Despite heavy graduation losses, the Manteca High football team has begun the season on the watch list for a CIF State Bowl berth.

To get there, though, the Buffaloes will have to leap-frog a few usual suspects in the next two months. Manteca (1-0), which earned a favorable win last week at Wilcox of Santa Clara, debuted at No. 7 in the Division II North rankings.

Clayton Valley of Concord is the top-ranked Division II team ahead of running back Izzy Mathews and second-ranked Enterprise, which defeated the Buffaloes in the Northern California regional championship last fall, 27-21.

The Hornets, which eventually lost to Chaminade 41-9 in the state championship, return much of their talent, including Mathews (288 carries, 2,220 yards, 7.71 yards per carry, 32 touchdowns), a preseason all-state second-team selection.

Concord is No. 3, followed by a trio of teams Manteca defeated en route to its fourth Sac-Joaquin Division title a year ago.

The fourth-ranked Sacramento Dragons are gunning for their first section championship in program history and field one of the state’s top two-way players in Lonny Powell (951 rushing yards, 23 sacks) and 4,000-yard quarterback Caden Voges.

The Buffaloes routed the Dragons in the Division III final, 49-6.

CalHiSports.com editor Mark Tennis and his staff like Sacramento or Enterprise to make an appearance in the Division II regional game.

“The Sac-Joaquin D3 winner (last year, Manteca), whoever it is, will be a real threat to grab one of two bowl bids as well,” Tennis said in a press release. “For historical reasons, it would be fun if that team was Sac High (which could have one of its best team in many years), but Enterprise did beat Manteca in last year’s game (basically on the road) and figures to be just as good or better with many standout returnees.”

The remaining top-10 teams promise to apply heat.

Manteca’s semifinal victim, Inderkum, is No 5, followed by a longtime Valley Oak League rival in sixth-ranked Oakdale.

As fate would have it, the Manteca-Oakdale game has been given a regional platform. The two will meet at Levi’s Stadium on Oct. 11 at noon as part of a revamped, two-day “Friday Night Lights” showcase.

No other area team appears in the CalHiSports.com bowl rankings.

Manteca celebrates its home opener against Valley Christian of Dublin on Friday.