The wait is over. The road to a CIF Sac-Joaquin Section football championship is officially set.
On Sunday, Nov. 8, the section unveiled its 2026 high school football playoff brackets during its annual selection show, bringing good news for more than half of San Joaquin County’s 26 teams.
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Fourteen earned spots in the eight-team, three-round postseason brackets, while six others received invitations to the second year of the section’s bowl games.
So who’s in? Who’s out? And which county teams have a legitimate shot at bringing home a section title?
First, a quick explanation of how the playoff brackets come together.
Each of the section’s eight divisions features an eight-team bracket. Every official league receives one automatic qualifier, with the remaining spots awarded to at-large teams based on MaxPreps division rankings.
Those rankings come from a completely computer-driven system based on games played and recorded in MaxPreps. No coaches’ polls. No media votes. No enrollment-based adjustments. Just the results entered into the database.
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After the field is finalized, a seeding committee determines the order using strength of schedule, head-to-head results, overall records, travel logistics and competitive balance.
Got all that? Good. Let’s get to the football.
Quarterfinal action kicks off Nov. 13, followed by the semifinals Nov. 20. The road ends Nov. 27-28 at Hughes Stadium on the Sacramento City College campus, where the section championships will be decided.
Here’s a division-by-division look at the brackets and what they mean for San Joaquin County.
Division I
Edison’s Alonzo Ward III, left, celebrates with teammate Bryce James after Bryce scored a touchdown during a varsity football game against Lincoln at Edison’s Magnasco Stadium in Stockton on Oct. 16, 2026.
No. 8 Downey (6-4) at No. 1 Folsom (10-0)
No. 5 Edison (8-2) at No. 4 Inderkum (6-4)
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No. 6 Franklin (Elk Grove) (8-2) at No. 3 Grant (8-2)
No. 7 Lincoln (6-4) at No. 2 Oak Ridge (7-3)
Explanation: Lincoln ranked ahead of Edison in MaxPreps’ Division I rankings, but the Vikings earned the higher seed, possibly because of their 51-48 head-to-head win. Lincoln also made the field despite trailing Monterey Trail in the rankings entering the week.
Division II
St.Mary’s Jaxon Daumer celebrates with head coach Tony Franks after their 38-24 win over Granite Bay in the Sac-Joaquin Section Div. III football championship Sacramento City College’s Hughes Stadium in Sacramento on Nov. 29, 2025.
No. 8 Chavez (8-2) at No. 1 Del Oro (8-2)
No. 5 St. Mary’s (6-4) at No. 4 Whitney (6-4)
No. 6 Jesuit (5-5) at No. 3 Central Catholic (9-1)
No. 7 Manteca (7-3) at No. 2 Rocklin (6-4)
Explanation: Defending champion St. Mary’s earned the No. 5 seed despite ranking behind Jesuit on MaxPreps’ Division II rankings. The Rams beat Jesuit in last year’s quarterfinals and claimed their 12th straight TCAL title this season. Last year’s No. 1 seed, Manteca, made the field after finishing second in the VOL, while Chavez won its third consecutive SJAA title.
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Division III
No. 8 Johansen (8-2) at No. 1 Destiny Christian Academy (10-0)
No. 5 Vacaville (7-3) at No. 4 Oakdale (5-5)
No. 6 Merced (8-2) at No. 3 Vanden (9-1)
No. 7 Antelope (5-5) at No. 2 Woodcreek (10-0)
Explanation: Oakdale ranked No. 3 in MaxPreps’ Division III rankings after finishing third in the VOL, but the seeding committee gave Vanden the nod for the No. 3 seed, dropping Oakdale to No. 4.
Division IV
East Union’s varsity football team reacts to losing 31 to 29 to Roseville in the Sac-Joaquin Section Div. IV football championship Sacramento City College’s Hughes Stadium in Sacramento on Nov. 29, 2025.
No. 8 McNair (7-3) at No. 1 Twelve Bridges (8-2)
No. 5 Roseville (5-5) at No. 4 Hughson (7-3)
No. 6 Placer (7-3) at No. 3 Patterson (6-4)
No. 7 East Union (5-5) at No. 2 Yuba City (8-2)
Explanation: No shake-ups here. East Union and McNair received seeds identical to their MaxPreps Division IV rankings. McNair got in after finishing fourth in the SJAA, while last year’s Division IV runner-up, East Union, made the field despite a fifth-place VOL finish.
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Division V
The Escalon varsity football team cheers their 20-13 victory over Hilmar to win the Sac Joaquin Section Division V championship game at St. Mary’s High School in Stockton.
No. 8 Casa Roble (4-6) at No. 1 Hilmar (10-0)
No. 5 Oakmont (6-4) at No. 4 Sonora (4-6)
No. 6 Foothill (9-1) at No. 3 Escalon (7-3)
No. 7 Rosemont (6-4) at No. 2 Sutter (10-0)
Explanation: Escalon appeared headed for the No. 2 seed after spending much of the season ahead of Sutter in projections and MaxPreps’ Division V rankings. Instead, the Cougars landed at No. 3 after finishing second in the TVL. It’s their first season in Division V following three years in Division IV.
Division VI
Ripon’s Andrew Shaw, right, tries to escape from Ripon Christian’s Chase Bunnell during a varsity football game at Ripon High’s West Stouffer Field in Ripon on Oct. 10. 2025. Ripon Christian won 35-21.
No. 8 Bear River (4-6) at No. 1 Liberty Ranch (10-0)
No. 5 Center (9-1) at No. 4 Ripon Christian (5-5)
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No. 6 Colfax (5-5) at No. 3 Ripon (5-5)
No. 7 Bradshaw Christian (6-4) at No. 2 Lincoln (9-1)
Explanation: What a turnaround for Ripon. Once sitting at 2-5, the Indians won their final three games, including a 38-28 victory over last year’s runner-up, Ripon Christian, in Week 10. That win pushed Ripon ahead of the Knights in the rankings and into the No. 3 seed.
Division VII
No. 8 Rio Vista (7-3) at No. 1 Calaveras (9-1)
No. 5 River Islands (8-2) at No. 4 Denair (9-1)
No. 6 Mariposa County (7-3) at No. 3 Linden (7-3)
No. 7 Stone Ridge Christian (7-3) at No. 2 Golden Sierra (9-1)
Explanation: Linden is right where MaxPreps’ Division VII rankings projected, earning the No. 3 seed after last year’s runner-up finish. River Islands may have dropped a spot to No. 5, but who cares? The Riptide are headed to the playoffs for the first time in their three-year history.
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Division VIII
No. 8 Florin (2-6) at No. 1 Mira Loma (9-0)
No. 5 Valley (6-3) at No. 4 Vacaville Christian (6-3)
No. 6 Encina (4-4) at No. 3 Millennium (7-2)
No. 7 Valley Christian (3-6) at No. 2 Foresthill (8-1)
Explanation: Not a bad start for Millennium. In its first year of eight-man football, the Falcons earned a quarterfinal home game.
Bowl Games
Tracy players take the field during the varsity football game between the Tracy Bulldogs and Edison Vikings at Tracy High, Oct. 9, 2026. Edison defeated Tracy 21-14.
Gregori (5-5) at Tokay (8-2)
Tracy (7-3) at Monterey Trail (8-2)
Lodi (3-7) at Grace Davis (5-5)
Rodriguez (4-6) at Stagg (7-3)
Lathrop (6-4) at Los Banos (5-5)
Livingston (1-9) at Sierra (4-6)
Explanation: Two teams stand out. Tracy, once ranked among California’s top 65 teams, finished No. 10 in MaxPreps’ Division II rankings but missed the playoffs because of automatic league qualifiers. Lathrop tied for first in the WAC, but the automatic berth went to higher-ranked Johansen. The Spartans finished No. 9 in Division V, one spot outside the playoff field.
This article originally appeared on The Record: 2026 CIF Sac-Joaquin Section football playoff brackets revealed
Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: Sports.yahoo.com
