The 2026 prep football season kicks off Wednesday as teams across Illinois begin official practices leading up to Week 1 the weekend of Aug. 20. What will IHSA playoff expansion mean for teams in our area? Nobody seems exactly sure what to expect from this year’s statewide expansion of the playoff field from 256 to 384 teams except the obvious: a lot more playoff teams. Last season, Seneca (9-0), Marquette Academy (6-3) and Dwight (6-3) all made the playoffs. Three of those aforementioned teams – two of them playoff entrants in 2025 – will enter this season with new head coaches.