TOP 20 TEAMS

1. Clovis (4-0) Next: at Sanger (1-2), Friday

2. Bakersfield (4-0) Next: vs. Golden Val. (1-1), Friday

3. Bullard (2-1) Next: at Clovis West (0-3), Friday

4. Memorial (3-0) Next: at Clovis North (3-0), Thursday

5. Centennial (1-2) Next: vs. North (1-1), Friday

6. Edison (2-1) Next: vs. Buchanan (1-2), Thursday

7. Tulare (3-0) Next: at Granite Hills (1-2), Thursday

8. Central (2-1) Next: at Reedley (1-2), Friday

9. Frontier (2-0) Next: at West (0-2), Friday

10. Ridgeview (2-0) Next: vs. Arvin (0-3), Friday

11. Clovis North (3-0) Next: vs. SJM (3-0), Thursday

12. Garces (3-1) Next: at Stockdale (2-1), Friday

13. Clovis West (0-3) Next: vs. Bullard (2-1), Friday

14. Stockdale (2-1) Next: vs. Garces (3-1), Friday

15. Porterville (3-1) Next: vs. Mission Oak (3-0), Friday

16. Tehachapi (3-1) Next: vs. Rosamond (1-2), Oct. 7

17. Washington (3-0) Next: at Selma (3-0), Friday

18. Kingsburg (3-1) Next: at Dinuba (3-0), Friday

19. Madera (4-0) Next: at Madera South (3-1), Friday

20. Dinuba (3-0) Next: vs. Kingsburg (3-1), Friday

DIVISIONAL RANKINGS

D-I 1. Clovis; 2. Bakersfield; 3. Bullard

D-II 1. Memorial; 2. Frontier; 3. Clovis North

D-III 1. Ridgeview; 2. Porterville; 3. Kingsburg

D-IV 1. Washington; 2. Coalinga (4-0); 3. Wasco (4-0)

D-V1. Firebaugh (3-0); 2. Fowler (2-2); 3. Gran. Hills (2-2)

D-VI 1. Mendota (4-0); 2. Orange Cove (3-0); 3. Farm. (2-1)

THE BUZZ

The County/Metro Athletic Conference – with three of the top six teams in No. 3 Bullard, No. 4 Memorial and No. 6 Edison, in addition to No. 19 Madera – appears to have unseated the Tri-River Athletic Conference as the Central Section's strongest league. The CMAC, which also includes Sunnyside and Sanger, is a combined 14-5. That includes a 3-0 mark against the TRAC, which is 11-9 overall. Buchanan (1-2), Clovis East (1-3) and Clovis West (0-3) are 2-8, and never in TRAC history has that happened. The CMAC has a prime opportunity to reaffirm its superiority with four games against the TRAC this week, matching Edison against Buchanan and Memorial against Clovis North on Thursday and Bullard against Clovis West and Sanger against Clovis on Friday. The Bullard-Clovis West game at Buchanan will match the past two D-I champions.

Memorial senior Chris Brown has rushed for 665 yards and scored 15 touchdowns in three games, averaging 11.5 yards per carry. Clovis North coach Cory Hall, meanwhile, says he'll hold out top quarterback Christian Rossi (knee).

Something to consider regarding former No. 4 Stockdale, which learned that star running back D.J. Martin was academically ineligible hours before losing 42-0 at Clovis: The Mustangs are now 0-3, also forfeiting victories against East Bakersfield and West because Martin played in them. Given a Kern County High School District policy that requires schools to compile a minimum .500 record to advance to the postseason, that means Stockdale has to win at least five of its final seven regular season games to qualify. And the remaining schedule includes four ranked teams in No. 12 Garces (Friday), No. 5 Centennial (Oct. 14), No. 9 Frontier (Oct. 28) and No. 2 Bakersfield (Nov. 4). Martin will likely return for the Frontier game.