New look for expanded 3C2A state football playoffs with six teams in each region

Each league will have its champion (top team if tie breaker used) qualify -- with the remaining three teams in each region determined by RPI rating. Teams with winning records qualify for bowl games if they do not make the playoffs.  The new format was championed by the California Community College Football Coaches Association last year, led by then CCCFCA President Jon Osterhout of American River College.

Here is a look at both regions, with current “top” teams in bold. 

SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA FOOTBALL ASSOCIATION:

Northern League: State co-No. 1 Ventura and co-No. 4 Mt. San Antonio.
Leader Ventura (8-0 overall, 5-0 NL) hosts second-place Mt. SAC (7-1, 4-1) in the Nov. 8 finale. Both teams must first get past co-third place (3-2) teams still in contention on Nov. 1: Ventura at Long Beach (3-5, 3-2) and Allan Hancock (4-4, 3-2)  at Mt. SAC.

Central League: State co-No. 1 Golden West and No. 6 Fullerton.
Golden West (8-0, 5-0) finishes at co-league leader Fullerton (7-1, 5-0) on Nov. 8.  Cerritos (6-2, 4-1) is just a game back and entertains Fullerton this Saturday, while fourth-place College of the Canyons (3-5,3-2) visits Golden West.

Southern League: No. 7 El Camino and No. 9 Saddleback.
It could be a showdown of league co-leaders, El Camino and Saddleback (both 7-1, 5-0) in the Nov. 8 finale in Mission Viejo. The top four clash this Saturday, however, with state No. 13 Riverside (6-2, 4-1) at ElCo and No. 14 Southwestern (6-2, 3-2) at Saddleback – all still in contention.

NORTHEN CALIFORNRIA FOOTBALL CONFERENCE

NorCal League: State No. 3 Butte.
Butte (7-1, 3-0) faces the co-second place teams in the final two games: Redwoods (2-6, 2-1) at Butte, Nov. 1, and Butte at  Sierra (3-5, 2-1) on Nov. 8.

Valley League: No. 10 College of the Sequoias and No. 12 Modesto.
Current co-leaders COS (7-1, 3-0) and Modesto (6-2, 3-0) meet in Visalia on Nov. 8. Sequoias first visits third-place (state No. 16) Fresno (4-4, 2-1)  while Modesto hosts 17th-ranked Monterey Peninsula (6-2, 1-2) on Saturday.

Bay 6 League: No. 11 San Francisco, state co-No. 4 San Mateo, No.  8 Diablo Valley.
CCSF  (6-2, 3-0) is alone in the league lead after taking care of rival San Mateo last week. The Rams, however, still must face visiting fourth place (17 ranked) Foothill (4-4, 1-2) this Saturday and then closes in a title battle at No. 8 Diablo Valley (7-1, 2-1), Nov. 7. Reigning state champion CSM (7-1, 2-1) has only last place San Jose (1-7-, 0-3) this Saturday and then Laney (2-6, 1-2) on Nov. 8 -- hoping for no worse than a second place finish (with prospects of a first place tie still in sight).   

SEEDING: The state field will be seeded on Sunday, Nov. 9, with current CCCFCA president Dean Grosfeld of Cerritos (in the south) and vice president Justin Berna of Coalinga (in the north) in leadership positions. The top two seeds in each region will receive first round byes. Initial games on Nov. 22 will pit the No. 6 seed at No. 3 and No. 5 at No. 4 in both regions.

STATE PLAYOFF SCHEDULE:
November 15 - Open date & make-up games
November 22 - First Round Playoffs & Bowls
November 29  - Second Round Playoffs (hosted by No. 1 and No. 2 region seeds)
December 6 – Region Playoff Finals (at highest remaining seed)
December 13 – 3C2A State Championship (SoCal champ hosts)           

(Fred Baer, JC Athletic Bureau)