It was easy to predict some of what happened during the 2026 high school football regular season in Orange County.
Santa Margarita being the best team in the county. Mission Viejo winning the Alpha League championship. Crean Lutheran winning the Bravo League title.
Those things were anticipated.
The unexpected: El Modena being oh-so-close to going undefeated … Orange going 10-0 … Fountain Valley’s rapid improvement.
The CIF Southern Section football playoffs, which begin this week, will bring more of the expected and the unexpected
Here we go with predictions for each of the playoff divisions with an emphasis on the Orange County teams:
DIVISION 1
Overview: Santa Margarita won this division last season and looks ready to do it again. The Eagles defense is sensational. It feels wrong that Mission Viejo is in this division with the high-powered private schools. Orange Lutheran upset St. John Bosco in the first round a year ago, but a repeat of that seems unlikely. This division begins the playoffs Nov. 13.
Semifinals: Santa Margarita vs. St. John Bosco; Mater Dei vs. Sierra Canyon
Champion: Santa Margarita. There is a reason why you’ve heard “defense wins championships” so often.
(Photo by Karen Tapia / Orange County Register, SCNG)
DIVISION 2
Overview: Orange would be a solid contender in Division 3 or Division 4, but the Panthers were placed in this group. They have to play at No. 1-seeded Chaparral of Temecula in the first round. Crean Lutheran is Orange County’s best team in the division. It’s very unfortunate that Capistrano Valley senior quarterback Talon Spencer, who plays better when the stakes are higher, is out because of a spleen injury.
Semifinals: Chaparral vs. Crean Lutheran; Inglewood vs. Bishop Amat
Champion: Crean Lutheran. The Caden Jones-to-Braylen Ross combination is very difficult to stop and the Saints have a productive running game, too.
DIVISION 3
Overview: El Modena vs. Newport Harbor in the first round is a beautiful matchup. Those teams are similar in the tough-and-grit category. Villa Park can score a ton of points. Edison has had a rough season, but the playoffs offer a restart for a team that might be hungry and ready to prove something.
Semifinals: La Serna vs. El Modena; Murrieta Valley vs. Norco
Champion: La Serna. The Lancers won the championship of a good league, the Gateway League.
DIVISION 4
Overview: Dana Hills is averaging 42 points a game, although that average was higher before the Dolphins ran into the defenses of El Modena and Huntington Beach. Cypress went 5-0 in the Iota League and goes into the playoffs sizzling. La Habra was 5-0 in nonleague games, 0-5 in the excellent Bravo League. With DJ Mitchell at quarterback, the Highlanders could make a run at their second consecutive CIF-SS title.
Semifinals: Dana Hills vs. Downey; La Habra vs. Quartz Hill
Champion: Quartz Hill. This team has put together some one-sided wins lately.
DIVISION 5
Overview: Two good Orange County teams are in this division, El Dorado and Trabuco Hills. Both had very good regular seasons, but sometimes have trouble scoring against the better defensive teams.
Semifinals: Mary Star vs. Salesian; Charter Oak vs. Temecula Valley
Champion: Mary Star. The Stars’ 45-42 loss to Carson last week was their only loss of the season. That could be good for the Stars.
DIVISION 6
Overview: Fullerton might be the Orange County team to watch in this group. The Red Hawks carry a seven-game winning streak into the playoffs, including a 5-0 run in the Kappa League. Foothill is the only team to beat Cypress in the regular season. A healthy Laguna Beach team could be a factor.
Semifinals: St. Francis vs. Laguna Beach; Beaumont vs. Fullerton
Champion: Fullerton. Running back Cyrus Aviles is a yards-chomping machine.
Division 7
Overview: Laguna Hills and Pacifica of the Iota League are the Orange County representatives here. Laguna Hills looked good in a comeback win over Pacifica a couple of weeks ago.
Semifinals: San Dimas vs. Laguna Hills; Pacifica vs. Citrus Valley
Champion: San Dimas. The Saints have rolled to one-sided wins of late.
DIVISION 8
Overview: Of the four Orange County teams in this division – Segerstrom, Irvine, Canyon and Portola – Segerstrom looks like the best of the lot. The Jaguars have wins over El Toro and Irvine.
Semifinals: Segerstrom vs. Rio Hondo Prep; Corona Santiago vs. Bellflower
Champion: Bellflower. The Buccaneers outscored their opponents 97-6 over the final two weeks of the regular season.
DIVISION 9
Overview: League champions Fountain Valley and Ocean View are in this division. Ocean View finished hot, with a 33-0 win over Rancho Alamitos to win the Sigma League championship.
Semifinals: Lawndale vs. Marina; Moreno Valley vs. Colton
Champion: Lawndale. The Cardinals went 9-1 in the regular season.
DIVISION 10
Overview: Sonora is the only county team in this division. The Raiders take a 9-1 record into the playoffs, with that lone loss to Lambda League champion Fountain Valley by six points.
Semifinals: Nogales vs. Sonora; West Torrance vs. Granite Hills
Champion: Nogales. The Nobles have running back Gatsbee Gumban, who is averaging 197 rushing yards a game.
DIVISION 11
Overview: Los Amigos and Westminster are the O.C. representatives here. Los Amigos went 5-0 to win the Omicron League championship.
Semifinals: Riverside Notre Dame vs. Schurr; Dominguez vs. Banning
Champion: Notre Dame. The Titans were 5-0, with with mostly one-sided wins, in the Cottonwood League.
DIVISION 12
Overview: It’s a Rancho Alamitos vs. Costa Mesa rematch in the first round. Rancho Alamitos rallied to beat Costa Mesa, 14-13, in a Sigma League game.
Semifinals: Ontario vs. Rancho Alamitos; Rubidoux vs. Big Bear
Champion: Ontario. The Jaguars averaged 46 points a game while going 5–0 in the Montview League.
DIVISION 13
Overview: Orange County has five teams in this division. Two of them play each other in the first round: Garden Grove vs. Anaheim.
Semifinals: Rialto vs. Del Sol; Whittier vs. Anaheim
Champion: Anaheim. Those late-season Sigma League losses to Ocean View and Rancho Alamitos, two good teams, have the Colonists ready for the playoffs.
DIVISION 14
Overview: The two county teams in this group play each other in the first round – La Quinta at Santa Ana Valley.
Semifinals: San Gabriel vs. Knight; Riverside Prep vs. Hoover
Champion: Hoover. The Tornados have wins over a couple of good teams, including Miramonte League champion Bassett.