James Griffin knew he would have his work cut out for him.

As the new head coach of the San Bernardino Valley College football program, Griffin was walking in with the knowledge that the Wolverines had won only once over the last three seasons - which included a 2024 season that was halted after two games because there were not enough players to safely field a team. 

So, when the Wolverines finished the 2025 season with a 66-0 victory over Los Angeles Pierce, and a share of the American Conference Pacific League championship, there was a sense of satisfaction around the football stadium that the ship had been righted at San Bernardino Valley.

Turns out, the job's not finished.

For the first time since 2019, the Wolverines will be going to a bowl game.

SBVC (7-3) will take on Antelope Valley (9-1) in the Western State Bowl at 5 p.m. Nov. 22 at Antelope Valley. It will be the first post-season action for the Wolverines since appearing in back-to-back American Bowl Championship games in 2018-19.

"We are excited about this opportunity that God has blessed us with," Griffin said. "We are going to continue to lift Valley Up."

The game will be a rematch of the Week 1 game between the two teams that Antelope Valley won 33-28 at San Bernardino Valley. In that game, the Mauraders led 33-14 at the half, then were forced to hold on as the Wolverines rallied in the second half. SBVC had two chances in the final five minutes to take the lead, but stalled out at the AVC 7-yard-line on its first drive, then had a pass intercepted deep in Maurader territory with 1:06 remaining to close the game.

Since that game, the Wolverines have clamped down on the defensive end. The Wolverines defense did not allow a point over a 10-quarter period from the second half of the AVC game through shutout victories over LA Valley and Compton. They closed out the season only allowing 16 points per game, including a third shutout and fourth game in which the team only allowed a safety. The SBVC defense has limited opponents to only 241 yards per game, limiting teams to less than 100 yards per game on the ground.

The offense has been strong as well, averaging about 350 yards per game, posting an average of 40.7 points per game. 

Antelope Valley has racked up yardage on offense this season, averaging 477.6 yards per game in their nine games played on the field - the Mauraders received a forfeit win from Compton in Week 10. But defensively, teams have posted an average of 330.2 yards per game against the AVC defense.