David Bell and the Central Grizzlies moved back into the Top 5 of the Division-I bracket. Could they earn a first round bye if they beat Clovis West?
By Gabe Camarillo
In under two weeks, we will know the high school football playoff brackets.
With just two games left in the regular season, I took a snapshot of what they look like right now.
The actual brackets come out on Saturday, October 29. Before we dive into projected brackets, here are five things to know:
1. These are NOT my rankings or brackets. These were pulled from CalPreps.com, and I applied the head-to-head and common opponent tiebreakers like the Central Section will do on 10/29.
2. Speaking of tiebreakers, here are the rules for them. If two teams are within two rating points of each other on CalPreps.com, the first tiebreaker is head-to-head result between them. The next tiebreaker, if both teams are in the same league, is finish in league standings. The final tiebreaker is record vs. common opponents.
3. Every team has a base division. They can either play one division higher or lower than their base, depending on where they are ranked by CalPreps’ computers. No higher and no lower.
4. I highlighted select teams in BOLD. BOLD teams are currently 2-6 and need to win once more or they will miss playoffs. The minimum winning percentage to compete in playoffs is .300, or a record of 3-7.
5. One more interesting twist, something I learned last season — the CalPreps predicted score plays a factor into ratings, especially if the predicted winner loses.
** IMPORTANT NOTE: If there aren’t enough qualified teams to fill Division 2 through 6 with 16 teams, D2 might have 12 teams with the top four receiving byes.
Updated as of 10/17/2022, 8:00 P.M. PST
Division 1:
1 Clovis West
2 Buchanan
3 Liberty-Bakersfield
4 San Joaquin Memorial
5 Central
6 St Joseph
7 Clovis East
8 Centennial
9 Clovis North
10 Redwood
11 Clovis
12 Hanford
Matchups: Clovis West vs. Centennial OR Clovis North; Buchanan vs. Clovis East OR Redwood; Liberty vs. St. Joseph OR Clovis; SJM vs. Central OR Hanford
Division 2:
1 Central Valley Christian
2 Kingsburg
3 Lemoore
4 Garces
5 Bakersfield Christian
6 Frontier
7 Washington Union
8 Dinuba
9 Bullard
10 Paso Robles
11 Lompoc
12 Sanger
13 Golden West
14 Tehachapi
15 Bakersfield
16 Edison
Matchups: Edison at CVC; Bakersfield at Kingsburg; Tehachapi at Lemoore; Golden West at Garces; Sanger at Bakersfield Christian; Lompoc at Frontier; Paso Robles at Washington Union; Bullard at Dinuba
Division 3:
1 Mission Prep
2 Porterville
3 Chavez
4 Santa Ynez
5 Kerman
6 Mission Oak
7 Highland
8 Ridgeview
9 Arroyo Grande
10 Kennedy
11 San Luis Obispo
12 Sunnyside
13 Tulare Union
14 Independence
15 Mt. Whitney
16 Wasco
Matchups: Wasco at Mission Prep; Mt. Whitney at Porterville; Independence at Chavez; Tulare Union at Santa Ynez; Sunnyside at Kerman; San Luis Obispo at Mission Oak; Kennedy at Highland; Arroyo Grande at Ridgeview
Division 4:
1 Liberty (Madera)
2 Taft
3 Torres
4 Shafter
5 Atascadero
6 Caruthers
7 Fowler
8 Tulare Western
9 Reedley
10 Strathmore
11 Garza
12 Coalinga
13 Madera
14 North
15 Exeter
16 Dos Palos
Matchups: Dos Palos at Liberty-Madera; Exeter at Taft; North at Torres; Madera at Shafter; Coalinga at Atascadero; Garza at Caruthers; Strathmore at Fowler; Reedley at Tulare Western
Division 5:
1 Bishop
2 Morro Bay
3 Corcoran
4 Monache
5 Madera South
6 Pioneer Valley
7 Templeton
8 Arvin
9 Immanuel
10 Delano
11 McLane
12 Golden Valley
13 Santa Maria
14 Mendota
15 Woodlake
16 Selma*
* Selma needs two wins to make playoffs. If they lose again, Chowchilla would be next team in D5.
Matchups: Selma at Bishop; Woodlake at Morro Bay; Mendota at Corcoran; Santa Maria at Monache; Golden Valley at Madera South; McLane at Pioneer Valley; Delano at Templeton; Immanuel at Arvin
Division 6:
1 Chowchilla
2 Hanford West
3 Avenal
4 Firebaugh
5 Sierra Pacific
6 Kern Valley
7 Riverdale
8 Boron
9 Orosi
10 Lindsay
11 Mira Monte
12 Cabrillo
13 Yosemite
14 Farmersville
15 Foothill
16 McFarland
First team out: Orange Cove (2-6)
Matchups: McFarland at Chowchilla; Foothill at Hanford West; Farmersville at Avenal; Yosemite at Firebaugh; Cabrillo at Sierra Pacific; Mira Monte at Kern Valley; Lindsay at Riverdale; Orosi at Boron
