Riverside Takes Over Top Spot; Opens League Play at No. 2 Saddleback
San Mateo, Calif. - For the third straight week, there is a new leader atop the JC Athletic Bureau poll of California Community College Football Coaches Association representatives, announced Tuesday. Riverside City College (3-0) captured eight first place votes and totaled 440 points, narrowly edging rival Saddleback College (3-0) with 430 points and seven first place nods. The duo face off in the Southern League opener on Saturday in Mission Viejo.
Former No. 1 Modesto suffered its first season setback to then also unbeaten Diablo Valley, 31-24, falling to No. 8 this week. DVC with 388 points and a pair of first place votes, moved up to No. 3 to lead the north. Look for more shuffles as that duo take on, in succession, defending 3C2A Champion and No. 4 College of San Mateo (2-1) to wrap up September and Northern California Football Conference non-league play. CSM gave Butte its first loss, 10-7, last week with Butte dropping from No. 4 to No. 9 this week.
Fresno City (3-0) occupies the No. 5 spot in this week's poll after giving San Francisco its first loss, 24-14. FCC is just one point out of fourth place as it hosts Butte this week.
National Division play gets into full swing in the south on Saturday. No. 6 Golden West, the defending SCFA champion, hosts No. 20 Bakersfield.
Top 20 Games:
No. 1 Riverside at No. 2 Saddleback; No. 13 San Francisco at No. 3 Diablo Valley (Friday); No. 8 Modesto at No. 4 San Mateo; No. 9 Butte at No. 5 Fresno; No. 20 Bakersfield at No. 6 Golden West; No. 21 Palomar at No. 7 SD Mesa; Citrus at No. 10 Mt. SAC; Moorpark at No. 11 Ventura; No. 12 Southwestern at No. 25 Mt. San Jacinto; No. 14 Sierra at Reedley; No. 15 El Camino at No. 17 Chaffey; Victor Valley at No. 16 Cerritos; Foothill at No. 18 Redwoods; Canyons at No. 19 Pasadena.
2026 JC Athletic Bureau / CCCFCA Coaches Poll (Sept. 15)
| Rank | College | 2026 Record | Points | Previous Ranking |
| 1. | Riverside (8) | 3-0 | 440 | 2 |
| 2. | Saddleback (7) | 3-0 | 430 | 3 |
| 3. | Diablo Valley (2) | 3-0 | 388 | 8 |
| 4. | San Mateo | 2-1 | 384 | 5 |
| 5. | Fresno (1) | 3-0 | 383 | 6 |
| 6. | Golden West | 2-1 | 322 | 7 |
| 7. | San Diego Mesa | 3-0 | 319 | 10 |
| 8. | Modesto | 2-1 | 288 | 1 |
| 9. | Butte | 2-1 | 286 | 4 |
| 10. | Mt. San Antonio | 2-1 | 276 | 12 |
| 11. | Ventura | 2-1 | 264 | 13 |
| 12. | Southwestern | 3-0 | 226 | 18 |
| 13. | San Francisco | 2-1 | 211 | 9 |
| 14. | Sierra | 2-1 | 210 | 16 |
| 15. | El Camino | 2-1 | 208 | 11 |
| 16. | Cerritos | 2-1 | 204 | 14 |
| 17. | Chaffey | 3-0 | 179 | 20 |
| 18. | Redwoods | 3-0 | 171 | 21 |
| 19. | Pasadena | 2-1 | 126 | 22 |
| 20. | Bakersfield | 2-1 | 108 | 19 |
| 21. | Palomar | 2-1 | 94 | 15 |
| 22. | De Anza | 2-1 | 92 | T-25 |
| 23. | Fullerton | 1-2 | 69 | 17 |
| 24. | Sequoias | 1-2 | 44 | 24 |
| 25. | Mt. San Jacinto | 2-1 | 38 | RV |
Others Receiving Votes: Foothill (1-2) 17, Santa Monica (3-0) 17, San Bernardino Valley (3-0) 13, Shasta (3-0) 13, Antelope Valley (2-1) 8, Allan Hancock (1-2) 7, Laney (1-2) 7, Victor Valley (2-1) 5, American River (0-3) 1, Chabot (2-1) 1.
Upcoming Schedule
Friday, September 18
NCFC NATIONAL - NON-LEAGUE
Santa Rosa at Laney (5:30 p.m.)
San Francisco at Diablo Valley (7 p.m.)
Saturday, September 19
NCFC NATIONAL - NON-LEAGUE
American River at Monterey Península (1 p.m.)
Foothill at Redwoods (1 p.m.)
Modesto at San Mateo (1 p.m.)
Sacramento at De Anza (1 p.m.)
Sierra at Reedley (1 p.m.)
Butte at Fresno (5 p.m.)
Sequoias at San Jose (6 p.m.)
NCFC AMERICAN - NON-LEAGUE
Cabrillo at San Joaquin Delta (1 p.m.)
Coalinga at Contra Costa (1 p.m.)
Gavilan at Los Medanos (1 p.m.)
Hartnell at Feather River (1 p.m.)
Merced at Siskiyous (1 p.m.)
Shasta at Chabot (1 p.m.)
SCFA NATIONAL - NORTHERN
Allan Hancock at Santa Ana (4 p.m.)
Santa Barbara at Long Beach (4 p.m.)
Citrus at Mt. San Antonio (6 p.m.)
Moorpark at Ventura (6 p.m.)
SCFA NATIONAL - CENTRAL
East LA at Fullerton (12 p.m.)
Bakersfield at Golden West (1 p.m.)
Canyons at Pasadena (6 p.m.)
SCFA NATIONAL - SOUTHERN
El Camino at Chaffey (6 p.m.)
Palomar at San Diego Mesa (6 p.m.)
Riverside at Saddleback (6 p.m.)
Southwestern at Mt. San Jacinto (6 p.m.)
SCFA AMERICAN - PACIFIC
Glendale at Santa Monica (5 p.m.)
SCFA AMERICAN - NON-LEAGUE
LA Valley at Grossmont (3 p.m.)
Victor Valley at Cerritos (5 p.m.)
West LA at Compton (6 p.m.)
Sam Bernardino Valley at Desert (7 p.m.)
(Fred Baer, JC Athletic Bureau)