Bay Area Football Team Rankings

• No. 1 De La Salle (3-0)
• Last Week: 1

The reigning NorCal Open Champs hold wins over Cardinal Newman, Serra, and St. Francis this season. The Spartans return key pieces and players on both sides of the ball—headlined by UCLA commit and running back Duece Jones-Drew, while quarterback Jaxon Loftin continues to break out under center. The team is loaded at its skill positions, including four-star junior linebacker Landon Miller, three-star Damari Dean, and three-star Jameson Mitzel. De La Salle is on the road this week against St. Mary’s-Stockton.

• No. 2 Pittsburg (2-1)
• Last Week: 2

Pittsburg beat James Logan 49-21, bouncing back after a loss against St. John Bosco.  The defending NCS Division 1 champs have electrifying players on their roster—including three-star Kenny Ward and junior quarterback Javale Jones. Defensively, the Pirates have some rising stars with three-star safety Jeremiah Edwards and sophomore Demetrius Toeaina. Pitt is on the road to Mission Viejo this week.

• No. 3 Serra (2-1)
• Last Week: 3

Serra took down St. Mary’s-Stockton this past Friday night. So far this season, the Padres hold wins against Kahuku from Hawaii, with the loss coming against No. 1 De La Salle to open the year. The most talented senior class in the entire Bay Area, with safety Malakai Taufoou as an Oregon commit. Tight end Jace Cannon is USC-bound, lineman Lemani Fehoko is committed to Minnesota, and athlete Jeovanni Heanly is a part of Cal’s big class of 2027 and headlines this roster. The Padres are on a bye this week.  

• No. 4 Cardinal Newman. (1-2)
• Last Week: 6

Cardinal Newman shined in its first win against Riordan–a statement with a 31-0 showing The Cardinals opened the season with an overtime loss against Folsom and a loss against De La Salle, the two top teams in Northern California. The Cardinals’ collegiate-level line, with senior three-star Kahlio Vaetoe, Cal commit Josh Bunni and four-star junior Eazy Crichton, should rank as one of the top units in the entire Bay Area. The Cardinals added three-star junior running back and linebacker James Curoso from Clovis. Cardinal Newman faces Clayton Valley Charter on the road this upcoming week.

• No. 5 San Ramon Valley (3-0)
• Last Week: 4 

San Ramon Valley dominated against Clayton Valley Charter at home. It holds wins against Enchos and El Cerrito as well. The Wolves have D1 talent across the board, including four-star tackle Aden Owolabi, three-star athlete Dietrick Burks, and wide receiver Colton Fitzgibbon. Quarterback Cole Dawes returns too after breaking out last year as a junior. San Ramon Valley’s returning core makes this group dangerous—as the sky is the limit for this group’s talent plus the added experience. San Ramon Valley hosts Clovis North this Friday night.

No. 6 St. Ignatius (3-0)

• Last Week: 8

St. Ignatius beat Acalanes 42-38 in a wild shootout. Improving to 3-0, SI holds wins against Marin Catholic and San Marin as well. The reigning state champions once again are setting the trend in the trenches with players like junior Jack Lucas and senior Samiu Langi. Offensively, sophomore quarterback Isaac Liu will have a lot of different options—including running back Luke Tribolet, wide receiver Hawkes Packard, and tight end Elijah Ferrah. St. Ignatius is on a bye this week.

• No. 7 Riordan (1-2)
• Last Week: 5

Riordan lost against Cardinal Newman last Friday night, 31-0 on the road. Although it’s a little bit of a younger group, the talent—especially in the junior and sophomore classes—is endless. Defensively, the line of Princeton commit DJ Sanchez, Washington State commit Lopeti Malupo, and three-star sophomore Soape Mafuahingano will be hard to slow down. Offensively, UNLV commit and one of the region’s top running backs, Adonyae Brown, leads a group of talented wide receivers in the underclass. Riordan is on a bye this week.

• No. 8 Acalanes (2-1)
• Last Week: 7

• Acalanes lost a heartbreaker against St. Ignatius, a shootout loss at home. Averaging close to 40 points per game this season, the Dons so far hold wins against Mitty and Menlo-Atherton. The reigning Diablo Foothill Athletic Champions return some key faces—including quarterback Tyler Winkles and athlete Finn Rivera. Acalanes will see Marin Catholic this upcoming week at home. 

•  

• No. 9 Monte Vista (3-0)
  
• Last Week: 11

Monte Vista has opened up the year with wins over two 2025 NCS Division 1 playoff teams in Liberty and Marin Catholic. It’s a younger team this season, but Monte Vista is looking to build off that success—keeping the momentum of the program pushing forward. Senior Grant Maina is a name to watch on this year’s squad. Piedmont transfer and quarterback Jimmy Lagios can sling it as well. Monte Vista faces James Logan this upcoming week. 

• No. 10 Los Gatos (2-1)
• Last Week: 9

Los Gatos lost at home against Clovis this past week. The Wildcats opened up the season with a shutout win against Soquel and a shootout win against Salinas. The premier public school program in the CCS, Los Gatos returns some key players like senior athlete Devounte Troutt, senior linebacker Jared Newman, and senior lineman Cole Krings. LG will look to bounce back on the road against San Mateo.

• No. 11 Saint Francis (1-2)
• Last Week: 9

Saint Francis lost to De La Salle last week. The Lancers opened up the season with an impressive win against Manteca. The other loss came against Del Oro. They have an exciting collection of playmakers on both sides of the football—headlined by quarterback Drew Cumby and defensive end Jayden Lewis. Saint Francis is on a bye this week.

• No. 12 Sacred Heart Cathedral (2-1)
• Last Week: 12

SHC lost against Folsom, one of the top teams in all of Northern California. It holds wins so far against Palma and Rancho Cotate. The Fighting Irish return a lot of their talent at skill positions—including WR Zion Secrease, WR Chase Jenkins, safety Prince Parham, and defensive back Isaiah Glover. SHC is on a bye this week.

• No. 13 Liberty (2-1)
• Last Week: 14

Liberty won on a last-second touchdown in a thriller this past week against El Cerrito. So far this season, the Lions have a win against California, with the loss coming against Monte Vista. New head coach Mike Clark comes down from Vanden and takes over for the Lions this upcoming season. Quarterback Leysen Rodrigues is off to a hot start. Liberty will look to keep the momentum rolling on the road this week against Amador Valley.

• No. 14 Valley Christian (2-1)
• Last Week: 15

After losing to Tracy last week, the Warriors bounced back with a dominant win over Salinas. Valley Christian opened the year with a win over Wilcox. The lone loss came against Tracy. VC is talented, as Cameron Saunders is a Minnesota commit and one of the WCAL’s top defensive ends. Senior athlete Riley McElvane and sophomore Chase Togai are two high-level playmakers as well. Valley Christian is on a bye.

• No. 15 El Cerrito
• Last Week: 13

El Cerrito lost a heartbreaker against Liberty this past week. It holds a win against Pinole Valley, with the other loss coming against San Ramon Valley. Defending state champions, El Cerrito has a strong core of seniors and juniors returning—including junior quarterback DeJuan Compton Jr. and senior athletes Mike Boyer and Kamari Harris. El Cerrito is back at home this week, looking to bounce back against Vacaville.

• No. 16 McClymonds (2-1)
• Last Week: 16

McClymonds holds wins so far against Redwood Christian and Jefferson, with the loss coming against the No. 1 team in Hawaii, Mililani. A staple program in the Oakland Section, McClymonds is coming off a NorCal championship run in 2025—but this Warrior team is hungry for more. Former NFL defensive back and alum Marcus Peters is at the helm, and Prince Staten is a two-way star to watch. McClymonds is on the road against Monterey Trail on Friday night.

• No. 17 Marin Catholic (1-2)
• Last Week: 17

Marin Catholic earned its first win of the year against Edison-Stockton. They opened up the season with losses against Monte Vista and St. Ignatius—losing to two top-10 teams in their first two weeks. Marin Catholic is back on the road against another top-10 opponent in Acalanes on Friday night. 

• No. 18 Mitty (2-1)
• Last Week: 19

Mitty holds wins so far this season against Menlo-Atherton and Clovis North. The loss came against Acalanes. Sophomore defensive end Mannix Jennings is a headliner, and sophomore lineman Caden Longi is a rising star in the trenches as well. With their experience defensively as a headliner, seniors Chase Graff and Ethan Chase will be players to watch as well. The Monarchs are on a bye this upcoming week.

• No. 19 California (2-1)
• Last Week: 20

California beat Santa Teresa last week. The Grizzlies also hold a win against James Logan, with the lone loss so far against Liberty in Week 1. Head coach Danny Calcagno always has his group ready to go, and the Grizzlies consistently are among the top in the EBAL-Mountain. Cal High will look to bounce back against James Logan at home. The Grizzlies face Menlo-Atherton this upcoming week.

• No. 20 Windsor (3-0)
• Last Week: 21

Windsor holds wins this season against Maria Carrillo, Rancho Cotate, and Eureka. The Jaguars return key pieces across the field—including senior quarterback Carter Vose III, senior athlete Blayke Ferronato, and senior linebacker Gabriel Suarez. Windsor is always a formidable opponent in the North Bay and could be a sleeper in the Redwood Empire Adobe League. The Jags are at home taking on a hot Hayward team on Friday night.

• No. 21 Bishop O’Dowd (3-0)
• Last Week: 23

Bishop O’Dowd came away with a win against Rancho Cotate. Currently 3-0, the Dragons hold wins against Mater Dei Catholic and Castlemont. Beginning the Majett Whiteside era with two wins, O’Dowd returns many talented playmakers from last year’s team, including senior running back and Sacramento State commit Lamar Ellis. The Dragons are on the road this upcoming week against Ukiah.

• No. 22 Bellarmine (3-0)
• Last Week: NR
• How bout the start for the Bells this season? Under new head coach Tom Williams, Bellarmine has jumped out to 3–0, holding wins against Campolindo, Palo Alto, and Ann Sobrato. The Bells are on a bye.

• No. 23 Hayward (3-0)
• Last Week: NR

• The Farmers’ offense has been humming so far this season, averaging over 56 points per game through its first three games. So far, Hayward has beaten Arroyo, Washington-Fremont, and Balboa. Senior Fresno State commit LaMont McDonald and senior quarterback Jaydn Iriving are a dynamic duo. Hayward takes on Windsor in a huge ranked matchup on Friday night. 

• No. 24 Vintage (3-0)
• Last Week: NR

Vintage enters the top 25 with a dominant win over Woodside. So far this year, other Crusher wins came against Benicia and Tamalpais. Sophomore running back Darrian Johnson has had an explosive start, averaging close to 300 yards per game. Vintage is on a bye this week. 

• No. 25 Santa Teresa (2-1)
• Last Week: 25

The Saints lost against California this past week. Opened 2026 with wins over Sacred Heart Prep and King’s Academy. Santa Teresa has a huge matchup this week against Live Oak on Thursday night.