Who is truly the Number 1 team in the NorCal conference?

Standings (as of 6:30 on 10/31/2009)

1. Foothill 7-1 (3-0) 2 impressive wins over good teams CSM 28-27 and Santa Rosa 37-26, but squeaking by DVC 31-24 with DVC on the Foothill 3 as time expires. Foothill is #1 in conference, one of the three 7-1 NorCal teams. Only loss came at the hands of a solid Reedley team that isn't given enough credit. Remaining games: CCSF, Butte.

Anything else known about Foothill, please post.

2. College of San Mateo 7-1 (2-1) After coming off a tough 28-27 loss to Foothill last week, the CSM offense looked to gain back their hard nosed, smashmouth approach against CCSF and came out on top 30-24 in a very spirited effort. CSM has a very explosive offense which could easily land them a 4-1 conference record as they play Butte next week. CSM is a team that, if Foothill does not prevail against CCSF and Butte, could be in position to win a 3-way tie breaker or 2 way depending on their next 2 games and the CCSF/Foothill matchup. Expect another spirited game next week from this squad. Remaining games: Butte, DVC.

3. San Francisco 7-1 (2-1) Coming off of a tough loss to CSM 30-24 at CSM, CCSF looks to get back to form as the predominant NCFA team. But in order to so, they must get past a young, but surprisingly talented and motivated Foothill team in a huge rivalry game at CCSF. CCSF beat DVC last week 73-13 which could have possibly lead to a slower game this week. Expect CCSF to be juiced for next week's contest against NorCal Conference #1 team, Foothill. Remaining games: Foothill, Santa Rosa

4. Santa Rosa 5-3 (1-2) After coming off a solid victory against defending Champion, Butte, Santa Rosa lost 37-26 today at foothill. Utilizing an almost unanimous passing attack, the host, Owls defended prominently, as Santa Rosa falls to a 1-2 league record. Santa Rosa posted a tough win against a very strong Reedley team, and lost to a very hard working Fresno City. Santa Rosa looks to finish strong while facing a similarly passing team of Diablo Valley and powerhouse, CCSF. Remaining games: DVC, CCSF

5. Butte 6-2 (1-2) After being named National Champions and California State Champions, Butte posted a 5-0 record and looked as solid as before. They then faced CCSF in week one of conference play and lost their first game since November 10th, 2007 (18 consecutive contests with a win) where they lost 34-16 again to CCSF (who won the state championship). This time they lost on a last play 38 yd field goal by CCSF kicker/punter, Jens Alvernik. After being handed their first lost in almost 2 years they played a very skilled and amped up Santa Rosa team in Santa Rosa, losing 42-28. They won 63-20 to a struggling DVC team this week. Their schedule ahead doesn't get any easier. Remaining games: CSM, Foothill

6. Diablo Valley College 2-6 (0-3) DVC has struggled the past couple of weeks, after 3 straight tough losses to West Hills 31-23, Reedley 30-27, and Foothill 31-24. They have lost the last two games to CCSF and Butte (two very strong teams) by a combined score of 139-33. They rely very heavily on freshman quarterback, Blake Wayne, of De La Salle, who is an amazingly accurate passer. He is a little bit short at around 5'9 or 5'10, but he reads defenses astonishingly. It would be amazing to see what he would do in a more balanced offense or one of D-1 caliber supporters. he put up over 400 yards passing against top placed Foothill and almost lead to the upset as time expired with his offense on the 3 yard line. There was a discrepancy with the clock where 4 seconds may have been taken off when they shouldn't have, and they way they moved the ball down the field may have led them to a game tying touchdown. Their downfall has been their defense and special teams, leaving their defense in short field positions, making it easy for opposing teams. They have a D-1 FBS caliber Punter in Elliot Moore, however the coverage team seems to have a hard time getting to the ball on his punts and Kicker, Kava Tyrell's Kickoffs. They have also had some long snapping issues that could help them play better field position games. Remaining games: Santa Rosa, CSM

I think I have summed it up well, and I hope I don't seem biased towards any team. Let me know what you think. I have thought about becoming a Sportswriter in this tough economy, so this is good practice for me, and I love football, so I figured I'd spread my knowledge.

Remember,

Footballisagame

A man can hope, and here's what I'm hoping for.....Foothill loses the next  two against CCSF and Butte, finishes @ 3-2....CSM loses @ Butte and beats DVC, finishes @ 3-2...CCSF beats Foothill then is upset by Santa Rosa, finishing @ 3-2.....Santa Rosa beats DVC then smacks CCSF to finish, u guessed it, 3-2. .....Butte, of course, wins out against CSM and Foothill and finishes @3-2.....and DVC, no disrespect, not in this equation+-=  didn't double check schedule or records, but could it happen?                                                                    

A four way tie-breaker would be insane, and it would also push for the NorCal Committee to implement a playoff system similar to SoCal's. You can do a six-team playoff and pick three teams each from the Valley Conference and NorCal Conference respectively.

You give the conference winners a bye, and let the second place winner of the Valley play the third place winner from NorCal. The winner of that matchup plays the NorCal winner. Vice Versa on the other side of the bracket.

This would at least avoid the potential chaos that will probably have one squad complaing about not playing in the NorCal championship. This would at least give teams a way to earn a state title berth a fair shake.

Foothill has battled and won a lot of close games. Close games that I have watched every weekend. I truly believe that they need to run the ball more often. For some reason they like to outsmart themselves and pass on 3rd and 1 or march 60 yards with 90% run and then get in Red Zone and pass, pass, pass. Makes me scratch head in disbelief. I realize a balance must be struck to keep D honest, but at same time if D cannot stop the run then pound them into submission...Foothill has alot of talent and a nose for the ball. Would not quite call them Cinderella. Yes, CCSF is always tough and Butte is defending champ. 2 years and two wins over CSM no fluke, even though thats what CSM's players said in their local rag. Foothill MUST find way to win in San Fran, period. Cannot believe that other teams are already vying for how they will back into Championship game? Foothill holds the key, they are driving, so stop jockeying for this and that unless they stumble. But please do not sleep on the Owls...Oh yeah, one more thing...IT IS TIME FOR #4 TO QB THE OWLS. #7 IS NOT MOBILE, CANNOT THROW AN OUT, AND HAS NO CHECKDOWN ABILITY...

Don't make many bold guarantees, but I gurarantee City will take the hoot outta those Owls next week.  Again, as I stated previous to the CSM-CCSF match-up, gotta earn it by beating the Rams....good luck, but I don't  see it happening

right on the nose football.  The Owls are a very young squad with i think 18 sophomores on the roster.

Edged out West Hills in the season opener, gave Reedley a run for their money, Held DVC to the 4-yard line, as well as play a solid 4th-quarter defense against CSM.

Bottom line is, this team can get it done in the clutch. They'll gice CCSF al they can hanle and then some.

There is a culture inside Foothill players about winning, a belief they will win --they have the best RB in NorCal, they are very balanced, very tough and disciplined players both sides of the ball ---they win close games---exceptional coaching staff.  Their squad is very small in numbers, so their guys are on the field a lot, that's why the scores are closer than you would predict.  But when the ball is snapped, they "win" most of the plays.

At Concord, I saw them give up over 400 yds passing, but they led the whole game and walked off the field with DVC inside the 5yd line

Against CSM, they did what City could not do--they won in the trenches --sure the Bulldogs talk about the close FG that barely missed, but a few minutes before that the Owls had the same thing happen --so they win a huge game on a blocked PAT --then against Santa Rosa, they come from behind with 2 4th quarter TDs.  As for the Reedley game, they were right there, a few bounces either way would have changed that result.

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can they win at CCSF?  can they beat very powerful Butte? sure, really tough games, but I think the coaches and the players believe they will win and will work hard to be in a position to do that ---when Perez was there they always used to say in the middle of the 4th quarter, we will have a chance to win every game --that's what they do, they get to the 4th qrtr with a chance to win, with a belief they will win --and most of the time they do win.

look --after 8 weeks of football, everybody in NorCal is looking up at the Owls --anyone who wants to change that  has to do it on the field --Foothill College, the students,  and the South  Bay community should be shouting this out, this program deserves way more support then I see them getting right now.

Glenpark, the RBs name is Justice Patterson...Seems nobody knows his name? Many lesser RBs get all the props but this kid just keeps doing his job and doing it well. Always running North, does not turn it over, and punishes DBs regularly. Foothill uses the RB by committee and makes me wonder why with so many close ones he is a threat to score everytime he touches the ball. Yes the coaching staff is superb, however, play calling is a mystery at times and #4 should definitely be the starter over #7. Therefore, not really liking the O coordinator. How many times you gonna pass on 3 and 1????

#20 dominated CCSF last year in Los Altos --was it 183 yards rushing? --did you see his TD against CSM two weeks ago ---I think Justice Patterson is the top RB in NorCal

sorry not this year guys, CCSF is not going  to do this year, Hahahah

twompstomp, You must have short-term memory because last I heard the Owls are 7-1 with # 7 leading the way, unless I missed something.    #4 has come in and done a nice job when needed.  Not sure why you have to be so negative towards the coaches  and their playcalling  when they are 7-1 and first in conference.  Let the coaches coach, the players play and the fans cheer on the Owls!  Positive attitudes breeds success.  They obviously have done pretty darn good so far with what they have been going with. The owls will need all the support they can get these next two weeks. BEAT CCSF!

Guys:

actually the DeAnza game was also impressive in a weird way --on a day when this Owls team had nothing going right, and was headed for a really damaging result, they found a way to win 

Owls do not dominate, they just win----CCSF and Butte are exceptional, these next two games should be great match-ups.  

I have nothing but the highest respect for the Foothill Owls and their program...I am a longtime fan and ardent supporter. For the record I think the Raiders suck and Al Davis must go...does that also make me a bad guy??? #7 Kelly is the starter...when did I say he was not? I said #4 Tarik should be the starter, more mobile and better check down reads...we will see who starts against CCSF...I am positive that on 3rd and 1 the call is to run when they have not been stopping the run and your QB cannot throw an out??? I am positive that a program should be able to convert 35 yd and under kicks??? I am positive that I do not agree with some of the play calling??? All that does not add to negativity...it equals an opinion, that is all. I yell louder than just about everyone, at everygame. Against CSM I almost thought they were the home team. Their fans at times were much louder. So thanks for your input but again...MY opinion...BEAT CCSF!!!!

This weekend is huge because CSM must beat Butte, and CCSF must beat FC to keep alive conference champions possibility

If Foothill wins Saturday they clinch the conference, no matter what CSM does --and if Foothill wins the conference they will host the CVC champ at Los Altos, with a real chance to host the state championship game on their own field

but it has to get done on the field, one play at a time, for 60 minutes --Rams will be very tough, so will Butte --but again Foothill needs to get to 4-1 at least in conference

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one tiebreaker I can't figure out:

what if FC loses to CCSF and beats Butte -- 4-1

and CSM beats Butte and DVC --4-1

and City beats FC and SRJC  --4-1 

who would be the tie breaker?

The team that beat the highest ranked team in preseason in the final COA rankings.................. if there is a 3-way tie.

Sounds familiar eh Coast?