California high school football: MaxPreps Top 25 Central Section preseason computer rankings

At long last, high school football is set to return, and the Central Section will soon get underway as well.

And while it can't match the two state titles section teams grabbed in 2019, the shortened season should see plenty of high-quality action with Buchanan, Central (Fresno) San Joaquin Memorial and others suiting up.

The preseason rankings are MaxPreps' computer rankings with last year's record noted.

MaxPreps Top 25 Central Section football rankings

Junior quarterback Ian Kirby leads a host of returners back after falling 28-21 in the section championship to Central.

The Grizzlies lose a host of skills players from the 1-AA state title team.

Quarterback Haden Mann (1,530 yards, 11 TDs) and running back Prentice Boone (982 yards, 5 TDs) return for the Patriots.

The Panthers fell in the 1-A NorCal championships to Serra, but return 1,700-yard rusher senior Jordan Hornbeak and junior quarterback Mikey Bell.

Cal Poly commit Bryce Weiner is back under center for the Knights after throwing for more than 1,000 yards and 11 TDs in five games.

Nate Johnson slides back to quarterback after the departure of Isaiah Robles. Tristan Risley provides a rushing attack after running for 1,338 yards and 15 scores last year.

Ricky Easterwood leads the Drillers into the spring season after throwing for 1,487 yards and 12 scores. Senior linebacker Pedro Trujillo returns after logging a team-high 75 tackles.

The Vikings prepare for a four-game schedule with Sanger, Dinuba, Mission Oak and Selma after falling as a No. 1 seed in last year's D-III quarterfinals.

Junior Lawrence Stell is back under center after throwing for 1,228 and 16 TDs for the Panthers. Defensively, leading tackler Keanu Kuma is back after 116 tackles last season.

The Bears advanced to the 4-AA NorCal championship game last season. They takes on Madera, Bullard, Kerman, Dinuba and Kingsburg this spring.

After throwing for 1,800-plus yards and 18 scores, Jorge Gonzalez returns for The Tribe.

The Golden Eagles won a playoff game last year. They have Clovis, Clovis East and Central on the schedule.

The Eagles lost the 3-A title game to Rancho Cotate. Second-leading rusher Jess Wattenbarger is back after a 701-yard, 12-TD year.

Quarterback Jack Kaiser is back after throwing for more than 1,000 yards and 12 touchdowns and is joined by junior running back Jaykob Jones, who gained 803 yards and scored six times.

Hector Nava Jr. lit it up last year for the Panthers, throwing for more than 3,600 yards and 31 touchdowns. He added 773 yards rushing and 12 scores.

Mission Oak, Dinuba, Wasco, Lemmore and Tulare Union are on the schedule after a falling 35-16 in the D-II section title game.

Bullard, San Joaquin Memorial, Sanger and Madera are on the docket for the Tigers.

Leading rusher Jalen Smith returns for the Rams after running for 621 yards and nine scores.

The Golden Hawks have a three-game season planned thus far with Ridgeview, Liberty and Frontier.

Bullpups' senior Luttrell Young is back after rushing for 1,072 yards and 15 touchdowns in 2019.

The Broncos fell to rival Clovis West in the postseason last year.

Jaron Amos ran for more than 1,100 yards and 10 scores last season.

A five-game slate this year includes Righetti, Templeton, San Luis Obispo, Arroyo Grande and Paso Robles.

The Apaches fell in the opening round of the D-II playoffs in 2019.