Prediction: Santa Margarita Catholic (Calif.) drops in-season tilt

The 2026 high school football season will be getting underway in less than two months with official practices, which means it’s officially preview season. Rivals is breaking down the nation’s top teams from coast-to-coast, and today we head to the West Coast to take a closer look at the 2025 CIF Open Division champion Santa Margarita Catholic (Calif.), the country’s No. 7 ranked team according to the final Rivals National 2025 High School Football Composite Rankings. How does the Eagles fare in Year 2 under the watch of former NFL quarterback Carson Palmer? Rivals goes ahead and dive in to their 2026 California high school football season.

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Scouting Summary: “Gazzaniga is a prototype tight end with an ideal frame to play in any situation. He’s all of 6-foot-4, pushing 240 pounds and is a well rounded player who can line up out wide, in the slot or attached. He’s an under-rated athlete who flashed at multiple off-season events and showed the ability to work the seam and get vertical. He’s a natural pass catcher with strong hands and catches it well through contact. He has always been a strong blocker, especially in run situations and will routinely drive his man down the field or bury him at the point of attack. Already advanced as a route runner, Gazzaniga has the kind of all around game that should allow him to compete for early playing time at the college level.” – Rivals National Recruiting Analyst, Greg Biggins

Others to watch: CB Ca’ron Williams, DL Isaia Vandermade, WR Grant Mosley, RB Jaion Smith, QB Fletch Palmer, LB Allen Kennett V, QB Matthew Smith, QB West Stansbury

The Eagles in Year 1 under alum Palmer ended with a 12-3 record and finished as the No. 1 ranked in the final 2025 California High School Football Massey Rankings. Playing within the vaunted Trinity League gives the Eagles automatically the likes of teams like Mater Dei, Orange Lutheran and St. John Bosco right out of the gates. California’s top team will start the season at home against Orlando (Fla.) Jones, the state runner ups from Florida’s Class 4A classification, on Aug. 21. We see Palmer’s bunch dropping one game within league play and reaching the CIF Southern Section championship game for a second straight season. Can they win it again? We’ve got them falling to St. John Bosco in the final, but that is definitely a prediction that could go up in flames with the way the Eagles’ defense played last year.

Aug. 21 – Orlando (Fla.) Jones– W
Santa Margarita Catholic welcomes a team from Florida and comes away with a win in the opener.

Aug. 28 – at Corona (Calif.) Centennial– W
For the second straight week, the Eagles are challenged by a team with national high school football championship aspirations and comes away at 2-0.

Sep. 4 – Palmdale (Calif.) Highland– W
The Eagles enter the ‘softer’ stretch of their schedule and cruise to a win over Highland.

Sep. 12 – Sacramento (Calif.) Inderkum– W
Another week and another big win for Santa Margarita Catholic as they improve to 4-0.

Sep. 18 – Norco (Calif.) – W
Carson Palmer’s crew reach the midway point of the season and move to 5-0.

Oct. 2 – Santa Ana (Calif.) Mater Dei– W
Arguably one of their toughest games of the season, Santa Margarita Catholic comes away with a convincing win.

Oct. 9 – Anaheim (Calif.) Servite– W
Servite is improved, but isn’t enough as the Eagles move to 7-0 on the season.

Oct. 16 – at Bellflower (Calif.) St. John Bosco– L
Santa Margarita Catholic loses its first game of the season on the road against a nationally ranked St. John Bosco squad.

Oct. 23 – San Juan Capistrano (Calif.) JSerra Catholic– W
The Eagles bounce back from their lone loss and pickup a big win at home.

Oct. 30 – Orange Lutheran (Calif.) – W
Palmer’s group closes the season with win No. 9 heading into the CIF Southern Section playoffs.

“Santa Margarita Catholic High School, located in Rancho Santa Margarita, California, is a prestigious private school known for its rigorous academics, strong athletics, and commitment to spiritual development. Offering a range of AP and honors courses, the school prepares students for higher education and future success. Santa Margarita’s athletic teams are highly competitive, frequently achieving state championships. Emphasizing leadership, faith, and community service, the school fosters well-rounded students ready for future challenges.”