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Seasoned Griffins head local schedule
- Updated: July 13, 2026
Grossmont quarterback Melvin Spicer IV
Grossmont, Southwestern, San Diego Mesa and Palomar set paths toward ’26 season
2026 COMMUNITY COLLEGE FOOTBALL
Football season is beginning to take shape across San Diego County, with the area’s four community-college programs preparing for opening weekend and their 2026 schedules now largely in place.
Grossmont College leads the local outlook after producing one of the state’s more notable turnarounds last fall. The Griffins finished 7-4 under head coach Mason Mitchell, capped by a 21-20 victory over West Los Angeles in the SCFA Beach Bowl.
Grossmont went 2-3 in the American-Pacific Conference, but won seven games overall and closed the season with consecutive victories.
It was another step forward for a program that won the mythical national championship in 2005 under legendary head coach Mike Jordan but endured a stagnant period in more recent years. However, the program appears rejuvenated since Mitchell’s arrival.
The Griffins return quarterback Melvin Spicer IV, who emerged as one of Southern California’s top passers as a freshman. The Las Vegas native completed 226 of 379 passes for 2,938 yards and 26 touchdowns against only four interceptions. Spicer averaged 267.1 passing yards per game and was named Player of the Game in the Beach Bowl victory.
Grossmont returns defensive standout Titus Toilolo, while return specialist and receiver Isaac Syph is back after earning all-conference recognition last season. Defensive lineman Lincoln Chukwuemeka was among the players at Griffins’ recent beach workout and team-bonding session.
The beach workout included tug-of-war, overhead medicine-ball drills conducted while players sat in the rushing shoreline and other conditioning activities. Grossmont also held a camp earlier this month as its summer preparations continued.
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Grossmont opens Aug. 29 against Compton, which the Griffins defeated 64-0 last season.
The schedule’s early highlight comes one week later, when Grossmont renews its long-standing rivalry with Southwestern. Grossmont leads the all-time series, 27-17-1, although Southwestern won the most recent meeting, 28-7, in 2024.
The Griffins will face eight regular-season opponents they played last year.
Grossmont defeated Compton, LA Valley, Victor Valley, LA Pierce and Glendale, while losing to Antelope Valley, Santa Monica and San Bernardino Valley.
The Griffins also split two one-point games with West Los Angeles, losing 14-13 during conference play before taking the Beach Bowl rematch.
Southwestern
Southwestern enters its third season under head coach Oscar Rodriguez after posting the strongest 2025 record among the county’s three National-Southern programs.
The Jaguars finished 8-3 overall and 4-3 in conference play, placing behind Saddleback, El Camino and Riverside. Southwestern closed the season with consecutive victories and remains one of the county’s most consistently competitive programs.
The Jaguars open Aug. 29 at College of the Canyons. Southwestern then hosts Grossmont, Long Beach and San Diego Mesa before meeting Palomar at DeVore Stadium on Oct. 8.
San Diego Mesa
San Diego Mesa finished 4-6 overall and 3-4 in National-Southern play last season under head coach Gary Watkins, a former Monte Vista High player who played under former Monarch and Southwestern head coach Ed Carberry.
The Olympians’ posted schedule begins Sept. 5 against Mt. San Antonio and includes county matchups against Palomar and Southwestern. San Diego Mesa also faces El Camino, Saddleback, Chaffey, Mt. San Jacinto and Riverside in conference play.
The currently published schedule contains only nine games and appears to be incomplete.
Palomar
Palomar enters another season under head coach Joe Early after finishing 3-7 overall and 2-5 in conference play.
The Comets ended last season with two consecutive victories and open the 2026 campaign Aug. 29 at Ventura. Palomar then hosts East Los Angeles and Pasadena City before beginning National-Southern play at San Diego Mesa.
2026 San Diego County JC Football Matchups
The conference alignment remains unchanged for 2026. Grossmont is San Diego County’s lone American League program, while Southwestern, San Diego Mesa and Palomar remain together in the National-Southern.
The Griffs do not meet Mesa or Palomar this season.
Sat., Sept. 5 — Grossmont at Southwestern, noon
Sat., Sept. 19 — Palomar at San Diego Mesa, 6 p.m.
Sat., Sept. 26 — San Diego Mesa at Southwestern, noon
Thu., Oct. 8 — Palomar at Southwestern, 6 p.m.
2026 SAN DIEGO COUNTY COMMUNITY COLLEGE FOOTBALL SCHEDULES
GROSSMONT
Sat., Aug. 29 — Compton, 3 p.m.
Sat., Sept. 5 — at Southwestern, noon
Sat., Sept. 12 — Antelope Valley, 3 p.m.
Sat., Sept. 19 — LA Valley, 3 p.m.
Sat., Sept. 26 — at Victor Valley, 5 p.m.
Sat., Oct. 3 — Santa Monica*, 3 p.m.
Sat., Oct. 10 — at West Los Angeles*, 3 p.m.
Sat., Oct. 24 — at San Bernardino Valley*, 6 p.m.
Sat., Oct. 31 — LA Pierce*, 2 p.m.
Sat., Nov. 7 — at Glendale*, 5 p.m.
*American-Pacific Conference game
SOUTHWESTERN
Sat., Aug. 29 — at College of the Canyons, 2 p.m.
Sat., Sept. 5 — Grossmont*, noon
Sat., Sept. 12 — Long Beach*, 2 p.m.
Sat., Sept. 19 — at Mt. San Jacinto*, 6 p.m.
Sat., Sept. 26 — San Diego Mesa*, noon
Thu., Oct. 8 — Palomar*, 6 p.m.
Sat., Oct. 17 — at Riverside*, 2 p.m.
Sat., Oct. 24 — at El Camino*, 6 p.m.
Sat., Oct. 31 — Saddleback*, noon
Sat., Nov. 7 — at Chaffey*, 2 p.m.
*National-Southern Conference game
SAN DIEGO MESA
Editor’s note: San Diego Mesa’s currently published schedule contains nine games and appears to be incomplete. EastCountySports will update the schedule when an additional game or other information is posted.
Sat., Sept. 5 — Mt. San Antonio, 6 p.m.
Sat., Sept. 12 — at Citrus, 6 p.m.
Sat., Sept. 19 — Palomar*, 6 p.m.
Sat., Sept. 26 — at Southwestern*, noon
Thu., Oct. 8 — at El Camino*, 6 p.m.
Sat., Oct. 17 — Saddleback*, 6 p.m.
Sat., Oct. 24 — at Chaffey*, 6 p.m.
Sat., Oct. 31 — Mt. San Jacinto*, 6 p.m.
Sat., Nov. 7 — Riverside*, 1 p.m.
*National-Southern Conference game
PALOMAR
Sat., Aug. 29 — at Ventura, 6 p.m.
Sat., Sept. 5 — East Los Angeles, 6 p.m.
Sat., Sept. 12 — Pasadena City, 6 p.m.
Sat., Sept. 19 — at San Diego Mesa*, 6 p.m.
Sat., Sept. 26 — Riverside*, 6 p.m.
Thu., Oct. 8 — at Southwestern*, 6 p.m.
Sat., Oct. 17 — El Camino*, 6 p.m.
Sat., Oct. 24 — at Saddleback*, 1 p.m.
Sat., Oct. 31 — Chaffey*, 1 p.m.
Sat., Nov. 7 — at Mt. San Jacinto*, 6 p.m.
*National-Southern Conference game
