Photos by Bobby R. Hester
Photos by Bobby R. Hester

Riverside Ranked Second in College Football America Yearbook’s 2021 Preseason Juco Top 30

The reigning California Community College Athletic Association (CCCAA) State and National Champion Riverside City College football team has been tabbed the second-best squad in the nation by College Football America entering into the 2021 season.

The rankings are comprised of teams from the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) and the CCCAA – the two major sponsors of two-year football.

No. 2 Riverside is the top California school and joins 14 other CCCAA schools on the list. The most noteworthy being No. 6 San Mateo, who the Tigers defeated in the 2019 CCCAA State Championship game 31-13.

The Tigers will face off against five of the top 30 teams beginning with No. 20 Long Beach in week two. No. 13 Saddleback will follow in week three for the team's home opener. A pair of top ranked teams will play the Tigers on the road with No. 11 Canyons in week five and No. 27 Mt. San Antonio in week seven. Riverside ill round out regular season play at home with No. 30 Chaffey.  

Also featured on the list is No. 8 Modesto, No. 15 American River, No. 18 Fresno City, No. 22 Ventura, No. 24 CC San Francisco, No. 25 Butte, No. 28 Fullerton and No. 29 Laney.

Head Coach Tom Craft, who earned his 100th win at RCC in 2019, will bring back a squad that looks to defend its state title for the first time since 2009-10 when Mt. San Antonio won it back-to-back years.

Following the 2019 season, the Tigers successfully transferred 24 student-athletes from their roster with the number continuing to rise. These schools have featured major Division I including UCLA, University of Arizona, Arizona State University, UNLV, Fresno State University and many more.