MaxPreps Northern California Top 25 high school football rankings

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The playoffs are here for all teams in this group except those from the West Catholic Athletic League, which starts postseason play next week.

Looking ahead, there will not be a NorCal Open rematch with No. 1 De La Salle and No. 2 Folsom, or even a NorCal Open game. That contest has been dropped by the CIF as the state's 10 section commissioners and the playoff advisory board agreed that the clear No. 1 team in the North — De La Salle for the better part of 30 years now — would earn a bye and head straight to the CIF State Open game in Carson.

Only section champions can advance to NorCal games.

What could happen, however, is a NorCal Division I showdown with No. 2 Folsom and No. 3 Grant, provided both win titles in the Sac-Joaquin Section, Folsom in D-I and Grant in D-II. Grant would move up to D-I, much like Del Oro did last season after winning the Sac-Joaquin Section D-II title and beating Serra in the NorCal D-I finals.

See pro photo galleries from last week's Northern California football games


1. De La Salle (Concord) (Last week 1) 9-0
Section: North Coast
League: Freelance
Result: With a 258-game unbeaten streak against NorCal competition since 1992, the Spartans now target their 23rd consecutive North Coast Section Division I championship and 29th overall since 1982. Wins this season include ranked foes in Foothill, Del Oro, Serra and Jesuit from the North and Byrnes (South Carolina) from the East and Servite (Anaheim) from the South.
Next: Idle until Nov. 21.

2. Folsom (2) 10-0
Section: Sac-Joaquin
League: Sierra Foothill
Result: The Bulldogs capped their third successive 10-0 regular season and bound into the Sac-Joaquin Section Division I playoffs as heavy favorites to three-peat behind Jake Browning, Sam Whitney and Bailey Laolagi. The last two losses were to NorCal No. 1 De La Salle to cap 14-1 seasons in 2012 and 2013.
Next: vs. Stagg (Stockton), Saturday.

3. Grant (Sacramento) (3) 10-0
Section: Sac-Joaquin
League: Delta
Result: The Pacers blasted No. 3 Jesuit 52-14 and head into the Sac-Joaquin Section Division II playoffs as the overwhelming favorite to win the program's seventh title under coach Mike Alberghini since 1991. DeShawn Collins, Mike Green II and Donovan Brown provide a potent 1-2-3 backfield with Brown at quarterback.
Next: vs. Patterson, Friday.

4. Milpitas (4) 9-0
Section: Central Coast
League: Santa Clara Valley Athletic
Result: Beat Palo Alto 47-7 in allowing 37 yards rushing as Darreck McNary rushed for two Milpitas scores. An earlier win was over No. 13 Los Gatos 27-21.
Next: vs. Santa Clara, Friday.

5. Clayton Valley Charter (Concord) (6) 10-0
Section: North Coast
League: Diablo Valley
Result: The top-ranked NorCal Division II team beat College Park (Pleasant Hill) 56-14 to secure the No. 1 seed in the North Coast Section D-II playoffs.
Next: vs. Newark Memorial (Newark), Friday.

6. Elk Grove (8) 8-2
Section: Sac-Joaquin
League: Delta
Result: The Thundering Herd are the 2-seed for the Sac-Joaquin Section Division II playoffs, heavy on the run with Eltoro Allen, Manny Scott-Anderson and Spencer Sheff. The losses were to Grant 26-19 and Jesuit 42-38.
Next: vs. Vintage (Napa), Friday.

7. Serra (San Mateo) (9) 6-3
Section: Central Coast
League: West Catholic Athletic
Result: Rallied from 10-0 down to beat Sacred Heart Cathedral (San Francisco) 35-17. The losses were to were to No. 1 De La Salle 41-13, Notre Dame (Sherman Oaks) 24-14 and to Mitty, which just lost 15-14 to No. 10 Valley Christian, which lost to Serra 24-10.
Next: vs. No. 9 Bellarmine San Jose), Saturday.

8. Valley Christian (San Jose) (10) 7-2
Section: Central Coast
League: West Catholic
Result: Beat No. 19 Mitty 15-14 to remain in the league title hunt. The losses were to No. 4 Milpitas 31-17 and to No. 7 Serra 24-10.
Next: at Sacred Heart Cathedral (San Francisco), Friday.

9. Bellarmine (San Jose) (11) 8-1
Section: Central Coast
League: West Catholic
Result: Beat St. Francis (Mountain View) 17-14 to set up a showdown with No. 7 Serra with league-title and high playoff seedings at stake. An earlier win was 20-17 over Mitty. The loss was to No. 8 Valley Christian.
Next: at Serra (San Mateo), Saturday.

10. St. Mary's (Stockton) (12) 9-1
Section: Sac-Joaquin
League: Tri-City
Result: The Rams earned a 3-seed in the Sac-Joaquin Section Division II playoffs on the same side as Rocklin, Burbank and Elk Grove. The loss was in double overtime to then-NorCal ranked St. Ignatius (San Francisco), 27-24, on a field goal after missing one from 35 yards out on the final play of regulation. An earlier win includes NorCal ranked Los Gatos and section-ranked Central Catholic (Modesto).
Next: vs. River Valley (Yuba City), Friday.

11. Jesuit (Carmichael) (8) 8-2
Section: Sac-Joaquin
League: Delta
Result: Despite a 52-14 loss to No. 2 Grant, Jesuit earned a No. 2 seed in the Sac-Joaquin Section Division II playoffs due to strength of league and overall schedule. An earlier win was 42-38 over No. 4 Elk Grove. The first loss was an opener to De La Salle.
Next: vs. Gregori (Modesto), Saturday.

12. Foothill (Pleasanton) (5) 8-2
Section: North Coast
League: East Bay Athletic
Result: Earned the No. 2 seed in the North Coast Section Division I playoffs behind No. 1 De La Salle, which beat the Falcons 56-21 earlier.
Next: Idle until Nov. 21.

13. Los Gatos (14) 7-2
Section: Central Coast
League: Santa Clara Valley Athletic
Result: Beat Saratoga 42-6 in gearing up for the postseason. The losses were to No. 4 Milpitas 27-21 and to No. 10 St. Mary's 35-32.
Next: vs. Santa Clara, Friday.

14. Merced (15) 8-2
Section: Sac-Joaquin
League: Central California
Result: The Bears are the 4-seed in the Sac-Joaquin Section Division I playoffs on the same side as No. 1 Folsom. The losses were to Fresno powers Edison and Clovis West.
Next: vs. Tokay (Lodi), Friday.

15. Del Oro (Loomis) (18) 5-5
Section: Sac-Joaquin
League: Sierra Foothill
Result: The Golden Eagles are the 4-seed in the Sac-Joaquin Section Division II playoffs as defending champions and second-place finishers in the SFL after beating No. 16 Granite Bay 20-7. The section selection committee recognized Del Oro's section-leading tough schedule with losses to De La Salle, Folsom and out-of-area heavies with a win over state-ranked Vista Murrietta.
Next: vs. Roseville, Friday.

16. Granite Bay (16) 7-3
Section: Sac-Joaquin
League: Sierra Foothill
Result: The Grizzlies earned the 3-seed in the Sac-Joaquin Section Division I field on the same side as Jesuit. The losses were to No. 2 Folsom, No. 24 Vacaville and No. 15 Del Oro with a win over No. 17 Rocklin.
Next: vs. Chavez (Stockton), Friday.

17. Rocklin (17) 8-2
Section: Sac-Joaquin
League: Sierra Foothill
Result: The Thunder are the 6-seed in the Sac-Joaquin Section Division II playoffs on the same side as St. Mary's, Burbank and Elk Grove, seeking the program's second title since 2009. QB Will Floyd leads the way. The losses are to No. 2 Folsom and No. 16 Granite Bay.
Next: vs. Del Campo (Fair Oaks), Friday.

18. Campolindo (Moraga) (19) 10-0
Section: North Coast
League: Diablo Foothill
Result: The top-ranked Division III team in NorCal earned the No. 1 seed in the North Coast Section D-III field. A big early win was 52-27 over No. 22 Napa.
Next: Ignacio Valley (Concord), Friday.

19. Archbishop Mitty (San Jose) (14) 5-4
Section: Central Coast
League: West Catholic Athletic
Result: Lost to No. 9 Valley Christian 15-14. The big win was over then No. 4 Serra 27-14. The losses were to Los Gatos 21-13, St. Francis (Mountain View) 15-14 and to Bellarmine 20-17.
Next: Riordan (San Francisco), Saturday.

20. Inderkum (Sacramento) (21) 9-1
Section: Sac-Joaquin
League: Tri-County
Result: The Tigers are the top-seed in the Sac-Joaquin Section Division III playoffs on the same side as 10-0 El Dorado (Placerville), Sacramento and defending champion Manteca. Larry Hardy, Austin Thurman and Jonathan Henry lead Inderkum. The loss was to then higher-ranked Monterey Trail (Elk Grove) when a last-play field goal missed.
Next: vs. Valley (Sacramento), Friday.

21. Pittsburg (NR) 8-2
Section: North Coast
League: Bay Valley
Result: Beat Antioch 17-14 for a five-game winning streak, last losing to No. 19 Mitty 13-7, and earned a 3-seed in the North Coast Section Division I playoffs.
Next: Bye until Nov. 21.

22. Napa (22) 8-2
Section: Sac-Joaquin
League: Monticello Empire
Result: The Indians are the 6-seed in the Sac-Joaquin Section Division I playoffs as MEL champions on the same side of the bracket as No. 3 Jesuit. An earlier win was over No. 23 Vacaville 26-14.
Next: vs. Pitman (Turlock), Friday.

23. Vacaville (22) 7-2
Section: Sac-Joaquin
League: Monticello Empire
Result: The Bulldogs are the 5-seed in the Sac-Joaquin Section Division II playoffs, the same side of the bracket with Grant and defending champion Del Oro. Chad Hekking leads Vacaville at quarterback. An earlier loss was 26-14 to No. 22 Napa with an early 13-7 win over No. 16 Granite Bay.
Next: vs. Yuba City, Friday.

24. Enterprise (Redding) (24) 9-1
Section: Northern
League: Eastern
Result: Earned the No. 1 seed in the Northern Section Division II playoffs and loom as the heavy favorites to repeat. The loss was 44-22 at No. 22 Vacaville.
Next: Idle until Nov. 21.

(TIE) 25. Oakdale (24) 9-1
Section: Sac-Joaquin
League: The Mustangs are the 3-seed in the Sac-Joaquin Section
Result: Division II playoffs on the same side as Sierra, Placer, Vista del Lago and Rio Linda. The loss was to Sierra when Oakdale had two turnovers inside the 10.
Next: vs. Pacheco, Friday.

(TIE) 25. Sierra (Manteca) (NR) 9-1
Section: Sac-Joaquin
League: Valley Oak
Result: The Timberwolves are the are the 2-seed in the Sac-Joaquin Section Division III playoffs on the same side as Placer, Rio Linda, Oakdale and No. 25 Vista del Lago. The loss was to No. 15 Manteca 34-20. An earlier win was over No. 13 Oakdale.
Next: vs. Rosemont (Sacramento), Friday.

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Joe Davidson has covered high school sports for The Sacramento Bee since 1988. Follow him on Twitter: @SacBee_JoeD and through www.sacbee.com/preps. He co-hosts with Mike Finnerty The Bee Preps Show that runs throughout the week on Comcast SportsNet.