California Top 25 high school football rankings by SBLive/Sports Illustrated (9/3/2023)

There was very little movement in this week's California Top 25 rankings, presented by SBLive/Sports Illustrated. 

Only three games pitted two Top 25 teams, with Long Beach Poly fighting back from two-score deficit in the fourth quarter to defeat previous No. 7 Mission Viejo 32-28, No. 5 Serra flexing its defensive prowess in a 28-0 win over previous No. 16 De La Salle and Santa Margarita going on the road to upend previous No. 20 Liberty of Bakersfield. 

Helix of San Diego, on the heels of a tough 30-23 win over Arizona power Red Mountain at the Honor Bowl, is the only new team to enter the rankings this week at No. 22. 

See last weekend's roundups, highlights, sights and sounds from Southern California and Northern California

California Top 25 football rankings, 9/3/23

1. Mater Dei (3-0)

Last week rank: 1
Last week result: Defeated Creekside (Ga) 62-0
Next game: Saturday vs. Kahuku (Hawaii)

2. St. John Bosco (3-0)

Last week rank: 2
Last week result: Defeated Friendship Academy (Washington, D.C.) 48-12
Next game: Friday vs. St. Frances Academy (Baltimore)

3. Corona Centennial (2-1)

Last week rank: 3
Last week result: Beat Punahou (Honolulu) 50-43 | HIGHLIGHTS
Next game: Friday at Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas)

4. Orange Lutheran (3-0)

Last week rank: 4
Last week result: Defeated Eastside (Sammamish, Wash.) 20-0
Next game: Friday at Chandler (Ariz.)

5. Serra-San Mateo (2-0)

Last week rank: 5
Last week result: Defeated De La Salle 28-0 | STORY
Next game: Friday at Central Catholic (Modesto)

6. Sierra Canyon (3-0)

Last week rank: 6
Last week result: Defeated Green Valley (Henderson, Nev.) 56-0
Next game: Sept. 15 vs. Orange Lutheran at Orange Coast Conference

7. Carlsbad (3-0)

Last week rank: 8
Last week result: Defeated San Pasqual 56-0
Next game: Friday vs. Casteel (Queen Creek, Ariz.)

8. Lincoln-San Diego (3-0)

Last week rank: 9
Last week result: Defeated St. Bonaventure 49-12
Next game: Thursday at Mater Dei Catholic (Chula Vista)

9. Long Beach Poly (2-1)

Last week rank: 10
Last week result: Defeated Mission Viejo 32-28 | STORY
Next game: Friday at Serra (Gardena)

10. Los Alamitos (3-0)

Last week rank: 11
Last week result: Defeated Timpview (Provo, Utah) 57-35
Next game: Friday vs. Servite at Cerritos College

11. JSerra Catholic (2-1)

Last week rank: 13
Last week result: Defeated Chaminade 41-7
Next game: Friday vs. Notre Dame (Sherman Oaks)

12. Mission Viejo (2-1)

Last week rank: 7
Last week result: Lost to Long Beach Poly 32-28
Next game: Friday vs. Highland

13. Rancho Cucamonga (3-0)

Last week rank: 12
Last week result: Defeated Norco 21-14
Next game: Friday vs. Valencia

14. Serra-Gardena (2-1)

Last week rank: 14
Last week result: Defeated Cathedral 47-14
Next game: Friday vs. Long Beach Poly

15. Santa Margarita (2-1) | STORY

Last week rank: 15
Last week result: Defeated Liberty (Bakersfield) 34-14
Next game: Friday at Bishop Amat

16. San Clemente (3-0)

Last week: 17
Last week result: Defeated La Costa Canyon 28-0
Next game: Friday vs. Corona del Mar

17. Folsom (2-1)

Last week rank: 18
Last week result: Defeated Edison (Stockton) 48-15
Next game: Friday at Turlock

18. St. Mary’s-Stockton (3-0)

Last week rank: 19
Last week result: Defeated Manteca 44-7
Next game: Sept. 15 at De La Salle

19. Oaks Christian (2-1)

Last week rank: 21
Last week result: Defeated Roosevelt 50-14
Next game: Sept. 15 at Serra (Gardena)

20. Pacifica-Oxnard (3-0)

Last week rank: 23
Last week result: Defeated Santa Barbara 28-15 
Next game: Friday at Buena

21. Etiwanda (3-0)

Last week rank: 24
Last week result: Defeated St. Pius 27-7
Next game: Friday at Jurupa Hills

22. Helix (3-0)

Last week rank: NR
Last week result: Defeated Red Mountain (Mesa, Ariz.) 30-22 | HIGHLIGHTS
Next game: Friday at Madison

23. Liberty-Bakersfield (2-1)

Last week rank: 20
Last week result: Lost to Santa Margarita 34-14
Next game: Friday at Buchanan

24. De La Salle (0-2)

Last week rank: 16
Last week result: Lost to Serra (San Mateo) 28-0
Next game: Friday at Saint Francis (Mountain View)

25. Pittsburg (2-0)

Last week rank: NR
Last week result: Defeated Granite Bay 41-21
Next game: Friday vs. Monterey Trail (Elk Grove)

Dropped out: Upland (2-1), 

On the bubble: