THE BEE'S TOP 20 FOOTBALL RANKINGS

1. Bakersfield (5-0), next: vs. Liberty-Bakersfield (3-2), Oct. 5

2. Central (5-0), next: vs. Buchanan (2-2), Oct. 5

3. Clovis North (5-0), next: at Clovis West (1-3), Oct. 5

4. Clovis (4-1), next: vs. Clovis East (2-3), Oct. 5

5. Garces (4-1), next: at Highland (1-3), Oct. 5

6. Edison (2-2), next: at Clovis West (1-3), Friday

7. El Diamante (3-2), next: at Hanford (0-5), Friday

8. Frontier (2-3), next: at Centennial (1-3), Oct. 5

9. Ridgeview (3-2), next: vs. Washington (0-4), Friday

10. Liberty-Bakersfield (3-2), next: at Bakersfield (5-0), Oct. 5

11. Mt. Whitney (3-1), next: vs. Mission Oak (4-0), Friday

12. Buchanan (2-2), next: at Stockdale (1-3), Friday

13. Clovis West (1-3), next: vs. Edison (2-2), Friday

14. Centennial (1-3), next: vs. Tulare (1-3), Friday

15. Bullard (2-2), next: vs. Hoover (1-3), Friday

16. Stockdale (1-3), next: vs. Buchanan (2-2), Friday

17. Kingsburg (4-0), next: vs. Coalinga (3-1), Friday

18. Mission Oak (4-0), next: at Mt. Whitney, Friday

19. Wasco (4-0), next: vs. Chavez (3-2), Friday

20. Redwood (4-1), next: at Golden West (1-3), Friday

DIVISIONAL RANKINGS

D-I: 1. Bakersfield; 2. Central; 3. Clovis North

D-II: 1. Garces; 2. El Diamante; 3. Kingsburg

D-III: 1. Ridgeview; 2. Mt. Whitney; 3. Dinuba (4-1)

D-IV: 1. Mission Oak; 2. Wasco; 3. Hanford West (4-1)

D-V: 1. Liberty-M.R. (4-0); 2. Shafter (5-0); 3. Sierra (4-0)

D-VI: 1. Mendota (4-0); 2. Avenal (4-1); 3. Strathmore (3-2)

THE BUZZ

Central Section game of the week: Sierra at Mendota. Host Aztecs have won 16 straight. ... Bakersfield averaged 9.7 yards per play while compiling 545 yards in a 59-18 road rout of then-No. 8 Buchanan on Friday. And when it really mattered, the Drillers pumped 13.8 while bolting to a 45-18 halftime lead. They spent the fourth quarter milking the 25-second play clock, sparing the Bears further embarrassment on homecoming. ... Now more heat for Buchanan -- at Stockdale on Friday before visiting Central on Oct. 5 for a Tri-River Athletic Conference opener. The Grizzlies are unbeaten without coming remotely close to fielding their front-line defense because of injuries. Five starters on that side of the ball didn't play in their 40-21 nonleague victory at Tulare. ... The TRAC is back. After failing last season to advance a representative to the D-I championship for the second time in three years, the league occupies three of The Bee's top four spots, five of the top 13, has gone 19-9 in nonleague play, including 13-4 against section competition and, above all, 4-2, against the rival Southwest Yosemite League. Before 2010, teams now associated with the TRAC made the D-I final in 17 of 18 years, winning 13 and accounting for both finalists seven times. ... Pretty hard for El Diamante coach Mark Rogers to not play No. 1 quarterback Jacob Valdez (ankle) when he actually could have in what would be a humbling 42-7 nonleague loss at Central on Sept. 14. The idea was to preserve Valdez for a more important game -- the West Yosemite League opener Friday against then-No. 7 Mt. Whitney. And, sure enough, Valdez was 14 for 20 for 323 yards and three TDs in a 49-31 conquest of the Pioneers. Mt. Whitney returns to Mineral King Bowl on Friday to host Mission Oak.