In the second installment of new video feature in which we go over our own CIF state football bowl board for both Northern and Southern California, Cal-Hi Sports editor Mark Tennis previews the first tough choice for the CIF and that will be the selection of the two teams that will need to have a play-in game for the bottom division in the north. Plus, we welcome several new teams and tell you how two teams from the same section may meet to play for a CIF state bowl title.
To check out the first video in this series (taped on Nov. 18), CLICK HERE.
It’s amazing how many coaches throughout the state are still confused about how the new CIF state bowl format will work. Perhaps the most questions have come about how divisions will be determined and assumptions that teams will be in the same divisions as last year or the same divisions in which they’re competing at the section level.
Instead of simply writing out a series of articles or doing sets of CIF bowl game projections, which for many reasons are somewhat meaningless because the CIF section commissioners who are meeting on Sunday, Dec. 6 will be “placing” teams in bowl game divisions and are not “seeding” them, the most effective way of going over the new system is perhaps to simply show everyone through the Cal-Hi Sports CIF Bowl Board.
For this year’s first run-through of the new system, keep in mind that teams still have to win a section title to be eligible for a regional bowl game. There are going to be two runner-ups from the CIF Central Coast Section Open Divisions and how that all plays out will determine if more sections try to create similar open divisions to get more of their own runner-up teams into the mix.
Some notes about this video:
•It was done this week in the Stockton office of Cal-Hi Sports and shot by Stockton office assistant editor Paul Muyskens.
•We plan to go back to the classroom of 6th grade teacher Kathleen Moody at Spanos Elementary School in Stockton next week. She is the wife of Cal-Hi Sports editor Mark Tennis. That room wasn’t available this week due to the school’s Thanksgiving break.
•We’ll do another video next week and we’ll do a final one after the teams are placed by the CIF section commissioners. On the night of December 5 and into the morning of December 6, we’ll do a written version of our board so the CIF commissioners can look at it if they want before they meet on that Sunday to place the teams.
Check out this video above or, CLICK HERE.
For this week’s State Top 25 overall rankings with breakdowns and analysis of each team (Gold Club), CLICK HERE.
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Mark Tennis is the co-founder and publisher of CalHiSports.com. He can be reached at markjtennis@gmail.com. Don’t forget to follow Mark on the Cal-Hi Sports Twitter handle: @CalHiSports
20 Comments
Informative.
When will the Play in game be played?
It will be on the weekend of Dec. 4-5.
If the CIF isn’t voting on the games until the 6th how do they decide what 2 teams will be in the play-in game?
They are using computer rankings, our rankings and have been seeking input from the section commissioners that are involved. As mentioned in video, travel will be a factor and has to be a factor. No team is going to be asked to travel six hours for a play-in game.
Elk Grove/Folsom vs. Bellarmine and Clayton Valley vs. St. Francis seem to make a lot more sense. I doubt the CIF would want rematches, much less two right at the top in NorCal.
Also, it was reported that Clayton Valley’s QB got hurt last week. That may or may not have been a factor a few years ago with Rocklin.
We’ll go over more of those possibilities next week. Clayton Valley QB may have torn ACL. We’ll see how both Clayton Valley and Bells do in next two weeks. If it’s Elk Grove and not Folsom, then the one-point win by Folsom over CV loses some significance. Yes, the CIF wants to avoid rematches but not at the expense of the integrity of the entire board. If Folsom and CV are on the board in those slots, might just be too hard to avoid the rematch. It’s not like Folsom beat em by 20.
Cal14
Actually CV’s offense is primarily “powered” by rb Jackson III, and their main strength, I feel, is the defense. And, a lot of reserves: they suit up around 80 guys.
Anyway, I think a CV vs. the SJS D2 champ (all 4 semi-finalists could end up with that crown) would make a great game, and the winner would make a strong opponent for the CIF South D1A winner, probably Camarillo.
I hope St.Francis matches up with the CS D1 Champ (most likely Clovis or Liberty of Bakersfield) in 2AA North where the winner should make a good opponent for the 2AA South winner, most likely La Habra.
TinyTim
My hunch is that the Central Section D1 winner and D2 winner will be placed in opposite brackets for the possibility that the CIF could have the potential local interest that a possible state bowl final between the two could happen. Camarillo isn’t a probable winner for 1A in the south, either. Narbonne is at least as good, more talented.
One user now says there’s a rule that Central Section teams cannot be “seeded” so that they would be “forced” to play each other in a state final. I got the possibility of that happening from within the CIF and if the rule is on the books, it’s on the books. But also don’t see why anyone in the Central Section wouldn’t be intrigued by the possibility of the D1 and D2 section champions playing in a state bowl game provided both won regional games. Why would that be construed as “forced” to be in the same division?
Camarillo may not even be on the board in a week!
Can certainly say that about a lot of them.
Now can Helix be moved up? This is the 2nd straight Open Division Appearance.
Until CIFSS does away with mandatory champs qualifying for SBG’s we will never see the top teams face off. How do you exclude Corona Centennial or SJ Bosco because of 1-loss to a top 3 nationally ranked team? Makes no sense. DLS lost to Trinity and played 13 scrubs yet they get an auto-qualifier to the Open game. Not fair at all as the north playoff brackets are set up for all of their top teams to advance with no problem while in the south all of the top teams compete in only 2 major brackets.
Any idea where the SoCal Regional Div 6 game will be held? Is the game held at a neutral site or will there be a homefield advantage?
It will be at the home site of the higher placed team. I think Coronado is going to be at home vs. Central Section team. No real way around that travel.
Agree with Darin. If CCD open runner up plays on so should Pac 5 runner up. Hopefully someday the Southern Section cares about state bowl games. North Pac 5 would equal Folsom, De La Salle, Grant, Rocklin, foothill, Clayton Valkey, oak ridge, del oro, etc. all being in the same CiF bracket with only one winner.
Sorry meant CCS
Would love for them to figure out how De La Salle would meet SJ Bosco as two best privates and Folsom play Centennial as two best publics.