2026 High School Football Schedules Released For Buffalo Grove

BUFFALO GROVE, IL — The Illinois High School Association and MaxPreps have released the 2026 high school football schedules for the upcoming fall season.

The nine-week regular season begins with Week 1 games scheduled for Aug. 20-22. The season culminates with the IHSA Football State Finals on Nov. 27-28 at Hancock Stadium on the campus of Illinois State University in Normal.

The postseason will have a significantly different look this year after IHSA member schools voted to expand the football playoffs for the first time since 1985.

Each of the eight classes will have 48 playoff qualifiers, up from 32. The change expands the total field from 256 to 384 teams.

To maintain historical consistency in the number of teams competing in each stage, the playoff rounds will be called the Opening Round, First Round, Second Round, Quarterfinals and Semifinals.

The 2026 playoff schedule is:

• Opening Round: Oct. 23-24
• First Round: Oct. 30-31
• Second Round: Nov. 6-7
• Quarterfinals: Nov. 13-14
• Semifinals: Nov. 20-21
• State Finals: Nov. 27-28

The 384 playoff qualifiers will be revealed during a live statewide telecast at 9 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 17.

In Buffalo Grove, fans will especially be keeping tabs on the Bison.

Jeffrey Vlk returns as head coach of the Buffalo Grove football team, which finished the 2025 season with a record of 3-6 and no postseason berth.

This fall, the Bison will compete once again in the Mid-Suburban (East) conference alongside Hersey (Arlington Heights), Elk Grove Village, Mount Prospect (Prospect), Rolling Meadows and Wheeling.

Here is a look at the 2026 schedule for Buffalo Grove, according to the IHSA and MaxPreps:

Buffalo Grove High School Bison

Mid-Suburban (East) — coached by Jeffrey Vlk

• Week 1: 7 p.m. Friday, Aug. 21 (away at Hoffman Estates High School, non-conference)
• Week 2: 7 p.m. Friday, Aug. 28 (away at Deerfield, non-conference)
• Week 3: 7:30 p.m. Friday, Sept. 4 (home vs. Schaumburg, non-conference)
• Week 4: 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 10 (away at Hoffman Estates-Conant, non-conference)
• Week 5: 7 p.m. Friday, Sept. 18 (away at Arlington Heights-Hersey, conference)
• Week 6: 7:30 p.m. Friday, Sept. 25 (home vs. Elk Grove Village, conference)
• Week 7: 7:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 2 (away at Rolling Meadows, conference)
• Week 8: 7:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 9 (home vs. Mount Prospect-Prospect, conference)
• Week 9: 7:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 16 (home vs. Wheeling, conference)