA State Series events on campus that dates back even further. NIU’s partnership with the IHSA and support of high school student-athletes in Illinois has proven to be second to none.”

The 7A state title game between Brother Rice and St. Rita will kickoff at 3:00 PM and be followed by the 8A championship between Mount Carmel and Oswego.

“I appreciate the many constituents from across our campus who have stepped up to help the IHSA make this happen on short notice,” said NIU Vice President/Director of Athletics and Recreation Sean T. Frazier. “We look forward to welcoming the state championships to DeKalb, NIU and Huskie Stadium on Wednesday and providing a first-class experience for all of those involved.”

The contests were originally scheduled to be played at Hancock Stadium on the Illinois State University (ISU) campus in Normal on Saturday, November 29, but were postponed after ISU closed its campus ahead of the winter storm that has impacted much of the state today. The Class 5A and 6A title games were also postponed, and will be played at ISU on Tuesday, December 2 at 3 PM and 6 PM, respectively.

“Illinois State was committed to hosting all eight state championship games if possible, but could not host the 7A and 8A title games until Thursday due to a scheduling conflict on Wednesday,” said Anderson. “We did not want to further impact the schedules and routines of our competing teams, so NIU’s willingness to step up, especially given the geography of the competing teams, made this an easy decision.”

The IHSA is working with the ticketing groups at ISU and NIU and anticipates that all tickets previously purchased through the ISU ticket office will be honored in DeKalb. More information on ticketing will be announced on Monday.

The 5A-8A title games on December 2 and December 3 will also be broadcast on the IHSA’s statewide TV Network and streamed on the NFHS Network.

NIU hosted all eight IHSA state football title games in 2013, 2015, 2017, 2019, and 2021. The IHSA had been hosting the games at the University of Illinois in Champaign-Urbana, but a bi-annual scheduling conflict arose and NIU stepped in to host. After the contracts in Champaign and DeKalb ended in 2022, the IHSA Board made the decision to return the title games to ISU, thanks in part to its central location, which had hosted the title games from 1974 to 1998.

The IHSA held its Class 1A, 2A, 3A, and 4A Football State Championship games at Hancock Stadium on Friday, November 28. During the Class 2A tilt, ISU announced it would be closing its campus on Saturday, November 29 due to the impending winter storm. The campus closure forced the IHSA to postpone the 5A-8A state title games. The final schedule and results are below:

2025 IHSA FOOTBALL STATE FINALS
Friday, November, 28 at Hancock Stadium (Normal)
Class 1A | Lena-Winslow 58, Brown County 13
Class 2A | Wilmington 42, Maroa-Forsyth 6
Class 3A | Byron 56, Tolono Unity 50
Class 4A | Montini 47, Rochester 33

Tuesday, December 2 at Hancock Stadium (Normal)
3:00 PM | 5A | St. Francis vs. Providence Catholic
6:00 PM | 6A | Fenwick vs. East St. Louis

Wednesday, December 3 at Huskie Stadium (DeKalb)
3:00 PM | 7A | St. Rita vs. Brother Rice
6:00 PM | 8A | Mount Carmel vs. Oswego

IHSA Class 5A/6A State Championships Rescheduled on Tuesday, December 2 at ISU (3PM/6PM); 7A/8A Announcement Expected Tomorrow

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Date: November 28, 2025

The Illinois High School Association (IHSA) has announced that it will hold its 2025 Class 5A and Class 6A Football State Championship games at Illinois State University’s Hancock Stadium on Tuesday, December 2 at 3:00 PM and 6:00 PM, respectively.

The 5A state title game between St. Francis High School and Providence Catholic will kickoff at 3:00 PM and be followed by the 6A championship between East St. Louis and Fenwick. All tickets previously purchased through the ISU ticket office will be honored at the contest.

The IHSA is still in the process of rescheduling the Class 7A (Brother Rice vs. St. Rita) and Class 8A (Mt. Camel vs. Oswego) championship games, with the intention of playing the games on either Wednesday, December 3 or Thursday, December 4.

“There are still some logistical hurdles to clear in regard to the rescheduling of the Class 7A and 8A games,” said IHSA Executive Director Craig Anderson. “It is our intention to have that finalized by Saturday (Nov. 29) evening. We appreciate the patience and support of the competing schools and our partners at ISU and in Bloomington-Normal as we navigate this unprecedented situation.”

The IHSA held its Class 1A, 2A, 3A, and 4A Football State Championship games at Hancock Stadium on Friday, November 28.

During the Class 2A tilt, ISU announced it would be closing its campus on Saturday, November 29 due to the impending winter storm. The campus closure forced the IHSA to postpone its Class 5A-8A title games. Most current schedule below:

Tuesday, December 2 at Hancock Stadium (Normal)
3:00 PM | 5A | St. Francis vs. Providence Catholic
6:00 PM | 6A | Fenwick vs. East St. Louis

Postponed, expected to be announced by Saturday evening:
7A | St. Rita vs. Brother Rice
8A | Mount Carmel vs. Oswego

ISU Campus Closure Forces Postponement of IHSA Class 5A-8A Football State Championship Games

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Date: November 28, 2025

Due to the impending winter storm that is expected to impact significant portions of the state, including the Bloomington-Normal area, Illinois State University (ISU) has announced that it is closing its campus on Saturday, November 29 out of an abundance of caution.

The campus closure will force the IHSA to postpone the second day of the 2025 IHSA Football State Finals, which were set to unfold at ISU’s Hancock Stadium on the campus in Normal. Hancock Stadium is hosting the Class 1A, 2A, 3A, and 4A title games on Friday, November 28. Those contests are not impacted and will be played as scheduled.

The Class 5A, 6A, 7A, and 8A state championship games scheduled for November 29 are being postponed. The IHSA is currently working with ISU leadership to determine the dates and times of the remaining state title games. The games will not be played on Sunday, November 30.

“The postponement of the IHSA Football State Finals is unprecedented in the state playoffs 51-year history,” said IHSA Executive Director Craig Anderson. “All of the competing teams in Class 5A, 6A, 7A and 8A have been alerted that their state championship games will not be played on November 29, but that they will be played in the coming days. We appreciate the patience and understanding of these schools and communities as we work to determine the best and safest solution to rescheduling these contests and crowning state champions in our four largest classes.”

Saturday, November 29
Postponed* | 5A | St. Francis vs. Providence Catholic
Postponed* | 6A | Fenwick vs. East St. Louis
Postponed* | 7A | St. Rita vs. Brother Rice
Postponed* | 8A | Mount Carmel vs. Oswego

* New date and time to be announced.

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