Riverside, San Mateo Pace JCAB Poll Leading into Final Week of Regular Season

San Mateo, Calif. - Riverside City College continues its undefeated run atop the JC Athletic Bureau's poll of California Community College Football Coaches Association representatives heading into the final and deciding week of regular season play.

The Tigers (9-0) took 14 of 16 first place votes and totaled 398 points this week to remain ahead College of San Mateo (8-1), who took the remaining first place ballots, scoring 385. Boths colleges can wrap up No. 1 regional seeds for the upcoming 3C2A playoffs with victories Saturday.

Riverside trailed El Camino (3-6) by 11 points in the second half last Saturday but then ran off 21 unanswered points for a 45-35 victory to stay unbeaten, winding up in the top spot in the Southern League. Christopher Cooper passed for 438 yards and four Tigers touchdowns.

Riverside closes at No. 8 San Diego Mesa (7-2) Saturday and needs a win to avoid sharing the league title with No. 3 Saddleback (8-1), which suffered its only setback to the Tigers. Saddleback closes at dangerous El Camino.

San Mateo clinched a fifth-straight Bay 6 league title, rolling up a near program record 80 points as its state-leading defense shutout visiting De Anza. CSM now has 94 unanswered points heading into Saturday's finale at co-fourth place San Jose.

Mt. San Antonio (8-1) moved up one poll position to fourth this week after clinching at least a tie for the Northern League title with a 51-27 win over No. 22 Allan Hancock, which fell two places in the poll. No. 10 Ventura (7-2), which trails the Mounties by one game, finishes at Mt. SAC on Saturday. Both teams appear headed to the playoffs.

Sierra (8-1) is down one poll place to No. 5, although beating American River, 17-13. The Wolverines host No. 6 Butte (7-2) on Saturday for the NorCal League title and likely No. 2 playoff spot in the North with the loser possibly in the No. 3 position.    

No. 7 Golden West (7-2) is deadlocked for the Central League lead at 5-1 with No. 12 Fullerton (6-3). They'll meet in the decider Saturday in Huntington Beach. Golden West appears in line for a playoff return, while Fullerton would likely need a win to reach the six-team SoCal field.

College of the Sequoias upset rival Fresno City College, 21-14, last week, dropping the Rams (6-3) three spots in the poll to No. 13 this week and creating a three-way deadlock in the Valley League at 3-1 along with Modesto and Monterey Peninsula – both teams Fresno has defeated. No. 11 Modesto (6-3) closes at No. 18 MPC (6-3) Saturday.

3C2A Playoffs for 12 National Division teams (six each in the north and south) begin early this year on November 14. Top two seeds in each region receive first round byes.

American Division: There are no 3C2A playoffs in the American Division. Champions of the two leagues in each region are expected to meet in regional title bowl games. Shasta defeated Hartnell, 30-27, last week to wrap up the Golden Coast League, while the others remain in play. Pacific 7 pacesetter College of the Siskiyous finishes at co-second Los Medanos. In the south, Pacific League leader San Bernardino Valley hosts co-second Santa Monica and Metro leader Antelope Valley entertains co-second College of the Desert.

Top 20 Games: 

November 6: American River at No. 17 Diablo Valley.
November 7: No. 1 Riverside at No. 8 San Diego Mesa, No. 2 San Mateo at San Jose, No. 3 Saddleback at El Camino, No. 10 Ventura at No. 4 Mt. San Antonio, No. 6 Butte at No. 5 Sierra, No. 12 Fullerton at No. 7 Golden West, No. 9 Southwestern at No. 16 Chaffey, No. 11 Modesto at No. 18 Monterey Peninsula, Reedley at No. 13 Fresno, East LA at No. 14 Cerritos, West LA at No. 15 Pasadena, No. 19 Sequoias at Sacramento, Canyons at No. 20 Bakersfield.

(Fred Baer, JC Athletic Bureau)

2026 JC Athletic Bureau / CCCFCA Coaches Poll (Nov. 3

Others Receiving Votes: Antelope Valley (7-2) 11, Laney (4-5) 11, Shasta (9-0) 11, El Camino (3-6) 9, Siskiyous (7-2) 7, Feather River (7-2) 3, Palomar (3-6) 3, Santa Rosa (2-7) 3, Los Medanos (6-3) 2, Citrus (3-6) 1, Desert (6-3) 1.

Current Win Streaks: 10 - Shasta, 9 - Riverside, 8 - Sierra, 7 - Mt. San Antonio, San Mateo.

Remaining Schedule

Friday, November 6

NCFC NATIONAL - NORCAL
American River at Diablo Valley (6 p.m.)

Saturday, November 7

NCFC NATIONAL - BAY 6
Foothill at De Anza (1 p.m.)
San Mateo at San Jose (1 p.m.)
Santa Rosa at San Francisco (1 p.m.)

NCFC NATIONAL - NORCAL
Butte at Sierra (1 p.m.)
Redwoods at Laney (1 p.m.)

NCFC NATIONAL - VALLEY
Modesto at Monterey Peninsula, 1 p.m.
Reedley at Fresno, 1 p.m.
Sequoias at Sacramento, 1 p.m.

NCFC ANERICAN - GOLDEN COAST
Cabrillo at Shasta (1 p.m.)
Coalinga at Merced (1 p.m.)
Hartnell at Gavilan (1 p.m.)

NCFC AMERICAN - PACIFIC 7
Chabot at Contra Costa (1 p.m.)
San Joaquin Delta at Feather River (1 p.m.)
Siskiyous at Los Medanos (1 p.m.)

SCFA NATIONAL - NORTHERN
Allan Hancock at Citrus (1 p.m.)
Santa Barbara at Santa Ana (1 p.m.)
Ventura at Mt. San Antonio (1 p.m.)
Moorpark at Long Beach (4 p.m.)

SCFA NATIONAL - CENTRAL
Fullerton at Golden West (12 p.m.)
East LA at Cerritos (1 p.m.)
Canyons at Bakersfield (4 p.m.)

SCFA NATIONAL - SOUTHERN
Southwestern at Chaffey (1 p.m.)
Palomar at Mt. San Jacinto (6 p.m.)
Riverside at San Diego Mesa (6 p.m.)
Saddleback at El Camino (6 p.m.)

SCFA AMERICAN - PACIFIC
Grossmont at Glendale (5 p.m.)
Santa Monica at San Bernardino Valley (6 p.m.)

SCFA AMERICAN - METRO
LA Southwest at Victor Valley (1 p.m.)
Antelope Valley at Desert (2 p.m.)

SCFA NON-LEAGUE
West LA at Pasadena (1 p.m.)