Sac-Joaquin Section football playoff projections - Oct. 26

The Sac-Joaquin Section high school football playoffs will have a new look this year. A revised format will feature eight teams across seven divisions competing for section championships, along with new bowl games for teams ranked 9–16. There will also be an additional eight team bracket for 8-man teams. 

Here’s how it will work:

Bowl-eligible teams will play on Nov. 7

Playoff brackets will begin on Nov. 14



Automatic Entries:
Each league will qualify one team for the playoff bracket competing for a section title. If a league has multiple champions, the tie will be broken using the universal tiebreaker.

At-Large Qualifiers:
After automatic entries are set, at-large teams will be selected based on MaxPreps rankings. Eight schools from each division will make up the bracket. The number of at-large bids will depend on how many spots remain after auto entries are placed.

Qualification Rules:
Teams must have at least four wins to qualify for the playoffs. The four-win requirement does not apply to bowl game consideration.

Bowl Games:
Regionally based bowl games will include teams ranked 9–16 in each division by MaxPreps. These may include teams from different divisions and will consist of one game only.

More information can be found here.

These projections are subject to change and will be updated weekly on MaxPreps.



Division 1 -ENOCHS BOWL GAME
AE = Projected auto entry 
AL = Projected At-Large entry

1- Folsom - AE
8 - Downey (Modesto) - AE

4 - Monterey Trail (Elk Grove) - AE
5 - Inderkum (Sacramento) - AE

3 - Grant (Sacramento) - AE
6 - Edison (Stockton) - AL

2 - Oak Ridge (El Dorado Hills) - AL
7 - Central Catholic (Modesto)

Division 2 - MOUNTAIN HOUSE BOWL GAME
AE = Projected auto entry 
AL = Projected At-Large entry



1 - Manteca - AE
8 - Jesuit (Carmichael) - AL

4 - St. Mary's (Stockton) - AE
5 - Rocklin - AL


Bowl-eligible teams
9 - Whitney (Rocklin) - Not projected to get to 4 wins or would be a playoff team
10 - Stagg (Stockton) - Could get in the playoffs if they win league
11 - Elk Grove 
12 - Pitman (Turlock)
13 - Tokay (Lodi)
14 - Rodriguez (Fairfield)
15 - Kimball (Tracy)
16 - Mountain House

Division 3- ARMIJO BOWL GAME
AE = Projected auto entry 
AL = Projected At-Large entry

1 - Woodcreek (Roseville) - AL
8 - Destiny Christian Academy (Sacramento) - AL

4 - Rio Americano (Sacramento) - AL
5 - Vacaville - AE



3 - Merced) - AE
6 - Ponderosa (Shingle Springs) - AL

2 - Oakdale - AL
7 - Vanden (Fairfield) - AL

Bowl-eligible teams
9 - Vista del Lago (Folsom)
10 -Atwater
11 - Bella Vista (Fair Oaks) 
12 - Grace Davis (Modesto)
13 - Antelope
14 - Christian Brothers (Sacramento)
15 - Johansen (Modesto)
16 - Armijo (Fairfield)

Division 4 - LOS BANOS IN
AE = Projected auto entry 
AL = Projected At-Large entry

1 - Twelve Bridges (Lincoln) - AE
8 - Fairfield - AE

4 - East Union (Manteca) - AL
5 - Escalon - AL

3 - Hughson - AL
6 - Placer (Auburn) - AL



2 - Roseville - AL
7 - Los Banos

Bowl-eligible teams
9 - Patterson  - Not projected to get to 4 wins 
10 - Pioneer (Woodland)  
11 - Sacramento
12 - Nevada Union (Grass Valley)
13 - Yuba City
14 - El Capitan (Merced) 
15 - Del Campo (Fair Oaks)
16 - Wood (Vacaville)

Division 5 - LIVINGSTON IN, BEYER BOWL GAME
AE = Projected auto entry 
AL = Projected At-Large entry

1- Sutter - AE
8 - Livingston - AL


Bowl-eligible teams
9 - Rio Linda
10 - Woodland
11 - Ceres
12 - Dixon
13 - Pacheco (Los Banos)
14 -  Center (Antelope)
15 - Burbank (Sacramento)
16 - Beyer (Modesto)

Division 6 - LINDHURST BOWL GAME
AE = Projected auto entry 
AL = Projected At-Large entry

1 - Sonora - AE
Bowl-eligible teams
9 - Bear River (Grass Valley) - AL
10 - Argonaut (Jackson)
11 - Union Mine (El Dorado)
12 -  Orestimba (Newman)
13 - El Dorado (Placerville) 
14 - Marysville
15 - Lindhurst (Olivehurst)
16 - Colfax

Division 7
AE = Projected auto entry 
AL = Projected At-Large entry

1 - Calaveras (San Andreas) - AL
8 - Rio Vista - AL


2 -  Stone Ridge Christian (Merced) - AL
7 - Le Grand - AL

Bowl-eligible teams - NEW ESPARTO
9 - Waterford
10 - Golden Sierra (Garden Valley)
11 - Big Valley Christian (Modesto)
12 - Highlands (North Highlands)
13 - Gustine
14 - Delhi
15 - Riverbank
16 - Esparto

8-man

1- Mira Loma (Sacramento)
2 - Foresthill