I think that's one of High School football's endearing qualities. Of course, that isn't really true, either... sometimes you DO know.
We've got a pre-league schedule tough enough that Kerman 'could' succumb and lose hope... thereby destroying the season. That's possible... I wouldn't say 'likely' but certainly not impossible.
I think we will vie for our League Title. I don't see it as a 'gimme' at all... but we should compete. After that? Probably gravy.
"State Championships", of which you speak in Iowa, are pretty much out of the question in Calif for nearly all High Schools. We'll play division IV teams, should we make the playoffs, that would destroy our local Div 1 teams. LA and SF have teams at that level that are basically farms for Div 1 colleges. And actually... we have one local Div 1 team who may be in that league... Central. I heard on the radio today that they have 32 Div 1 College prospects on the current roster. I can't even wrap my brain around that. - JamesJM