2026 California Football Preseason Rankings Countdown: Nos. 21-25

Let the countdown begin. 

California’s 2026 season is less than two weeks away with openers starting Aug. 20-21 in the Central, Southern, San Diego, Sac-Joaquin and Los Angeles City sections, and Aug. 27-28 in the Central Coast, North Coast, Oakland and San Francisco sections.  

Picking the Top 25 teams isn’t as difficult as it once was. Quite earnestly, the same teams largely resurface every year, built by cohesive coaching staffs that draw in top talent. If not the old fashion way of residing in circulation regions, blue chip athletes are finding ways to gain eligibility by legal bounds. 

The results, are many of the titan programs battling year after year for winning programs, leading to section, if not regional and state titles. 

Over the next five days check back for the top 25 teams in the Golden State. 

See last season’s 2025 final rankings here and check below for the California 2025 in review section, featuring title game results, section champions and statistical leaders. 

Today are teams 21-25. followed by teams 16-20, 11-15, 6-10 and finally 1-5 over the next five days. See Tarek Fattal’s Southern Section’s preseason football rankings. 

Last season: 9-2, 5-0 Delta League

Last five seasons: 38-16

Top Offensive Players: Ayden Edwards, QB, Jr.; Hayden Koo, WR, Jr.; Jeremiah Salvant, WR, Sr.; Rufai Azeez, TE/WR, Sr.

Top Defensive Players: Taven Epps, LB, Sr.; Khalil Terry, S, Sr.; Jon Ioane, DT, Sr.; Jeremiah Williams, DL, Sr.

Newcomers: Jackson Perez, WR/FS, Sr. (Orange Lutheran); Steele Holcomb, RB/LB, Sr. (Servite).

Recruited/ranked players: 247Sports 2027 (Top 224) — Epps (No. 12, Oklahoma commit), Ioane (No. 16, Washington commit), Williams (No. 30, BYU commit); Terry (No. 33, UCLA commit), Azeez (No. 158, Nevada commit), Salvant (No. 191, Colorado State). 247Sports 2028 (Top 80) — Koo (No. 9), Edwards (No. 57). 

Coach Anthony Lopez says: “We are a physical football team that can really make a run if we can stay healthy. Every week is a game with our schedule.”

Last season: 8-6, 6-1 West Catholic Athletic League

Last five seasons: 49-16

Top offensive players: Malakai Taufoou, RB-S, Sr.; Jace Cannon, TE, Sr.; Jeovanni Henley, RB-LB, Sr.; WR-KR Charlie Walsh, Sr.; Caleb Bandel, QB, Sr.; Sam McReynolds, TE, Jr.

Top defensive players: Lemani Fehoko, DL, Sr.; Dylan Modena, DE, Sr.; Cornell James, CB, Sr.; Taupski Latu, DL, So.

Recruited/ranked players: 247Sports 2027 (Top 224) — Taufoou (No. 29, Oregon commit), Cannon (No. 57, USC commit); Fehoko (No. 81, Minnesota commit), Modena (No. 137, UNLV commit), Henley (No. 162, Cal commit); 247Sports 2028 (Top 80) — McReynolds (No. 67).  

Last season: 7-5, 4-0 Metropolitan League

Last five seasons: 44-21

Top offensive players: Rahzario Edwards, TE, Sr.; Thurman Lyles, OT, Sr.; Jayson Williams, RB, Sr.; Koby Shabazz, WR, Sr.; Shiren Crump, QB, Sr.; Blake Nycum, QB, Sr.; Thorne Watson, RB, Sr.

Top defensive players: Giovanni Hodge, DL, Sr.; Isaiah Stephen, DL, Sr.; Julian Bruno, LB, Jr., Kane Fulwider, DL, Jr.; Jaylen Rabon, DB, Sr.

Recruited/ranked players: 247Sports 2027 (Top 224) — Edwards (No. 25, Cal commit), Hodge (No. 52, Cal commit), Lyles (No. 75, UCLA commit), Williams (No. 119, Fresno State commit), Stephen (No. 140), Shabazz (No. 194, Sacramento State). 247Sports 2028 (Top 80) — Bruno (No. 37). 

Last season: 3-7, 0-5 Trinity League

Last five seasons: 23-32

Top Offensive Players: Clark Cokley, WR, Sr.; Will Fredericksen, RB, Sr.; Luca Deleon, WR, Jr.; Grayson Matvay, TE, Sr.; Sam Fredericksen, WR, Jr.; Jack Schein, OL, Sr.

Top Defensive Players: Godschoice Eboigbodin, DE, Sr.; Dylan Fenn, LB, Sr.; Garrison Bolen, DB, Jr.

Newcomers: Lincoln Fa’alafi, OL, Jr.

Recruited/ranked players: 247Sports 2027 (Top 224) — Eboigbodin (No. 31, UCLA commit), Schein (No. 108, Colorado State commit), Cokley (No. 142, Georgetown commit). 247Sports 2028 (Top 80) — Fa’alafi (No. 1). 

Coach Hardy Nickerson says: “We are going to be a disciplined football team that will play with toughness, play smart, play fast, play physical, and finish games well.”

Last season: 8-3, 3-2 Baseline League

Last five seasons: 30-23

Top Offensive Players: Travon Garrison, WR, Sr.; Malachi McFarland, RB, Sr.; Anthony Randolph, QB, So.; Elijah Moreno, OT, Sr.; Xavier Keyzers, WR, Sr.; Levi King, WR, Jr.; Benjamin Gutierrez, WR, Jr.; Max Alvarado, OL, So.; Jaden Diggs, C, Jr.; Malcolm Issac, RB/Slot, So.; Corey Melocoton, OL, Sr.

Top Defensive Players: Gavin Williams, S, Sr.; Dupri Stevenson-Dorsey, S, Sr.; Isaiah Teran, DB, Jr.; Cai Wallace, CB, So.; Andrew Metz, LB, Sr.; Iona Uiagalelei, LB, Sr.; Owen Gilboy, LB, Sr.; Peyton Barber, DT, So.; Jalen Castro, DT, So.; Sal Marenco, DE, So.; Justin Richardson, DL, Sr.; Julian Bonilla, LB, So.; Dominic Verdi, LB, Sr.; Jacoby Roseli, DB, Sr.; Josiah Williams, DB, So.

Newcomers: N/A

Recruited/ranked players: 247Sports 2027 (Top 224) — Williams (No. 10, USC commit), McFarland (No. 105, Boise State commit), Garrison (No. 141, San Diego State commit). 

Coach James Stewart says: “The expectation in our program is always to compete for a league championship, and this season is no different. We know those goals aren’t achieved by talking about it. They’re earned through preparation, toughness, and consistency every single day. Our players have invested a tremendous amount of work during the offseason, and now it’s time to put that work on display. We’re excited about the opportunity in front of us, but we also understand that every week will bring a new challenge. If we continue to play fast, stay together, and embrace the standard we’ve set for ourselves, we believe this team has the potential to accomplish something special.”

CALIFORNIA 2025 IN REVIEW

Not Mater Dei. Not St. John Bosco. 

For the first time since 2015, a California football team not named either of those two schools won the biggest prize — the California Interscholastic Federation Open Division championship — to finish off the 2025 season. 

Santa Margarita, a rapidly rising up-and-coming program that plays in the same Trinity League as national juggernauts Mater Dei and St. John Bosco, won the Open crown with a decisive 47-13 win over perennial Northern California power De La Salle-Concord at Saddleback College in Mission Viejo. 

State Player of the Year, big-play receiver Trent Mosley had 11 catches for 183 yards and two touchdowns and added a TD rushing as the Eagles, coached for the first season by former Heisman Trophy winner and NFL quarterback standout Carson Palmer, finished off a late-season flurry with a thoroughly decisive win over De La Salle (12-1), which was after its ongoing record eighth state title. 

The Spartans, who hadn’t played for 22 days due to early North Coast Section playoffs and a week off after being selected the top team from the North, were outgained 377-180 and sacked four times. Its star running back, state-champion sprinter Jaden Jefferson, scored both of De La Salle’s touchdowns. 

Tulsa-bound quarterback Trace Johnson threw for 247 yards and four touchdowns, two also to Luke Gazzaniga. A 43-yard pick-6 by Siua Holani capped the lopsided win for Santa Margarita (11-3), which finished the season with lopsided wins over Orange Lutheran (28-7 and 31-6),  JSerra Catholic (41-14), Sierra Canyon (21-9) and Corona Centennial (42-7). 

MORE STATE CHAMPIONS

Division 1-AA: Folsom 42, Cathedral Catholic-San Diego 28

Division 1-A: Central East 42, Pacifica-Oxnard 28

Division 2-AA: St. Mary’s-Stockton 27, Bakersfield Christian 24

Division 2-A: Sonora 35, Rio Hondo Prep 10

Division 3-AA: St. Ignatius 42, Ventura 35

Division 3-A: Kennedy-Delano 42, McClymonds-Oakland 25

Division 4-AA: Barstow 17, Sutter 7

Division 5-AA: Bishop O’Dowd-Oakland 37, Christian-El Cajon 0

Division 5-A: San Andreas 42, Bishop Union 21

Division 6-AA: Valley Center 36, Lincoln-San Jose 35

Division 6-A: Winters 28, Morse 7

Division 7-AA: Redding Christian 16, Woodbridge-Irvine 0

Division 7-A: Balboa-San Francisco 42, South El Monte 8

State championship game previews 

ALL SECTION CHAMPIONS

Central Section — Central East (Division 1-AA), Bakersfield Christian (1-A), Arroyo Grande (D2), Kennedy (D3), Immanuel (D4), Bishop Union (D5), Minarets (D6), Fresno Christian (8-man)

Central Coast Section — Riordan (Open Division), Serra (Division 1), St. Ignatius (D2), Menlo-Atherton (D3), Lincoln-San Jose (D4), Piedmont Hills (D5)

LA City Section — Carson (Open Division), South Gate (D1), San Fernando (D2), Santee (D3), Sherman Oaks CES (8-person)

North Coast Section — De La Salle (Open Division), Pittsburg (D1), Monte Vista-Danville (D2), El Cerrito (D3), Miramonte (D4), Ferndale (D5), Bishop O’Dowd (D6), Middletown (D7), Stuart Hall (8-person D1), Elsie Allen (8-person D2).

Northern Section — Chico (Division 2), Gridley (D3), Winters (D4), Redding Christian (D5)

Oakland Section — McClymonds

San Diego Section — Cathedral Catholic (Open Division), Granite Hills (D1), Santa Fe Christian (D2), Christian (D3), Valley Center (D4), Morse (D5-A), Marantha Christian (D5-AA), St. Joseph Academy (D6)

Sac-Joaquin Section — Folsom (D1), St. Mary’s (D2), Woodcreek (D3), Roseville (D4), Sutter (D5), Sonora (D6), Calaveras (D7), Mira Loma (D8)

San Francisco Section — Balboa

Southern Section — Santa Margarita (D1), Los Alamitos (D2), Pacifica (D3), La Habra (D4), Rio Hondo (D5), Ventura (D6), Barstow (D7), Beckman (D8), Valley Christian (D9), Hillcrest (D10), Valley View (D11), Grace (D12), Woodbridge (D13), South El Monte (D14), Flintridge Prep (8-man D1), Lancaster Baptist (8-man D2). 

RETURNING STATE STAT LEADERS
(All via MaxPreps leaderboards)

Eli Dukes (Palma) 37

Elijah Walker (Chavez) 36

Joe Lara (Liberty Ranch) 32

James Curso (Clovis) 30

Carson Tidwell (King City) 30

Elias Haynes (Downey) 30 

Jelani Dipper (Central East) 4,583 yards

Taylor Lee (Pacifica-Oxnard) 4,059

Zachary Benitez (Granite Hills-Cel Cajon) 4,009

Deshawn Laporte (Burbank) 3,990

Michael Gonzalez (South Gate) 3,842

Dippel (Central East) 58

Wyatt Shaw (Redding Christian) 55

Laport (Burbank) 54

Lee (Pacifica) 53

Riley Williams (Grace) 46

Eli Dukes (Palma) 2,420

Gage Jones (Live Oak) 2,207

Wyatt Gillett (Los Molinos) 2,187

Ma’Kahl Fields-Cook (Canyon Hills) 2,092

Carson Tidwell (King City) 2,076

Dvaughn Norwood (Bella Vista) 1,876

Nicholas Fonseca (South Gate) 1,782 (99 catches, 20 touchdowns)

Bayon Harris (Central East) 1,768 (86, 26)

Demaje Riley (Tulare Union) 1,519 (72, 13)

Blake Wong (Norco) 1,479 (84, 20)

Jmari Garlington (Banning) 1,470 (76, 17)

Isiah Phelps (Pacifica) 232

Madden Mayer (Linfield Christian) 180

Ryan Halversen (Middletown) 177

Jaret Bridwell (Red Bluff) 173

Kane Casani (Loyola) 166

Brandon Garcia (La Puente) 21

Anthony Lara (Kennedy-Delano) 19

Juan Raygoza (McLane) 18

Kingston Sula (Carson) 16

Paul Pennson (North Hollywood) 15

Cody McCoard (Golden Sierra) 15

Jaden Walk-Green (Corona Centennial) 10

Raul Iniguez (Fall River) 9

Micah Skinner (Redding Christian) 9

Xavier Musselman-Cano (Beckman) 9

Taylor Sheriff (Canyon Hills) 8

Shane Anderson (Viewpoint) 8

Jayden Harris (Manteca) 8