The countdown is winding down. California’s 2026 season is less than a week 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 Section, 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. See last season’s 2025 final rankings here and below check for the California 2025 in review section, featuring title game results, section champions and statistical leaders. Today are teams 6-10. Look for the Top 5 on Thursday. All Southern Section team writeups are from Tarek Fattal and his Southern Section’s preseason football rankings. 10. ORANGE LUTHERANOrange Lutheran wide receiver Nico Bland is one of the state's best. | Jack BeasleyLast season: 3-9, 1-4 Trinity LeagueLast 5 seasons: 33-29Top Offensive Players: WR Nico Bland, Sr.; WR Chris Flores Jr., Sr.; OL Troy Oliva, Sr.; OL Lucas Rhoa, Sr.; QB Reagan Toki, Sr.; Top Defensive Players: DL Raymond Langi, Sr.; LB Anthony McClure, Sr.; DL Cory Panapa, Sr.; DB Matthew Zapien, Sr.; DB Anhor "The Great" Johnson, So.; DB King Rich Johnson, So.; DL Ariez Leomiti, So.; DB CJ Washington, So.Newcomers: Jamaal Fay, LB, So. (Leuzinger), QB Ezrah Brown, Fr., OL Mario Luna, Fr.; WR Raiden Velasquez, Fr.Coach Ray Fenton says: "We expect to be a tough, physical, and disciplined team that competes every week. We will represent our program with Dignity, Integrity, and Grace."9. PITTSBURGPittsburg WR RJ Mosley, making a spectacular one-handed catch in last season's NorCal D1-A final, has graduated. But the Pirates bring a boatload of talent back in 2026. | Photo by Dennis LeeLast season: 11-3, 5-0 Bay Valley Athletic LeagueLast 5 seasons: 57-13Top offensive players: RB Isaiah Harrison, Jr.; QB JaVale Jones, Jr.; WR Kenny Ward, Jr.; OL Ha’angana Tau, Sr.; Top Defensive Players: DL Tau, Sr.; DB Ward, Jr.; DE Terrance Murphy, Sr. (Fresno State commit), SS Jeremiah Edwards, Jr., DL Demetrius Toeaina, Jr.; LB Nico Pavlin, So.; SS Antjuan Holly, Sr.Coach Charlie Ramirez says: “The primary focus is having a set standard, which is always focusing on us and being the best version of us. … Everyone knows the expectations and has bought into the expectations and that’s what we have been able to establish over the last 10 years.”8. MISSION VIEJOLast season: 9-2, 3-0 Alpha Athletic LeagueLast 5 seasons: 51-10Top Offensive Players: OL Amaziah Siale, Sr.; TE Max Markofski, Sr.;TE Luke Karby, Sr.; TE Kole Davis, Sr.; WR Jack Junker, Sr.Top Defensive Players: CB Jordan Hicks, Jr.; ATH Jeremy Bonhomme, Jr.; DB Jojo Reed, Sr.Newcomers: QB Brett Burnor, So.Coach Chad Johnson says: Johnson told the OC Register he returns his whole offensive line. "Are they as good as advertised?” Johnson asked. “We’ll see. Can they protect the young quarterback?”7. FOLSOMLast season: 14-1, 6-0 Sierra Foothill League (state D1-AA champsLast 5 seasons: 62-11Top offensive players: QB Brody Rudnicki, Sr.; WR Rob Larson, Sr. (UCLA) commit; RB Branson Bambino, Jr.; C Zach Ramirez, Sr.; OL Malachi Coleman, Sr. Top defensive players: LB Nick Wegner, Sr.; LB EJ Coleman (Washington State commit) , Sr.; DL Lua DeBerry (Sacramento State), Sr. Newcomer: Ath. Carter Williams, Sr. (San Jose State commit)6. DE LA SALLE-CONCORDDe La Salle running back Duece Jones-Drew runs against Serra in 2024. The UCLA-bound running back is a son of former NFL tailback Maurice Jones-Drew. | Dennis LeeLast season: 12-1, 5-0 East Bay Athletic LeagueLast 5 seasons: 55-12Top offensive players: RB Duece Jones-Drew (UCLA commit), RB Jamal Johnson Lucas, Jr.; WR-DB Dylan Scott, Sr.; OL-DL Ben Glover; OT Clint Lundin (Stanford commit), Sr.; WR-DB Damari Dean, Jr.; QB Ray Pelosi, Sr., WR-DB Cameron Shepherd, So.Top defensive players: LB Landon Miller, Jr.; DB-TE Chase Young, Sr.; DL AJ Talaola (UNLV commit), Sr.; DL Samatuafaiga Tagaloa Jr., So.; DL Darylon Asiasi, So.; LB Zion Cadet (San Jose State commit), Sr.; TE-LB Jmo Mitzel, Jr.Newcomer: QB Jackson Mims, Jr.Coach Justin Alumbaugh says: “We have a lot of guys back who had a lot of playing time at almost all positions. … To win another state title (the Spartans have won a record seven of them, but last is 2015) we ultimately have to play much better in the state title game. We’ve been right there. But there’s a whole big challenging path to get there first. We’re just taking it one game, one practice at a time.” CALIFORNIA 2025 IN REVIEWNot 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. Santa Margarita senior WR Trent Mosley and USC commit had eight catches for 134 yards and two touchdowns in the first half alone when the Eagles raced to a 35-7 lead en route to a 47-13 win in the CIF State Open Division championship at Saddleback College in Mission Viejo. | Photo by Todd ShurtleffState 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 CHAMPIONSDivision 1-AA: Folsom 42, Cathedral Catholic-San Diego 28Division 1-A: Central East 42, Pacifica-Oxnard 28Division 2-AA: St. Mary’s-Stockton 27, Bakersfield Christian 24Division 2-A: Sonora 35, Rio Hondo Prep 10Division 3-AA: St. Ignatius 42, Ventura 35Division 3-A: Kennedy-Delano 42, McClymonds-Oakland 25Division 4-AA: Barstow 17, Sutter 7Division 5-AA: Bishop O’Dowd-Oakland 37, Christian-El Cajon 0Division 5-A: San Andreas 42, Bishop Union 21Division 6-AA: Valley Center 36, Lincoln-San Jose 35Division 6-A: Winters 28, Morse 7Division 7-AA: Redding Christian 16, Woodbridge-Irvine 0Division 7-A: Balboa-San Francisco 42, South El Monte 8STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS | Game previews SECTION CHAMPIONSCentral 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 — McClymondsSan 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 — BalboaSouthern 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)TouchdownsEli Dukes (Palma) 37Elijah Walker (Chavez) 36Joe Lara (Liberty Ranch) 32James Curso (Clovis) 30Carson Tidwell (King City) 30Elias Haynes (Downey) 30 Passing yards Jelani Dipper (Central East) 4,583 yardsTaylor Lee (Pacifica-Oxnard) 4,059Zachary Benitez (Granite Hills-Cel Cajon) 4,009Deshawn Laporte (Burbank) 3,990Michael Gonzalez (South Gate) 3,842Touchdown passesDippel (Central East) 58Wyatt Shaw (Redding Christian) 55Laport (Burbank) 54Lee (Pacifica) 53Riley Williams (Grace) 46Rushing yardsEli Dukes (Palma) 2,420Gage Jones (Live Oak) 2,207Wyatt Gillett (Los Molinos) 2,187Ma’Kahl Fields-Cook (Canyon Hills) 2,092Carson Tidwell (King City) 2,076Dvaughn Norwood (Bella Vista) 1,876Receiving yardsNicholas 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)TacklesIsiah Phelps (Pacifica) 232Madden Mayer (Linfield Christian) 180Ryan Halversen (Middletown) 177Jaret Bridwell (Red Bluff) 173Kane Casani (Loyola) 166SacksBrandon Garcia (La Puente) 21Anthony Lara (Kennedy-Delano) 19Juan Raygoza (McLane) 18Kingston Sula (Carson) 16Paul Pennson (North Hollywood) 15Cody McCoard (Golden Sierra) 15InterceptionsJaden Walk-Green (Corona Centennial) 10Raul Iniguez (Fall River) 9Micah Skinner (Redding Christian) 9Xavier Musselman-Cano (Beckman) 9Taylor Sheriff (Canyon Hills) 8Shane Anderson (Viewpoint) 8Jayden Harris (Manteca) 8Add us as a preferred source on GoogleFollow