Top 25 California High School Football Rankings, Aug. 25

New No. 1 team before we even get to Week 1; Five games feature two Top 25 teams this week, including No. 1 Corona Centennial hosting No. 3 Santa Margarita

Santa Margarita poses after winning the 2025 CIF State Open Division championship with a 47-13 win over De La Salle at Saddleback College; Friday the third-ranked Eagles travel to No. 1 Corona Centennial in a huge 2026 Week 1 showdown. | Jeremy Westerbeck

One week into the high school season and there is a new No. 1 team — and it doesn’t reside in the Trinity League. 

Following a decisive 41-21 win over previous No. 17 Servite, the Corona Centennial Huskies are the new No. 1, moving up just one spot from No. 2. 

• SOUTHERN SECTION | Top storylines, predictions

Five of the 10 CIF Sections began play last week, with the remaining five getting underway this week: North Coast, Oakland, San Francisco, Central Coast and Northern. 

• GUN FIRE | At California Week 0 games

The big game of the week pits No. 1 Corona Centennial hosting No. 3 and defending state champion Santa Margarita. It's a rematch of last year's Southern Section Division 1 semifinal when the Huskies were dominated by the Eagles, 42-7.

• STAT STUFFERS | Week 0 games

There are three big showdown up North this week as No. 6 De La Salle-Concord travels to No. 22 Serra-San Mateo; No. 7 Folsom hosts No. 15 Cardinal Newman and No. 11 Clovis East will entertain No. 23 Grant Union.

See records, previous rankings and this week's opponent below.

CALIFORNIA TOP 25 RANKINGS, AUG. 25

1. Corona Centennial (1-0), LW #2

Corona Centennial quarterback Jaden Jefferson was lights out in his first game for the Huskies after transferring from Cathedral, where he starred last season. | Rene Morales

Jaden Jefferson and Quentin Hale show delivers in 41-21 win over Servite. | vs. Santa Margarita

2. St. John Bosco (0-1), LW #1

• 5 TAKEAWAYS | From Bosco's 38-28 loss to Gorman

Braves' rally falls short in Vegas to Bishop Gorman. | vs. Roman Catholic (PA)

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

Fletch Palmer gets a victory in his debut under center. | at Corona Centennial

4. Sierra Canyon (1-0), LW #4

Trailblazers impress in big win at JSerra. Remember the name Stephan Harrison. | at Chaminade-Madonna (FL)

5. Mater Dei (1-0), LW #5

Monarchs ride the running game of sophomore Asir Nembhard in 31-11 in over American Fork (UT). | at Orem (UT)

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

Spartans looked good in scrimmage, but only question is at QB — sort of a big position. | at Serra-San Mateo

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

Perhaps even a bigger NorCal matchup this week at home with up-and-rising No. 15 Cardinal Newman | vs. Cardinal Newman

Folsom senior QB Brody Rudnicki makes his 2026 debut on Friday against a very big and physical Cardinal Newman team. | Dorie Anderson

8. Mission Viejo (1-0), LW #8

Sophomore QB Brett Burnor gets his debut victory, throwing for 228 yards and four touchdowns. | vs. St. Paul

9. Pittsburg (0-0), LW #9

Junior QB JaVale Jones looked sharp in four-way scrimmage. Lots of speed and depth for Pirates | vs. Monterey Trail

10. Orange Lutheran (0-1), LW #10

Lancers fall to Miami Central 23-22. | at Cathedral Catholic

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

Big showdown with Sac-Joaquin Section power Grant, which downed the Bengals last year in Sacramento, 42-26 | vs. Grant-Sacramento

12. Crean Lutheran (1-0), LW #14

Ty Johnson had 11 catches and a touchdown in a lopsided win over Loyola. | at Mira Costa

13. Pacifica/Oxnard (1-0), LW #12

Taylor Lee threw four touchdowns on six attempts in 52-6 win over Del Sol. | vs. San Diego Lincoln

14. San Clemente (2-0), LW #18

Tritons shutout Tustin 17-0 behind a stellar performance from Jaxson Rex. | BYE

15. Cardinal Newman (0-0), LW #15

There likely isn’t a bigger line in Northern California than the Cardinals who feature Joshua Bunni (6-foot-7, 332 pounds), Eazy Crichton (6-4, 410) and Kahlio Vaetoe (6-4, 285) | at Folsom

16. Cathedral Catholic (0-0), LW #16

The Dons don’t duck anyone, with other nonleague games against Chandler (Ariz.) on Sept. 4 and De La Salle (Oct. 2) | vs. Orange Lutheran

17. Chaparral (0-1), LW #13

Pumas are without Cal commit QB Dane Weber. | vs, San Juan Hills

18. Rancho Cucamonga (1-0), LW NR

Comeback victory over Murrieta Valley has the Cougars buzzin'. | vs. Oaks Christian

19. Palos Verdes (1-0), LW NR

Niko Dragin was the hero, nailing a FG in the waning minutes to beat Gardena Serra. | vs. Bishop Moore (FL)

20. Riordan (0-0), LW #20

Like De La Salle, only question appears at QB where three are fighting it out | at West-Salt Lake City (Utah)

21. Gardena Serra (0-1), LW #19

Cavs falls short to Palos Verdes, but RB AJ McBean looked good. | vs. Hamilton

22. San Mateo Serra (0-0), LW #22

Yet a third NorCal team without a well established QB — Padres appear loaded everywhere else. | vs. De La Salle

23. Grant Union (0-0), LW #23

QB Shiren Crump has so many weapons in tight end Rahzario Edwards and Koby Shabazz. | at Central East

24. Damien (1-0), LW #25

Anthony Randolph threw for three TDs in win over Aquinas. | at Vista Murrieta

25. Chaminade (2-0), LW NR

Eagles win in Hawaii then come home and shutout Oaks Christian. Very nice. | at Valencia

Bubble: Edison-Santa Ana (1-0), Mission Hills (1-0), Norco (1-0), Servite (0-1), Tustin (0-1)