Three Wheaton-area football programs earned first-round byes when the IHSA released its expanded playoff bracket Saturday, Oct. 17.

Wheaton Warrenville South landed the No. 6 seed in Class 6A, Wheaton North drew No. 7 in the same bracket, and Wheaton Academy grabbed the No. 5 seed in Class 5A. All three will host second-round games. Under the IHSA's expanded format, 384 teams qualify for the postseason and the top 16 seeds in each classification skip the first round, Shaw Local's Joshua Welge reported.

Chicago Sun-Times high school sports editor Michael O'Brien also confirmed the 6A pairings on X, noting both WW South and Wheaton North received byes alongside Geneva, Fenwick, Libertyville and Lake Zurich.

Tigers seeded sixth in 6A

The Tigers (6-3) enter the postseason in the smaller 6A classification despite playing in the DuKane Conference, which sent all eight teams to the playoffs. Welge called WW South "a darkhorse team to watch in 6A."

Junior quarterback AJ Rogers threw for 2,001 yards and 16 touchdowns with four interceptions during the regular season. Wide receiver Blake Ittersagen caught 39 passes for 628 yards and seven scores. WW South has qualified for seven straight postseasons and won a playoff game in 2025 for the first time since a 2019 quarterfinal run.

WW South hosts the winner of No. 22 Bradley-Bourbonnais at No. 11 Joliet Catholic.

Falcons return at No. 7

Wheaton North (6-3) returns to the playoffs after back-to-back losing seasons. The Falcons started 5-0, dropped three straight to WW South, Batavia and Geneva, then closed with a 14-7 win over Glenbard North in Week 9. Running back Mac Murray leads the rushing attack. Two-way standout Adam Schilling anchors the defense at linebacker and plays tight end.

Starting quarterback Burke Neibch has been sidelined with a hand injury during the second half of the season. Junior Rory Burke and sophomore Grant Neibch have split snaps in his absence.

Wheaton North hosts the winner of No. 23 Rolling Meadows at No. 10 Addison Trail.

Warriors surge back under Swider

Wheaton Academy (7-2) surged back under first-year head coach Justin Swider after missing the playoffs at 4-5 in 2025. The Warriors won their first six games, the program's best start since the 1957 undefeated season. They dropped consecutive games to Bishop McNamara and Aurora Christian by a combined 11 points, then closed with a win over Christ the King.

Two-way standout Logan Oros, who plays linebacker and H-back, is committed to Western Illinois. Quarterback Colton Miller runs the offense.

"Guys just understand their responsibilities, which is what I preach to them," Swider said after a Sept. 12 win over Marian Central. "Do your responsibility, do your job, and don't try to do anybody else's."

The Warriors host the winner of No. 21 Freeport at No. 12 Belvidere North.

The IHSA will release official game times and dates Monday, Oct. 19.