Modesto Emerges as New No. 1 in Latest Football Poll

Photo by Laura Sharp
Photo by Laura Sharp
September 8, 2026

San Mateo, Calif. - Modesto Junior College emerged as the new leader in this week's JC Athletic Bureau poll of California Community Football Coaches Association (CCCFCA) representatives, released Tuesday.

Modesto garnered 10 first place votes and totaled 329 points. The Pirates (2-0) moved up from No. 3 last week after defeating Santa Rosa, 42-14. Last week's top two teams fell in their contests with  Riverside (2-0) jumping from No. 9 to No. 2 with 304 points, after getting past 2025 3C2A runner-up Golden West, 20-17, and Sierra edging back-to-back defending 3C2A Champion San Mateo, 29-25, in four overtimes. Sierra (1-1) vaulted from receiving votes No. 26 to No. 16. San Mateo now sits in fifth, and Golden West (1-1) dropped to No. 7

Saddleback (2-0) moved up one place to No. 3 after holding off Citrus, 39-36. Butte (2-0) moved up two spots to No. 4 after beating Sacramento, 24-7, and will entertain San Mateo this Saturday. DVC plays at Modesto this Saturday. Another top 10 clash of 2-0 teams finds No. 6 Fresno at No. 9 San Francisco.

Upcoming:

No. 8 Diablo Valley at No. 1 Modesto; Canyons at No. 2 Riverside; No. 17 Fullerton at No. 3 Saddleback; No. 5 San Mateo at No. 4 Butte; No. 6 Fresno at No. 9 San Francisco; No. 7 Golden West at Allan Hancock; No. 10 San Diego Mesa at Citrus; No. 12 Mt. San Antonio at No. 11 El Camino; No. 13 Ventura at No. 19 Bakersfield; No. 14 Cerritos at Santa Barbara; No. 15 Palomar at No. 22 Pasadena; San Jose at No. 16 Sierra; Long Beach at No. 18 Southwestern; No. 20Chaffey at Moorpark.

2026 JC Athletic Bureau / CCCFCA Coaches Poll (Sept. 8)
Rank College 2026 Record Points Previous Ranking
1. Modesto (10) 2-0 329 3
2. Riverside 2-0 304 T-9
3. Saddleback (2) 2-0 301 4
4. Butte 2-0 294 6
5. San Mateo (1) 1-1 281 1
6. Fresno 2-0 271 7
7. Golden West (1) 1-1 265 2
8. Diablo Valley 2-0 262 8
9. San Francisco 2-0 218 11
10. San Diego Mesa 2-0 210 17
11. El Camino 2-0 195 12
12. Mt. San Antonio 1-1 190 5
13. Ventura 1-1 182 14
14. Cerritos 1-1 165 13
15. Palomar 2-0 155 16
16. Sierra 1-1 144 RV
17. Fullerton 1-1 130 T-9
18. Southwestern 2-0 118 15
19. Bakersfield 2-0 82 22
20. Chaffey 2-0 80 23
21. Redwoods 2-0 65 RV
22. Pasadena 1-1 54 19
23. American River 0-2 37 T-20
24. Sequoias 0-2 35 18
25. Laney 1-1 27 T-20
  De Anza 1-1 27 RV

Others Receiving Votes: Foothill (0-2) 17, Moorpark (0-2) 16, Mt. San Jacinto (1-1) 15, Victor Valley (2-0) 14, Reedley (1-1) 12, Sacramento (0-2) 11, Allan Hancock (1-1) 10, Canyons (0-2) 10, San Bernardino (2-0) 7, Citrus (0-2) 5, Santa Monica (2-0) 4, Santa Rosa (0-2) 4, Shasta (2-0) 3, San Jose (1-1) 1.

Win Streaks: 8 - Victor Valley.

Upcoming Schedule

Saturday, September 12
 NCFC NATIONAL - NON-LEAGUE
De Anza at American River (1 p.m.)
Laney at Sequoias (1 p.m.)
Monterey Península at Santa Rosa (1 p.m.)
Redwoods at Sacramento (1 p.m.)
Fresno at San Francisco (2 p.m.)
San Mateo at Butte (2 p.m.)
Diablo Valley at Modesto (5 p.m.)
Reedley at Foothill (6 p.m.)
San Jose at Sierra (6 p.m.)

NCFC AMERICAN - NON-LEAGUE
Coalinga at San Joaquin Delta (1 p.m.)
Feather River at Merced (1 p.m.)
Gavilan at Chabot (1 p.m.)
Shasta at Los Medanos (1 p.m.)
Siskiyous at Hartnell (1 p.m.)
Contra Costa at Cabrillo (6 p.m.)

SCFA - NON-LEAGUE
Desert at West LA (1 p.m.)
Golden West at Allan Hancock (1 p.m.)
Mt. San Jacinto at LA Southwest (1 p.m.)
Long Beach at Southwestern (2 p.m.)
Antelope Valley at Grossmont (3 p.m.)
Canyons at Riverside (5 p.m.)
Santa Monica at Victor Valley (5 p.m.)
Cerritos at Santa Barbara (6 p.m.)
Chaffey at Moorpark (6 p.m.)
Fullerton at Saddleback (6 p.m.)
Mt. San Antonio at El Camino (6 p.m.)
Pasadena at Palomar (6 p.m.)
San Bernardino Valley at Compton (6 p.m.)
San Diego Mesa at Citrus (6 p.m.)
Santa Ana at East Los Angeles (6 p.m.)
Ventura at Bakersfield (6 p.m.)

(Fred Baer, JC Athletic Bureau)