Sac-Joaquin Section Division II football playoffs: Live scores, bracket updates, preview
The 2023 CIF Sac-Joaquin Section high school football playoffs kick off Friday, November 3, and you can follow all of the action on SBLive Sports.
Here is everything you need to know about the first round of the SJS Division II football playoffs, including how to watch games, live scoreboards, bracket updates and matchup breakdowns.
The matchup breakdowns were written by CIF Sac-Joaquin Section assistant commissioner Will DeBoard, who covered California high school sports for 17 years (1992 to 2009) for the Modesto Bee, before joining the SJS as its first Director of Communications in 2009. He was promoted to assistant commissioner in 2017.
During his time as a scribe, he was considered at the top of his craft and won numerous state and national awards for his coverage. His notes, facts and analysis of all things high school sports is flawless.
DIVISION II BRACKET
There are two league champions in this field, they are No. 1 St. Mary's (TCAL) and No. 3 Jesuit (Delta). … In last year's championship, Manteca beat Granite Bay in a wild 51-48 contest. Should Granite Bay win its first -round game, those teams will meet in a quarterfinal this year. … The SFL has three representatives in this field. ... Teams with byes: No. 1 St. Mary's, No. 2 Rocklin, No. 3 Jesuit, No. 4 Manteca.
- No. 9 Vacaville (6-4) at No. 8 Elk Grove (6-4): Vacaville is in the playoffs for the seventh year in a row; it's looking to get into the quarterfinals for the second straight season. The Bulldogs have two Section championship banners: D1 titles in 2006 and 2011. Elk Grove is in the playoffs for the 12th straight season and 36th time in school history. The Thundering Herd, Delta League runner-up, last won a Section title in 2019 (D2). These teams have met six times in the SJS postseason, with Elk Grove winning five of them. The last three games were D2 first-round Elk Grove wins in 2018, 2019 and 2021.
- No. 12 Rodriguez (7-3) at No. 5 Granite Bay (5-5): Rodriguez is in the playoffs for the second time since 2011. The Mustangs, who took third place in the MEL, are here for the eighth time in school history and boast one Section championship (2007 D3). Granite Bay is in the playoffs for a current Section-best 24th straight time. The Grizzlies are here for the 25th time in school history and are looking to add to their six Section championships. Their last title was the D2 crown in 2017.
- No. 11 Laguna Creek (7-3) at No. 6 Del Oro (6-4): Laguna Creek returns to the postseason for the first time since 2016. The Cardinals are in the postseason for the eighth time in school history and have a career record of 2-7. Del Oro returns to the playoffs for the 13th straight time and the 33rd overall appearance in school history. The Golden Eagles have 11 Section championships, includeing the D2 title in 2016. These teams have met in the playoffs once before, Del Oro beat Laguna Creek 79-0 in the D2 first round in 2016.
- No. 10 Downey (9-1) at No. 7 Tracy (4-6): Downey is in the postseason for the 11th straight season. The CCAL runner-up Knights are here for the 21st time in school history. Tracy is in the playoffs for the second straight year and the 26th time in school history. The Bulldogs, TCAL runners-up, last won a Section title in 1987 (D1). These teams hav e met twice before in the postseason, both Tracy wins in the D1 first round; in 1991, the Bulldogs won 30-23 in double overtime and in 1981, Tracy won 27-0.
