MaxPreps 2014 California Bowl Game predictions

The final round of football playoffs concludes at the sectional level this week in California, and the CIF Bowl Committee will meet Sunday to determine which 18 teams advance to the regional playoffs.

MaxPreps isn't going to wait until Sunday to speculate which teams will be selected. A total of 16 teams, two from the North and two from the South, will be chosen to play in regional games in Divisions I, II, III and IV. Only one team from the North and one team from the South will be chosen for the Open Division and they will advance straight to the Open Division Bowl Game.

See the most recent California Bowl Game rankings

SoCal Open Division

Favorites: St. John Bosco (Bellflower) 12-1
The winner of the Pac 5 Division is usually regarded as the favorite here, but it's no guarantee. The Los Angeles City Section has been chosen for this spot and Centennial (Corona) has twice represented the Inland Division. However, Centennial is now in the Pac 5 and will play St. John Bosco in the Pac 5 title game Saturday at Angel Stadium. While the Pac 5 has always been very strong, it is even stronger this year with the inclusion of teams like Centennial and the Mission League. St. John Bosco, meanwhile, has been ranked as the top team in the Southern California Division I rankings for nearly the entire season.



Sleepers: It's hard to believe that the winner of the Oceanside-Helix (La Mesa) San Diego Section Open Division title game will claim this spot due to the dominance of the Pac 5 this year.

Most Likely Scenario: St. John Bosco is projected to beat Centennial 40-34 according to the MaxPreps computer projections. That makes St. John Bosco the most likely Open Division candidate.

SoCal Division I

Favorites: Oceanside, 12-0; Vista Murrieta (Murrieta), 11-2
Oceanside has won two state bowl games in its history, however it is predicted to lose to Helix 24-21 in the San Diego Section Open Division final. Nevertheless, the Pirates would be undefeated if they beat Helix and would be the favorite to claim one of the regional playoff spots. Vista Murrieta has won nine straight games since beginning the year 2-2, upsetting Upland last week to reach the West Valley Division championship game against Mission Viejo. Vista Murrieta is predicted to win a tight one 22-21.

Sleepers: The winner of the Liberty (Bakersfield) - Edison (Fresno) Central Section Division I title game could get one of the regional bids if Helix were to beat Oceanside. Helix has two losses, as does Liberty, while Edison has only one. An Edison win and a Helix victory could open the door for a Central Section team to reach the SoCal Division I regional.

Most Likely Scenario: Oceanside defeats Helix and Vista Murrieta edges Mission Viejo to create an Oceanside-Vista Murrieta showdown in the SoCal Division I regional.

SoCal Division II

Favorites: San Clemente 12-1; Redlands East Valley 12-1
San Clemente is favored by a score of 35-26 to defeat an upstart Trabuco Hills (Mission Viejo) team that knocked off defending state champion Corona del Mar (Newport Beach) in the second round. Meanwhile, Redlands East Valley is favored by a similar score of 35-28 over undeafeted Poly (Riverside). A total of nine different sectional divisions make up the Division II playoffs in Southern California, so choosing a favorite won't be easy. However, San Clemente and Redlands East Valley have been ranked near the top of the SoCal Division II rankings most of the season.



Sleepers: Crescenta Valley (La Crescenta) is undefeated heading into the Southeast Division final and Poly (Riverside) is also unbeaten. If San Clemente and Redlands East Valley both lose, those two teams could be chosen. Ridgeview (Bakersfield) could have a chance since it is ranked ahead of both Crescenta Valley and Poly, however it does have one loss.

Most Likely Scenario: San Clemente defeats Trabuco Hills and Redlands East Valley tops Poly, creating a San Clemente-Redlands East Valley Division II regional game.

SoCal Division III

Favorites: El Capitan (Lakeside) 12-0; Paso Robles 12-1
El Capitan already has wins over three San Diego Section finalists - Helix, Mater Dei Catholic and Madison. It is also a 34-14 favorite to beat Rancho Bernardo (San Diego). The other selection will most likely come from the Northern Division championship game. At least four teams from the Northern Division have been ranked in the Top 10 of the Division III bowl rankings all season long. Paso Robles has one loss compared to Newbury Park's two and it is favored to win 38-35. However, Paso Robles' one loss is to Atascadero, the team Newbury Park defeated last week to reach the final.

Sleepers: Hanford of the Central Section has an outside shot of reaching the regional playoffs, but it would need El Capitan to lose. Likewise, Bishop's (La Jolla) and Liberty (Madera) are both undefeated and could be in line for consideration, but the favored teams would have to lose in order for these teams to be considered.

Most Likely Scenario: El Capitan defeats Rancho Bernardo and Paso Robles edges Newbury Park to create an El Capitan-Paso Robles Division III regional playoff matchup.

SoCal Division IV

Favorites: Christian (El Cajon), 12-0; Central Valley Christian (Visalia), 11-1
Christian missed out on a chance to play in the Division IV regionals last year because it did not play in a division that qualified it for the Division IV playoffs. Realignment of the state divisions this year opened the door for Christian to qualify and it has made the most of it by going undefeated. Central Valley Christian has the best chance of representing the Central Section, but will have to beat an undefeated Liberty (Madera) team to do it.



Sleepers: It's hard to believe the winner of the Grace Brethren (Simi Valley) vs. St. Margaret's (San Juan Capistrano) game in the East Valley Division championship tilt won't be in consideration. Both teams are 13-0. The playoff committee will have to weigh whether or not to give the Central Section a team or pit two undefeated teams in the regional playoffs.

Most Likely Scenario: Christian defeats Hoover (San Diego) and Central Valley Christian defeats Liberty (Madera) to set up a Christian-Central Valley Christian Division IV matchup.

See the next page for NorCal predictions {PAGEBREAK}
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NorCal Open Division

Favorites: De La Salle (Concord), 12-0
The Spartans haven't lost a NorCal playoff game since 1991 and they have played in five of the six Open Division Bowl games, winning four of them. Selecting De La Salle could also create a rematch of last year's Open Division Bowl Game against St. John Bosco (the favorite in the South).

Sleepers: The last time De La Salle wasn't chosen for the Open Division was in 2008 when Grant (Sacramento) represented NorCal. Grant (Sacramento) won the state title that year and it could qualify again this year with a win over St. Mary's (Stockton). However, would the selection committee choose a Grant team over an undefeated Folsom team? The Bulldogs won the Division II state title in 2010, but they have lost to De La Salle in each of the last two Open Division NorCal regional playoff games. Selecting the NorCal Open Division representative will likely be the most difficult decision the bowl game committee has to make.

Most Likely Scenario: De La Salle defeats Pittsburg to earn the Open Division Bowl Game berth.



NorCal Division I

Favorites: Folsom 13-0, Grant 13-0
If De La Salle gets the Open Division nod, bet on Folsom and Grant facing each other in the Division I regional game. There's a chance that Folsom could get the Open Division berth. If that happens, Northern California football fans will get the De La Salle-Grant matchup they've been longing for.

Sleepers: Sacred Heart Prep (Atherton) could finish the year undefeated with a win in the Central Coast Section Open Division, but it would need losses by Folsom and Grant in the Sac-Joaquin Section to likely gain any consideration.

Most Likely Scenario: Folsom beats Tracy and faces Grant in a battle to determine the best team in Sacramento.

NorCal Division II

Favorites: Clayton Valley Charter (Concord) 13-0; Enterprise (Redding), 11-1
A Campolindo win in the North Coast Section final against rival Concord would make Clayton Valley Charter the only undefeated team left standing. Determining the other bid will be tricky. Oakdale could win the Sac-Joaquin Section championship with a win over Inderkum (Sacramento), while Enterprise has already qualified with a dominating 31-0 shutout of Pleasant Valley (Chico) in the Northern Section Division II final. Both Oakdale and Enterprise have played in the state finals before. Enterprise has the advantage because its loss was to Vacaville, a Sac-Joaquin Section Division II team, while Oakdale lost to Sierra (Manteca), a Sac-Joaquin Section Division III team.

Sleepers: The winner of the Archbishop Mitty (San Jose) vs. Saint Francis (Mountain View) game can't be overlooked. The two teams play in the always-tough West Catholic Athletic League and thus each have four losses. However, upsets to Clayton Valley Charter or Oakdale could land Mitty or Saint Francis in the regionals.

Most Likely Scenario: Clayton Valley Charter defeats Concord to meet up with Enterprise in the NorCal Division II regional game.

NorCal Division III

Favorites: Campolindo (Moraga) 13-0; Sutter 13-0
Campolindo has been ranked at the top, or near the top, of the NorCal Division III bowl rankings all season. A win over state bowl game veteran Marin Catholic (Kentfield) in the North Coast Section Division III final would make it one of two undefeated teams left in the division. Sutter is the other undefeated team, as it completed its season last week with a 42-7 win over Lassen (Susanville) in the Northern Section Division III final.



Sleeper: Aptos, at 11-1, might have a chance to earn a berth if it defeats St. Ignatius in the Central Coast Section Division III playoffs and Campolindo were to lose to Marin Catholic.

Most Likely Scenario: Campolindo defeats Marin Catholic and meets Sutter in a battle of unbeaten teams in the NorCal Division III regional playoff game.

NorCal Division IV

Favorites: McClymonds (Oakland) 12-0; Central Catholic (Modesto) 10-3
McClymonds and Central Catholic have each completed their seasons. If they are selected, it will mark the third-straight year the teams have played in the regional playoffs. Even though Central Catholic has three losses, it would be hard to imagine that the committee would overlook the two-time defending state champion Raiders, who lost to section finalists St. Mary's (Stockton) and Oakdale and Div. III playoff team Sierra (Manteca).

Sleepers: Salesian College Preparatory (Richmond) could earn a spot if it defeats St. Helena in the North Coast Section Division V final. McClymonds could possibly have to forfeit four wins due to the use of an ineligible player. The matter is still under investigation, but it could be settled this week. If so, the committee will have to decide how heavily to weigh the four forfeit losses. One of those forfeit wins could be awarded to Salesian, which suffered its only loss of the season to McClymonds.

Most Likely Scenario: McClymonds is able to hold on to its wins and will face Central Catholic for a third-straight time in the NorCal Division IV playoffs.