2025 ILLINOIS FINAL TOP 40 FALL STUDENT SECTION RANKINGS

The time has come to start ranking 50 states that we covered this football season. 

To say I’m overwhelmed with the work that comes along with this is a huge huge understatement.

We had 11 Student Section of the Week winners in Illinois and that helped us determine who had the best Student Section and which ones wanted it more.

Just showing up in large crowds isn’t enough. It might fool other outlets that don’t cover Student Sections, but not us. We have to know how bad you want it and marketing is key. 

You will see top-notch Student Sections miss out at the top spot, but we kept saying it over and over and over again, in order to be considered number one, you have to win the Student Section of the Week title. Otherwise, what is the point of having that contest?!

I know Student Sections complain but remember it’s thousands of Student Sections and only me. Social media is your friend if used correctly.

A Student Section that doesn’t post videos or photos of there Student Section on a consistent basis is like a tree falling with no one around. It doesn’t make any noise.

This is our fourth year covering Football Student Sections in Illinois. We had Naperville North Dawgpound winning it in 2022, St. Charles North Blue Man Group in 2023 and Prospect Underground in 2024.

This state is loaded with fantastic Student Sections and it’s not like there’s an obvious pick for number one. It’s anyone’s game to take the top spot in this state! This is one of the deeper ones in the nation!

So, let’s see who made the list and who is the best in the Prairie State.

2025 ILLINOIS FINAL TOP 40 FALL STUDENT SECTION RANKINGS

1. Lincoln Way Central Knightmare (2024 Rank: NR)

When we gave the Knightmares rival the National Student Section of the Week honors this fall, it didn’t sit well at Lincoln Way Central and they came in to prove they were not just the best locally, but the best in the state. The Knightmare was just that nationally as they made a run in the National Student Section playoffs. From unranked to a National power, the Lincoln Way Central Knightmare is your 2025-2026 Illinois Fall Student Section Champions!

2. Naperville North Dawgpound (2024 Rank: 13)

3. Lincoln Way West (2024 Rank: 3)

4. Evanston Township Kit Pit (2024 Rank: NR)

1. Prospect Underground (2024 Rank: 1)

6. Maine South Hawks Nest (2024 Rank: 2)

7. Hersey Orange Crush (2024 Rank: 14)

8. Batavia Dogpound (2024 Rank: 6)

9. Wheaton Warrenville South (2024 Rank: 4)

10. Naperville Central Rowdies (2024 Rank: 23)

11. St. Charles North Blue Man Group (2024 Rank: 5)

12. Buffalo Grove Blue Crew (2024 Rank: 19)

13. Wheaton North (2024 Rank: 7)

14. Niles West Pack (2024 Rank: 25)

15. Glenbard West Crazies (2024 Rank: 26)

16. Maine West (2024 Rank: 10)

17. Edwardsville Orange Rush (2024 Rank: NR)

18. Lyons Township Weirdos (2024 Rank: 15)

19. Fenwick Friar Nation (2024 Rank: 9)

20. Oak Forest Uproar (2024 Rank: NR)

21. St. Charles East (2024 Rank: NR)
22. Lincoln Lions Den (2024 Rank: NR)
23. Huntley (2024 Rank: NR)
24. Dundee-Crown (2024 Rank: NR)
25. St. Patrick (2024 Rank: NR)
26. Columbia Blue Crew (2024 Rank: 11)
27. Prairie Ridge Den (2024 Rank: 18)
28. Leyden Nest (2024 Rank: 8)
29. Belvidere North (2024 Rank: NR)
30. Bolingbrook Red Zone (2024 Rank: 16)
31. Mahomet-Seymour (2024 Rank: 17)
32. Lincoln Way East (2024 Rank: 12)
33. Hononegah (2024 Rank: NR)
34. Yorkville (2024 Rank: NR)
35. Jacobs (2024 Rank: NR)
36. Dunlap Eagles Nest (2024 Rank: NR)
37. Brother Rice Crazies (2024 Rank: 20)
38. Plainfield South (2024 Rank: NR)
39. West Aurora Rowdies (2024 Rank: 21)
40. Barrington Big Red (2024 Rank: 22)

HONORABLE MENTION: Warren Township Blue Crew, Collinsville Kahok Krazies, Andrew, Chicago Christian, Mintini Catholic