In short: Irvine Vaqueros high school football (Irvine, CA), 2026 season: 6-3 in the Foxtrot League. Last game: L 17-55 vs Orange on October 22, 2026. Next: at El Dorado, October 29, 2026. Schedule and results, player season stats, stat leaders, unit grades, ScorePirate ranking and the game-by-game log.
The turnover battle could decide Irvine's next game, against El Dorado, and the recent returns favor El Dorado. Irvine committed 0.5 giveaways per game over its first 4 games (3-1), #27 in CIF-SS in that timeframe. In the 5 games since that hot start (3-2), the Vaqueros have committed 1.8 giveaways per game, a 260% rise, #304 in CIF-SS in that window. The schedule has a lot to do with it: Irvine's last 5 opponents have averaged 1.5 per game, a #153 defense in CIF-SS on the season, against 1.0 per game, #269 for the first 4. Measured against those opponents' norms (1.5 per game), Irvine turned it over 22% more than those defenses usually force. Conversely, El Dorado's defense has been one of CIF-SS's better units in recent weeks. The Golden Hawks have forced 2.0 takeaways per game over their last 5 games (4-1), #53 in CIF-SS during that time. Those games came against a middle-of-the-pack set of offenses in CIF-SS (1.2 per game on the season, which would rank #207). Against those norms, El Dorado forced 61% more turnovers than those offenses usually give up. Unless Irvine's ball security rediscovers its early form, the edge in this matchup belongs to El Dorado.
The number to watch when Irvine meets El Dorado is Irvine's scoring defense. Irvine allowed 15.0 points per game over its first 5 games (4-1), #76 in CIF-SS through those games. Over the stretch of 4 games that followed (2-2), the Vaqueros have allowed 27.2 points per game, an 82% rise, #244 in CIF-SS through that stretch. The schedule has a lot to do with it: Irvine's last 4 opponents have averaged 27.4 points per game, a #162 offense in CIF-SS on the season, against 20.7 points per game, #271 for the first 5. The level of competition matters too: in ScorePirate's SP Strength Index, the last 4 opponents average a rating that would rank #115 in CIF-SS, well above the first 5 (#201), so the dip has come against better teams overall. Conversely, El Dorado's offense has been one of CIF-SS's better units in recent weeks. The Golden Hawks have averaged 31.2 points per game over their last 4 games (3-1), #120 in CIF-SS over that stretch. Those games came against a middle-of-the-pack set of scoring defenses in CIF-SS (22.9 points per game on the season, which would rank #193). Against those norms, El Dorado scored 37% more than those defenses usually allow. Unless Irvine's defense rediscovers its early form, the edge in this matchup belongs to El Dorado.
NOTES
The biggest worry in Irvine's season has been the direction of its pass defense. Irvine allowed 6.1 yards per pass attempt (707 yards on 116 attempts) over its first 5 games (4-1), #85 in CIF-SS within that period. Over the stretch of 4 games that followed (2-2), the Vaqueros have allowed 10.3 yards per pass attempt (785 yards on 76 attempts), a 69% rise, #313 in CIF-SS across those games. The schedule has a lot to do with it: Irvine's last 4 opponents have averaged 9.3 yards per attempt, a #90 passing attack in CIF-SS on the season, against 6.7 yards per attempt, #252 for the first 5. Measured against those opponents' norms (9.3 yards per attempt), Irvine allowed 11% more per attempt than those passing attacks usually gain. The level of competition matters too: in ScorePirate's SP Strength Index, the last 4 opponents average a rating that would rank #115 in CIF-SS, well above the first 5 (#201), so the dip has come against better teams overall. On the season, Irvine ranks #208 in CIF-SS in pass defense. El Dorado's passing game sits in the middle of the pack, #146 in CIF-SS (8.2 yards per attempt).
Irvine's defense from the opening weeks has gone missing since. The Vaqueros allowed 5.1 yards per play (1,236 yards on 244 snaps) over their first 5 games (4-1), #55 in CIF-SS during those games. Over the stretch of 4 games that followed (2-2), Irvine has allowed 8.0 yards per play (1,415 yards on 176 snaps), a 59% rise, #293 in CIF-SS during that period. The schedule has a lot to do with it: Irvine's last 4 opponents have averaged 7.6 yards per play, a #107 offense in CIF-SS on the season, against 5.8 yards per play, #270 for the first 5. Measured against those opponents' norms (7.6 yards per play), Irvine allowed 6% more per snap than those offenses usually gain. The level of competition matters too: in ScorePirate's SP Strength Index, the last 4 opponents average a rating that would rank #115 in CIF-SS, well above the first 5 (#201), so the dip has come against better teams overall. On the season, the Vaqueros rank #177 in CIF-SS in yards per play allowed. El Dorado's offense sits in the middle of the pack, #158 in CIF-SS (6.9 yards per play).
Something changed for Irvine's run defense after the first 5 games of the season. Irvine allowed 4.1 yards per carry (529 yards on 128 rushes) over its first 5 games (4-1), #69 in CIF-SS during that stretch. Over the stretch of 4 games that followed (2-2), the Vaqueros have allowed 6.3 yards per carry (630 yards on 100 rushes), a 52% rise, #237 in CIF-SS over that period. The schedule doesn't explain it: the opponents in both stretches have averaged about 5.1 yards per carry on the season. Measured against those opponents' norms (5.3 yards per carry), Irvine allowed 20% more per carry than those rushing attacks usually gain. The level of competition matters too: in ScorePirate's SP Strength Index, the last 4 opponents average a rating that would rank #115 in CIF-SS, well above the first 5 (#201), so the dip has come against better teams overall. On the season, Irvine ranks #134 in CIF-SS in run defense. El Dorado's ground game sits in the middle of the pack, #167 in CIF-SS (5.8 yards per carry).
The Vaqueros averaged 17.0 points per game over their first 3 games (2-1), #288 in CIF-SS over that timeframe. Few teams started slower in this department, and few have turned it around as sharply since. In the 6 games since that slow start (4-2), Irvine has averaged 24.0 points per game, a 41% rise, #211 in CIF-SS over that span. The schedule doesn't explain it: the opponents in both stretches have averaged about 23.2 points per game on the season. On the season, the Vaqueros rank #257 in CIF-SS in scoring. That form gets a real test against El Dorado, whose defense ranks #82 in CIF-SS (16.2 points per game). Irvine is 4-2 this season when it scores 17 or more, and 2-1 when it doesn't.
Irvine's ground game has bogged down on the ground as the season has progressed. Irvine averaged 7.8 yards per carry (1,012 yards on 129 rushes) over its first 5 games (4-1), #56 in CIF-SS in that timeframe. Over the stretch of 4 games that followed (2-2), the Vaqueros have averaged 5.2 yards per carry (605 yards on 116 rushes), a 34% drop, #199 in CIF-SS in that window. The schedule doesn't explain it: the opponents in both stretches have averaged about 5.5 yards per carry on the season. The level of competition matters too: in ScorePirate's SP Strength Index, the last 4 opponents average a rating that would rank #115 in CIF-SS, well above the first 5 (#201), so the dip has come against better teams overall. On the season, Irvine ranks #105 in CIF-SS in rushing. El Dorado's run defense sits in the middle of the pack, #172 in CIF-SS (5.4 yards per carry).
TIDBITS (6 found)
• Club Irvine has gone 5 straight games committing 1+ turnover (September 18, 2026 through October 22, 2026), going 3-2 over that stretch, a school-record 5 straight in the 22 seasons on record.
• Club Irvine is 12-0 all time when scoring 30-39 points in the games on file (12 such games).
• Club Irvine is 19-2 all time when averaging 7.0+ yards per play. Irvine's last loss when averaging 7.0+ yards per play was October 2, 2026 against Segerstrom (L, 20-21).
• Player Seamus Hoffman has 524 rushing yards over his last 4 games (131.0 a game, October 2, 2026 through October 22, 2026) -- his most in a 4-game stretch since the 627 he had from August 21, 2026 through September 11, 2026.
• Player Kyle Fogarty has never had a game recording 100+ receiving yards for Irvine, over a 17-game career on record. His career high is 83, set October 31, 2025 against Sonora (W, 42-15).
• Player Seamus Hoffman has gone 6 straight games without catching a touchdown pass. The last time he caught a touchdown pass was September 4, 2026 against Woodbridge (W, 36-24) — 1 TD catch.
MILESTONE WATCH
Irvine
William Bowman needs 86 passing yards for 1,000 (averaging 114.2 a game)
Seamus Hoffman needs 1 rushing touchdown for 10 (averaging 1.0 a game)
Win chances are the site's own game projections where one is on file, otherwise the SP Strength Index gap with a small home edge. The realistic range covers 80% of outcomes (10th to 90th percentile).
Every player with a stat on file, listed only where he has one. Open the arrow beside a name for his game-by-game line. Stats through the Oct 22 game; last updated Oct 26; roster and numbers checked Sep 3.
Click a column heading to sort. MIN hides players below that many attempts.
4 CIF-SS titles · 1 CIF-SS runner-up finish · 2 CIF-SS Players of the Year · 1 league title
YEAR
HONOR
2023
Pacific Hills LEAGUE CHAMPION (3-0 in league)
2000
CIF-SS Div. VI CHAMPION (def. Newport Harbor 14-0)
CIF-SS Defensive Player of the Year (VI): JOE BULLARD
1999
CIF-SS Div. VI RUNNER-UP (lost to Newport Harbor 19-18)
CIF-SS Defensive Player of the Year (VI): MIKE PATTERSON
1993
CIF-SS Div. IV CHAMPION (def. Canyon Springs 41-14)
1992
CIF-SS Div. IV CHAMPION (def. Newport Harbor 30-8)
1991
CIF-SS Div. II CHAMPION (def. Dana Hills 22-11)
Section and state results and Players of the Year: CIF-SS Record Book. League finishes judged from league schedules on file (2022-2025 seasons); earlier league titles are not on file.
PPG/OPP PPG use every played game on file. YPG/PLAYS-PER-GAME columns only ever come from games with a full box score on file, which can be a smaller sample than GP -- see the coverage note below when that's the case for this team.
Averages use only games with that number on file. SACKS ALW comes from the opponent's box score; TO FORCED is takeaways; TO MAR is takeaways minus giveaways, and its bottom cell is the season total. Dashes mean not on file.
UNIT INDEX
Pass Offense: grade 47.1/100 (-21 yds/gm vs average)
Rush Offense: grade 60.7/100 (+12 yds/gm vs average)
Pass Defense: grade 65.0/100 (-25 yds/gm vs average)
Rush Defense: grade 59.2/100 (-21 yds/gm vs average)
Unit grades: 0-100 league percentile, opponent-curved (two-way solve over current + past seasons, recency-weighted). Composite counts yardage, efficiency vs league YPA/YPC (50% tilt), and negative plays at sack=7yd, INT=45yd, TFL=4yd -- adjustable v1 constants.
COLLEGE COMMITMENTS
PLAYER
POS
CLASS
COMMITTED TO
RATING
#76 KOTA SESHIMO
OT
Sr.
Fresno State
3-star
1 committed player on the current IRV roster, per 247Sports. Players from earlier recruiting classes who have already graduated are not listed.
CONFIRMED TRANSFERS
TRANSFERS OUT (1)
PLAYER
POS
CLASS
TO
CONFIRMED
DYLAN D’EPIFANIO
Quarterback
Junior
Bishop Amat
roster
Confirmed from published reporting; 'roster' means a team roster also corroborates the move. Transfer reporting is strongest in the Southern Section, so an absence here is not proof no move happened.
OPPONENT TRACKER
(full explanation: Appendix, Note 2)
DATE
SITE
OPPONENT
THEIR RECORD
THEIR PPG
2026-10-29
at
EL DORADO
7-2
29.4
LAST YEAR
IRV finished 2025 at 9-4. Made the playoffs (3 postseason game(s) on file; exact round/result not available). Notable win: 14-0 over QUARTZ HILL (QUARTZ HILL finished 58% that season). Toughest loss: 20-21 to TROY (1-point margin).
"N/A" stands in for a box score that does not have stats entered. A total followed by a count in parentheses covers only the games with that stat on file.
TALKING POINTS (15 storylines)
IRV HAS PERFORMED BEST THIS DATA SET WHEN...
• IRV holds its opponents under 150 rushing yards (.999), and has won 17 straight when doing so
• IRV holds its opponents under 5.0 yards per carry (.999), and has won 13 straight when doing so
• IRV holds its opponents under 7.0 yards per play (.760), and has won 2 straight when doing so
• IRV rushes for 150+ yards (.875), and has won 4 straight when doing so
• IRV's offense has averaged 2.0 giveaways per game over their last 3 games. Their 34-game average is 0.8 giveaways per game. (+143%)
• IRV's defense has averaged 242.7 pass yards per game over their last 3 games. Their 31-game average is 119.0 pass yards per game. (+104%)
• IRV's defense has averaged 11.5 YPA over their last 3 games. Their 31-game average is 6.2 YPA. (+85%)
• IRV's defense has averaged 1.3 takeaways per game over their last 3 games. Their 34-game average is 0.7 takeaways per game. (+81%)
• IRV holds its opponents under 121.5 rushing yards (IRV's own median) (.999)
• IRV's defense has averaged 8.8 YPP over their last 3 games. Their 32-game average is 5.6 YPP. (+55%)
• IRV's defense has averaged 29.3 points allowed per game over their last 3 games. Their 34-game average is 18.9 points allowed per game. (+55%)
• IRV's offense has committed 1+ turnover in 5 straight games (09/18/2026-10/22/2026), going 3-2 over that stretch.
• IRV's defense has averaged 367.0 total yards per game over their last 3 games. Their 32-game average is 256.1 total yards per game. (+43%)
• IRV's offense has failed to reach 200 pass yds in 4 straight games (10/02/2026-10/22/2026), going 2-2 over that stretch.
• IRV's offense has committed 2+ turnovers in 4 straight games (10/02/2026-10/22/2026), going 2-2 over that stretch.
• IRVINE has committed 2+ turnovers in 4 straight games (10/2/26–10/22/26). It has not reached 5 straight in the last 4 years of games on file (2023-present).
IRV's defense has averaged 242.7 pass yards per game over their last 3 games. Their 31-game average is 119.0 pass yards per game. (+104%)
IRV's defense has averaged 11.5 YPA over their last 3 games. Their 31-game average is 6.2 YPA. (+85%)
IRV's defense has averaged 1.3 takeaways per game over their last 3 games. Their 34-game average is 0.7 takeaways per game. (+81%)
IRV's defense has averaged 8.8 YPP over their last 3 games. Their 32-game average is 5.6 YPP. (+55%)
IRV's defense has averaged 29.3 points allowed per game over their last 3 games. Their 34-game average is 18.9 points allowed per game. (+55%)
IRV's defense has averaged 367.0 total yards per game over their last 3 games. Their 32-game average is 256.1 total yards per game. (+43%)
IRV's defense has averaged 6.3 YPC over their last 3 games. Their 32-game average is 5.2 YPC. (+22%)
(moved to the Appendix, Data Export 1, to keep this section shorter -- the full spreadsheet-paste table is there unchanged)
APPENDIX
Full-length explanations and full-size data exports for the shortened notes and relocated tables referenced throughout this report, numbered in the order their pointers appear above.
Explanatory Notes
Note 1 -- SEASON OUTLOOK
Every remaining game is projected from schedule-adjusted ratings; already-played games carry their real result. Records are simulated distributions, not a single guess -- MOST LIKELY FINAL is the single most probable record and its own probability, PROJECTED RECORD is the season's expected win total expressed in record form (an average across every simulated outcome, so it can land on a fraction of a game).
Note 2 -- OPPONENT TRACKER -- why some cards have no record shown
Only meaningful for an opponent who is ALSO a tracked team in the library -- an opponent with no games on file here at all shows the date and site alone.
Note 3 -- MOST IMPORTANT NUMBERS -- how a number is scored
Every split this report computes is scored on four weighted criteria and the top 5 per team are listed. In Cooper's own weighting order: (1) the WIN% attached to the condition, counted only when the condition has occurred at least 8 times -- a smaller sample is dropped outright, not discounted; (2) the PPG attached to it, with higher better on offense and lower better on defense, and each side normalized against its own kind so a defensive number competes with defensive numbers rather than against scoring averages; (3) how far the number sits from the OPPONENT's on the same condition, across win%, PPG and how often the condition happens at all; and (4) where it falls among every other team previously run through this workbook and cached. Criteria 1 and 2 measure how strong a number is; 3 and 4 measure how much it distinguishes this team. Weights: win_pct 40%, ppg 27%, matchup 20%, pool 13%. See important_numbers.py.
Full Data Exports
Data Export 1 -- TRENDS — TAB-SEPARATED (10 columns)
Where IRVINE sits among 399 section teams on the two Unit Index composites -- Offense Grade 51.3, Defense Grade 68.9.
PASS YARDS ALLOWED / GAME: IRVINE VS THE SECTION
IRVINE ranks #346 of 356 section teams in passing yards allowed per game (246.5) -- a weakness worth a look.
IRVINE: SP STRENGTH INDEX BY SEASON
The program's index across 5 seasons on file -- 11.5 in 2022 to 11.3 in 2026.
These graphs were chosen by the program from this season's most notable numbers. Build your own -- any stat against any other, for any mix of teams, seasons or players, with a JPEG download -- in the Graph Builder.
