California High School Football Top 25 State Rankings (Sept. 8, 2026)

Five new teams enter the state's elite list of teams, including No. 15 JSerra Catholic following a gritty win over Crean Lutheran.

Maliq Allen on his way to a 32-yard touchdown run in the second quarter of St. John Bosco's 26-14 win at Pittsburg on Friday (Sept. 4). | Photo by Ernie Abrea

For the first time in four weeks we have a repeat No. 1 team for the second week in a row.

Santa Margarita, which, as the defending state Open Division championship, perhaps deserved top billing into the year, reamined No. 1 following another impressive and thorough win over a quality opponent with a lopsied win over Highland.

• SOUTHERN SECTION | Top storylines, predictions Week 3

There is one Titantic matchup this week as No. 4 Centennial travels to old rival Mater Dei at the Santa Ana Bowl. These squads have delivered some great games over the years, including two absolutely classics last season, with Centennial pulling off two wins, 43-36 and 28-27.

That closed the gap to 10-7 in the favor of Mater Dei over Centennial since 2004. Before last year's sweep, Mater Dei had won seven straight in the series.

• SS STAT STUFFERS | Week 2 games

Up North, there are no particular marquee matchups, though No. 25 Riordan travels to previously No. 15 Cardinal Newman. But the Cardinals came flying back to earth following a 45-3 loss to No. 6 De La Salle last week. The week before, Newman played No. 8 Folsom heads up and probably should won the game before it went to overtime.

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CALIFORNIA TOP 25 RANKINGS, SEPT. 8

1. Santa Margarita (3-0), LW #1

Defeated Highland 55-7. Fletch Palmer, son of head coach and former NFL quarterback Carson Palmer, completed 11 of 14 for 126 yards and two touchdowns and Noah Grande and Adrian Petero rushed for a pair of TDs each. | Next: Saturday vs. Sacramento Inderkum

2. St. John Bosco (2-1), LW #2

Defeated #9 Pittsburg, 26-14. Trailing 14-0 in the first six minutes on the road Friday a punt block by Kaho Holani and 45-yard touchdown return from Harvard-bound Dorian Franklin ignited the Braves to a 26-0 run, keyed by two TDs from Maliq Allen and two TD passes by Kao Malau'ulu. | Friday vs. Kahuku

3. Sierra Canyon (3-0), LW #3

Sierra Canyon is always ready for an out-of-state opponent, like it was last season versus Chaminade-Madonna in a battle of nationally ranked teams at the Broward National Showcase in Florida. | Samuel Mawanda

Bye. | Thursday vs. Saint Louis (HI)

4. Corona Centennial (1-1), LW #4

Corona Centennial football coach Matt Logan has won more than 300 games in his illustrious career, including seven over Mater Dei since 2004. | Cen10 football

Bye | Friday at #5 Mater Dei in game of the week

5. Mater Dei (3-0), LW #5

Defeated Valor Christian, 38-22. Fought back from a 7-3 first-quarter deficit to score four touchdowns over the next two quarters and pile up 351 yards, including 252 on the ground. | Friday vs. Corona Centennial

6. De La Salle (2-0), LW #6

Defeated #15 Cardinal Newman, 42-3. Jaxon Loftin had another big game at QB, completing 12 of 16 for 179 yards and two touchdowns and rushing for another as the Spartans rolled. The defense was stout, allowing just 67 yards including 54 yards rushing on 15 carries by James Curoso. | Friday vs. St. Francis

7. Folsom (2-0), LW #7

Defeated #8 Mission Viejo, 35-21. Raced to a 28-7 halftime home lead and was never really threatened while avenging a 53-14 loss to the Diablos last season. | Friday vs. Sacred Heart Cathedral at Kezar Stadium

8. Orange Lutheran (2-1), LW #10

Defeated Basha (Chandler, Ariz.), 23-17. Sophomore Ryan Christianson rushed 31 times for 144 yards and a touchdown as the Lancers won a hard-fought home game, outgaining Basha 272-246. | Friday at Serra Gardena

9. Mission Viejo (2-1), LW #8

Lost to #7 Folsom, 35-21. Carson Vandermade did manage 10 carries for 80 yards and a touchdown. | Friday vs. Lincoln-San Diego

10. Central East (2-0), LW #11

Defeated #25 Oak Ridge, 20-14. For second week in a row, the Bengals defeat top Sac-Joaquin Section squad, this time on the road as Jelani Dippel throws three TD passes, two to Relando Jefferson. | Friday at Turlock

11. San Clemente (2-0), LW #14

Defeated #16 Chaparral, 32-20. Preston Peck was ultra effecient, completing 19 of 21 for 228 yards and one touchdown and he ran for two others as the Tritons won on the road. | Friday at La Costa Canyon

12. Pittsburg (1-1), LW #9

Pittsburg junior Daveon Wilson goes high to grab the game's first touchdown on a 6-yard pass from JaVale Jones during Friday's 26-14 home loss to St. John Bosco. | Photo by Ernie Abrea

Lost to #2 St. John Bosco, 26-14. Lot to build off for the Pirates, who got two early TD passes from JaVale Jones. | Friday at James Logan

13. Pacifica/Oxnard (3-0), LW #13

Defeated Hart, 39-20. Taylor Lee throw for 272 yards and two touchdowns, both to Anthony Jacobs (3 catches, 115 yards). Isaiah Phelps rushed for 97 yards and two scores. | Friday at Highland

14. Palos Verdes (3-0), LW 18

Defeated Carson, 35-20. The Sea Kings broke open a close game with a 21-7 run in th esecond half on the road. | Friday at Edison

15. JSerra Catholic (2-1), LW HM

The Lions get a quality win over Crean Lutheran thanks to a power running game. | Thursday vs. Oak Hills

16. Chaparral (1-2), LW #16

Lost to #14 San Clemente, 32-20. Caden Sterba threw for 345 yards and three touchdowns, but it wasn't enough for the Pumas, who had more than 400 yards of offense. | Friday vs. Rancho Cucamonga

17. Chaminade (3-0), LW #22

Had bye | Friday at Beaumont

18. San Mateo Serra (1-1), LW HM

Bosco and Serra players shake hands at midfield following the game. | Photo by Todd Shurtleff

Caleb Bandel completed 17 of 24 for 220 yards, Andrew Takapautolo rushed for 105 yards and a touchdown and Charlie Walsh and Oregon commit Malakai Taufoou each accounted for 100 yards rushing and receiving in a 28-21 win at Kahuku (Hawaii). The Padres, coming off a 35-25 loss to De La Salle, traveled to the Islands on Wednesday and raced to a 21-0 halftime lead over the 10-time Hawaii state champs that entered 3-0. | Friday at St. Mary’s-Stockton (1-1)

19. Mission Hills (3-0), LW HM

Another San Diego Section squad improves to 3-0 as Darian Webb rushed 15 times for 263 yards and three touchdowns in a 40-3 win over El Camino-Oceanside. | Friday vs. Poway

20. Gardena Serra (2-1), LW #20

Defeated Los Alamitos, 34-23. AJ McBean rushed for 157 yards and three touchdowns and freshman QB Hassir Houston was 10 of 13 for 222 yards and a touchdown as the Cavaliers won on the road. | Friday vs. Orange Lutheran

21. Carlsbad (3-0), LW HM

Furian Inferrera threw for 267 yards and two touchdowns, both to Ryan MacKenzie (7 catches, 122 yards) in a 38-10 win over Oceanside. | Friday at Granite Hills

22. Crean Lutheran (2-1), LW #12

Lost to JSerra Catholic, 37-29. Fought back from a 30-14 fourth-quarter deficit, but despite 247 yards passing and two touchdowns from Caden Jones, the host host Saints lost for the first time. | Friday vs. Oak Ridge

23. Norco (3-0), LW #23

Defeated Orange Vista, 49-0. The Cougars have now outscored three over-matched opponents, 160-21. Piled up 440 total yards, including four catches for 109 yards and two TDs by Konnor Calderon. | Friday at Millikan

24. Corona del Mar (3-0), LW HM

The Sea Kings put it all together in a 27-7 win over Edison-Huntington Beach as John David Annett accounted for 154 yards passing and two touchdowns. | Thursday vs. Newport Harbor

25. Riordan (1-1), LW HM

Maybe an opening-night loss to a still unbeaten West-Salt Lake City (Utah) wasn't so bad afterall. The Crusaders, the defending Central Coast Section Open champions, but the hammer down on a pretty good Clayton Valley Charter-Concord team 47-7 thanks to a pair of freshman, in QB Kalvin Bishop (160 yards passing, three TDs) to WR Jeffrey Palega. | Friday at Cardinal Newman

Bubble: Bishop Amat (3-0), Cardinal Newman (0-2), Damien (2-1), Oak Hills (2-1), Oak Ridge (1-1), Rancho Cucamonga (2-1), San Ramon Valley (2-0).