Category: ACC

Cal Bears podcast Barbara Mason: Bears find their way back to win column against Hokies

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Jackson Brousseau threw for 321 yards and a touchdown with no interceptions against the Virginia Tech Hokies at Cal Memorial Stadium in Berkeley on Sat Oct 10, 2026. Photo by: Brianna Ali/Cal Athletics

Cal Bears podcast Barbara Mason:

1. Jackson Brousseau’s performance: How important was Brousseau’s 321 passing yards and one touchdown in keeping Cal competitive, especially with starting quarterback Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele unavailable due to injury?

2. Ashten Emory’s big night: How did Emory’s two rushing touchdowns, including the decisive two-yard score late in the fourth quarter, change the momentum of the game?

3. Cal’s receiving threats: How did Ian Strong’s 97 receiving yards and Chase Hendricks’ 94 yards help Brousseau move the ball against Virginia Tech’s defense?

4. Defensive resilience: How did Cal defenders Daniel Harris, who recorded a career-high eight tackles, and Cam Sydney, who broke up Virginia Tech’s final pass attempt, help secure the five-point victory?

5. Clutch plays under pressure: How crucial was Carson Perry-Smith’s late touchdown reception, along with the contributions of Towns McGough on field goals, in setting up Cal’s dramatic finish against the Hokies?

Join Barbara for the Cal Bears podcasts each Monday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Cal Bears beat the Virginia Tech Hokies, 25-20

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Virginia Tech Hokies quarterback (#17) Ethan Grukenmeyer looks downfield for an open receiver in an NCAA football game against the California Golden Bears at California Memorial Stadium on Saturday, October 10th, 2026, in Berkeley, CA. (Photo credit to IMAGN IMAGE)

By Michael Villanueva

BERKELEY – Saturday afternoon, the California Golden Bears (3-3) returned home to host the Virginia Tech Hokies (4-2) in this week’s six-game matchup. The Hokies led all game until a late fourth-quarter Bears offensive drive took the lead. However, Virginia Tech would have a chance to win the game, but the Bears’ defense came alive. California would get the win, 25-20 over Virginia Tech; this was also the Hokies first time playing in Berkeley.

Cal and Virginia Tech played their first-ever ACC football game at Databricks Field at California Memorial Stadium in Berkeley. The Golden Bears and Hokies have a 1-1 record in their all-time series. In their first game as conference rivals last season, Virginia Tech won 42-34 in double overtime in Blacksburg, Virginia. The game was tied at 27 points at the end of regulation in last year’s back-and-forth game, forcing overtime. Before Virginia Tech scored the game-winning goal in the second extra time, the Bears and the Hokies traded touchdowns in the first overtime.

Cal quarterback Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele did not play this afternoon as he’s recovering from a concussion in last week’s matchup against the UNLV Rebels. Jackson Brousseau started for Cal, his first start as a Golden Bear. Brousseau started 8 games at Colorado State last year. Adding to the bad news for the Bears, their star defensive back Kingston Lopa was also out. He’s recovering from a concussion he got last week as well, and he was leading the country in interceptions.

In the first quarter of the game, both teams were struggling offensively. Neither team was able to score in this quarter. The Bears were struggling to convert the ball on third downs; by the end of the quarter, the Bears went 0-of-3 on third downs. Also, Cal’s rushing game wasn’t seeing any success either, as the team’s rushing had -3 yards to start the game.

Going into the second quarter, Virginia Tech would get on the board first. Hokies quarterback Ethan Grunkemeyer would throw a 30-yard touchdown pass to Ayden Greene, and the Hokies led 7- 0. Then about six minutes later, the Bears were able to respond in five plays with Cal’s running back Ashten Emory. Emory would rush in a 5-yard touchdown and tie the game, 7-7.

Right before the two-minute warning, Virginia Tech would march down the field and finish their drive scoring. Hokies running back Marcellous Hawkins Jr. rushes a 5-yard touchdown for Virginia Tech, giving them the lead, 14-7. However, to end the first half of the game, Bears kicker Towns McGough makes a 35-yard field goal, cutting the lead to 14-10.

At the start of the third quarter, the Bears’ offense became aggressive, and being at home helped Cal. After an eleven-play drive, the Bears weren’t able to get a touchdown but were able to get a field goal. California McGough would make another field goal, this time at 22 yards. He brought the Bears, 14-13, to the Hokies. Bears’ defense also came up big on their stops and didn’t let the Hokies score in the third quarter.

In the final quarter of the game, Virginia Tech and Cal gave it their all to get the win. Both of these teams lost last week, so a win can help project the rest of both their seasons. With four minutes left on the clock, the Bears were able to convert a touchdown while in the red zone. Bears Brousseau would throw to Carson Perry-Smith for a 3-yard touchdown, giving Cal the lead, 19-13. California would go for the 2-point conversion, but failed.

Virginia Tech’s turn on offense after Cal scored, it took the Hokies nine plays to score. Virginia Tech’s Grukenmeyer rushed in a 1-yard touchdown for them and gave the Hokies back the lead, 20-19. Hokies went for the 2-point conversion, but failed. That gave the Bears hope for a comeback, whether it ends on a touchdown or field goal. So in six plays, Cal’s Ashten Emory would get his second touchdown of the game after rushing in a 2-yard touchdown. His scoring gave the Bears the lead and was ultimately the dagger on the Hokies, 25-20.

The Hokies had 18 seconds left of the game with no timeouts. However, they were able to bring the ball into their red zone, the 7-yard line. 3 seconds and the ball at the 7-yard line, Cal’s defense holds off Virginia Tech. Hokies Grukenmeyer was looking for Luke Reynolds, who couldn’t hold on to the ball as it hit his chest and then dropped. Reynolds had 4 catches in this game, but couldn’t grab this catch for the Hokies. Giving California the win and feeling Golden at home, the Bears’ last home win this season was on September 19th, against Wagner Seahawks.

California is now 2-2 at home this season. The Golden Bears will enjoy this conference win and get ready for their next game. Their next game will be on Saturday, October 17th, at home, as the team will get ready to host the Wake Forest Demon Deacons (5-1) in another conference matchup. The game will start at 7:30 p.m. and will be broadcast live on ACC Network.

Cal Bears podcast Barbara Mason: Cal can’t keep up with Rebel’s QB Arnold in 39-31 loss

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Tight end Taimane Purcell caught a 91-yard touchdown pass in the first quarter. Photo by: Max Wood/Cal Football

Cal Bears podcast Barbara Mason:

#1 How did the Cal Bears (2-3) offense manage to rally from a 17-point halftime deficit and briefly take a 25–24 lead in the fourth quarter?

#2 How significant was the loss of quarterback Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele, who left late in the first half, and how well did backup Jackson Brousseau respond? Brousseau finished 19-for-32 for 200 yards and two touchdowns.

#3 What made UNLV Rebels (3-2) quarterback Jackson Arnold so difficult for Cal to contain? Arnold accounted for five touchdowns, including 110 rushing yards and two rushing scores.

#4 Which defensive lapses cost Cal the game after its comeback? UNLV produced several explosive plays, including touchdown passes of 70, 36 and 10 yards.

#5 What should Cal take away from the 39–31 loss going forward, and does the comeback suggest the Bears are closer to turning their season around than the 2–3 record indicates?

Join Barbara Mason for the Cal Bears podcasts Mondays at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Stanford Cardinal podcast Michael Roberson: Stanford gets crushed by Wake Forest 57-3; Cardinal in trouble on both sides of the ball

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Stanford Cardinal and the Wake Forest Demon Deacons line up in NCAA action Sat Oct 3, 2026 at Allegacy Federal Credit Union Stadium in Winston Salem NC (photo by Stanford Cardinal media)

Stanford Cardinal podcast Michael Roberson:

#1 Davis Warren: What went wrong for Stanford quarterback Davis Warren against Wake Forest, and how did his 19-of-30, 136-yard passing performance affect the Cardinal offense?

#2 Micah Ford: Despite Stanford’s offensive struggles, running back Micah Ford carried the ball 16 times for 45 yards. What did his performance reveal about Stanford’s ability—or inability—to establish the run?

#3 Nate Brown: Wide receiver Nate Brown led the Cardinal with four catches for 42 yards. How effectively did Brown and the other Stanford receivers create opportunities against Wake Forest’s defense?

#4 Sedrick Irvin: Stanford’s Sedrick Irvin contributed both as a runner and receiver, finishing with 10 rushing yards and three receptions for 21 yards. How important was his versatility to the Cardinal’s offensive effort?

#5 Emmet Kenney: Emmet Kenney provided Stanford’s only points with a 43-yard field goal. What does the Cardinal’s reliance on Kenney’s kick say about the team’s struggles to finish offensive drives?

Michael Roberson covers the Stanford Cardinal for http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Rebels’ Scoring Frenzy Finds California on Losing End of a 39-31 Final

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Cal Bears defensive back Aidan Manutai (14) intercepts a pass intended for UNLV Rebels tight end Keynan Burnett (bottom) in the first half at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas on Sat Oct 3, 2026 (AP News photo)

By Barbara Mason


Saturday afternoon, the California Bears (2-3) matched up with the the UNLV Rebels (3-2). The game was played in the fully enclosed climate controlled Allegiant Stadium keeping fans happy and comfortable escaping the 95 degree temperatures which is relatively cool for Las Vegas. This will be the final non-conference game of the season for Cal.

It was a great start for the Bears in the opening quarter. Californis was first up on the scoreboard taking a 7-0 lead. The Rebels tied up the game 7-7 going into the second quarter. The Rebels took the lead in the second quarter 14-7.

Las Vegas would continue to push their lead hitting a 31-yard field goal taking a 17-7 lead. They would close out the second quarter scoring their third touchdown of the day taking a 24-7 lead into the third quarter. This game went loco in the third quarter with Cal going on a wild ride.

The Bears scored a touchdown followed by a successful two-point conversion to open the second half. With the score now 24-15 Cal forced a turnover on the next drive finishing it with a field goal and the Bears inched closer to Las Vegas 24-18 in a one-score game.

Cal scored in the early minutes of the fourth quarter taking their first lead since the first quarter 25-24. Las Vegas answered back scoring extending their lead to 32-25. Las Vegas quarterback Arnold went on to score his second rushing touchdown of the day and the Rebels had a 39-25 lead. With little time left on the clock the Bears kept playing tough scoring a touchdown but unsuccessfully going for the two-point conversion. The final score in a wild one was in favor of the Rebels 39-31

GAME RECAP
The Bears were first up on the scoreboard taking a 7-0 lead at 11:30 in the first quarter. Quarterback Jason-Keawe Sagapolutele threw a bomb for 91 yards to Taimaine Percell for the touchdown and the early lead. At 5:31 the Rebels would tie up the game when quarterback Jackson Arnold completed a 70-yard pass to Kayden McGee for the touchdown. It had been an electric showing through the air for both quarterbacks in the first quarter.

Las Vegas broke the tie in the second quarter scoring early at 11:18. Arnold had his second touchdown of the day this score a 55-yard rush taking a 14-7 lead. When it looked as if the Bears had tied up this game mid-way through the second quarter, Cal was called for holding putting an end to an impressive drive.

The Bears were forced to attempt a 51-yard field goal which failed and the score remained 14-7 in favor of UNLV. After the opening touchdown, California began to stumble. In the closing minutes of the second quarter Las Vegas not only hit a 31-yard field goal for a 17-7 lead but with 51 seconds left on the clock Arnold continued the beautiful rhythmn he had started to play with.

He completed a 36 yard pass to Taz Reddicks and the Rebels took a 24-7 lead into the locker room at the half. The Bears would have the ball to start the second half. In the closing minutes of the half Cal quarterback Sagapolutele took a late hit and was forced to leave the game. Jackson Brousseau took over to finish the second quarter.

Mid-way through the third quarter Cal finally got something going. They were able to force the Rebels to punt and began their drive on their own 42-yard-line at 5:43. Brosseau found Alonzo Esparza for 63 yards, the touchdown and a successful two-point conversion and the Bears now trailed 15-24 with a lot of time left in the game.

This game took a shocking turn when at 4:32 the Bears forced a turnover and began operaging at the Rebels 16-yard-line. Again another penalty for Cal backing the ball up to the 28-yard-line. The Bears got a little closer but were unable to get a first down.

They successfully kicked the field goal and the score was 24-18 in favor of Las Vegas. This game had not yet reached the fourth quarter and the Bears were nipping at the Rebel’s heels in this one-score game. It had been a crazy momentum turnaround. In the closing minutes of the third quarter Cal again held the Rebels taking possession.

As the fourth quarter got underway Cal sacked Arnold for an 11 yard lpss and the Bears took possession inside Rebel territory. California continued to advance the ball getting inside the ten-yard-line via a holding penalty. Ashton Emory rushed for 7-yards and the touchdown; Cal taking their first lead 25-24 since the first quarter. The Bears had scored 18 unanswered points.

A second targeting call in this game was called this one on Cal’s Daniel Harris and he was ejected leaving the Cal defense vunerable. Cal was now 3 players down defensively. Las Vegas went on to score hitting a wide-open Keyan Burnett catching his first touchdown of the season.

Las Vegas went for the conversion with Arnold successful and UNLV had a 32-25 lead with 5:42 left in the game. The Bears Miles Davis very nearly scored on the ensuing possession when he stepped out of bounds near the 50-line yard line. The Rebels defense held Cal and took possession moving downfield aided by Cal’s 14th penalty of the game.

Arnold would score his second rushing touchdown of the day and the Rebels had errupted leading 39-25. The Bears would drive downfield in their next drive going for it on fourth and 12 and succeeding leading to another touchdown. Ian Strong caught his first touchdown of the season in the endzone, the two-point attempt failed and that was the ball game with Las Vegas coming away with the win 39-31 in an abolute marathon.

GAME NOTES

It was a banner day for UNLV quarterback Jackson Arnold throwing for 172 yards and three touchdowns, rushing for two. Cal’s quarterback Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele was on his way to a productive afternoong before leaving the game just before the first half came to an end.

He suffered a rough hit to the head and remained out for the rest of the game. Bears quarterback Jackson Brousseau came in for Sagapolutele and came away with some nice numbers. He finished with 200 passing yards and two touchdowns.

What probably hurt Cal the most were the plethora of penalties. Fifteen penalties resulted in 152 yards which extended or disrupted drives. UNLV only had 7 penalties for 67 yards. Cal was penalized more than twice as many times as UNLV. If Cal can clean just this one thing up, things could go very well going forward for the Bears. They made an amazing attempt at a comeback.

Next up for California will be the Virginia Tech Hokies next Saturday October 10th at California Memorial Stadium. Kickoff for this game is scheduled for 12:30 PM.

Penalties had marred the Bears in this game. They average just under 8 penalties per game and in this game it cost them a touchdown.

Tigers are Golden against the Bears as Clemson defeats California, 24-10

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Cal quarterback (#3) Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele hands off to running back (#24) Adam Mohammed in a NCAA conference football matchup against Clemson Tigers at the California Memorial Stadium in Berkeley, CA on September 25th, 2026. (Photo credits to IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect)

By Michael Villanueva

BERKELEY – On Friday night at the foot of the Berkeley Hills, the California Golden Bears (2-2) once again hosted the Clemson Tigers (3-1) for an ACC conference football showdown. However, the Clemson Tigers got the win Friday night and are now on a three-game winning streak. The Golden Bears and Tigers last faced off in a historic Florida Citrus Bowl in 1992, where Cal defeated Clemson 37–13. After tonight, Cal will have played its only Friday night of the season this week against Clemson.

After defeating Syracuse on the road in Week 2 on September 12, the Bears are 1-0 in ACC play in 2026. Last weekend, the team defeated Wagner 49-7, the biggest margin of victory since a road win at Oregon State on October 20, 2018. In terms of passing defense efficiency, Cal is ranked 10th nationally and first in the ACC (95.31).

Tonight’s game against Cal was Clemson’s first visit to the West Coast since the ACC’s westward expansion. It will be Clemson’s fourth game in California history on Friday. Still, one of the program’s most memorable games was Clemson’s most recent one in California. Clemson won its third national championship on January 7, 2019, when it defeated Alabama 44-16 in Santa Clara.

In the first quarter, the Golden Bears defense came up big on a play on Clemson’s quarterback, Tait Reynolds. Reynolds would throw his first and only interception to California defensive back Isaiah Crosby. This interception would be the first for Crosby in his collegiate career. Then the Tigers would prevent the Bears offense from scoring after the interception. However, Clemson QB Reynolds would get sacked by Aiden Manutai and lose the ball during the tackle. Bears Kamar Mothudi would pick up the football and run it in for a 35-yard touchdown, putting California on the scoreboard first, 7-0.

Second quarter, it would be an electric and explosive quarter for Clemson. Tigers field goal kicker Nolan Hauser would make a 30-yard field goal attempt and get Clemson their first points of the night, 7-3. After that, Clemson’s offense would have a 17-play offensive possession that would end with the Tigers scoring and taking up much of the clock in the second quarter. Tigers running back Gideon Davidson would score his first touchdown on a 1-yard rush to the end zone, giving Clemson the lead, 10-7.

At halftime, Clemson would hold over the Golden Bears 10-7. California’s offense would put up just 46 rushing yards and 47 passing yards. California’s quarterback Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele would also get sacked twice in the first half. Clemson’s offense put up 109 rushing yards and 70 passing yards.

Going into the third quarter, California’s field goal kicker Chase Meyer would make a 30-yard field goal and give Cal three more points, tying the game 10-10. This scoring possession would be the only and last scoring possession for California. On a punt return for Clemson, Tigers’ Bryant Wesco Jr. would return a 65-yard punt return for a touchdown. This gave the Tigers back the lead and changed the score to 17-10. Bryant’s punt return would be the first one for Clemson in eight years.

Late in the fourth and final quarter of the game, the Tigers were still giving it to the Bears. Both of these teams would combine for one offensive touchdown. With three minutes left, Clemson’s running back, Gideon Davidson, rushes in a 75-yard rushing touchdown. Davidson’s second rushing touchdown of the night sealed the deal as Clemson gets the win over California, 24-10.

Against Wagner, Sagapolutele finished 27 of 33 throws for a career-high 413 yards and three touchdowns. Since Jack Plummer threw for 406 yards against USC on November 5, 2022, he is the first Cal signal-caller to throw for at least 400 yards in a game. After his performance, he was named a Manning Star of the Week. But in this game, Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele ended up 16 for 29 for 119 yards and two interceptions for his fewest yards.

The California Golden Bears will hit the road to Sin City. The Bears will take on UNLV Rebels (1-2) in Las Vegas, Nevada, at Allegiant Stadium on October 3rd, 2026. The game will start at 12:30 p.m. and will be broadcast live on CBSSN. The last time the Bears and Rebels faced off was on December 18th, 2024, at the Art of Sport LA Bowl, Hosted By Gronk. The Rebels would get the win over the Bears, 24-13, and the all-time series is 1-1.

Cal gets first Win at home this season, beating Wagner Seahawks 49-7

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California Golden Bear running back (#24) Adam Mohammed stiff arms Wagner Seahawk defensive back (#18) Dashawn Long in a NCAA non-conference football game at Berkeley, California on Saturday, September 19th, 2026. (Photo credit to IMAGN IMAGES)

By Michael Villanueva

BERKELEY – California Golden Bears (2-1) got their first home win of the season after hosting and defeating Wagner Seahawks (1-3) 49-7. On a sunny Saturday afternoon in Berkeley, California, the Golden Bears returned back home after coming off their first road and conference win of the season against the Syracuse Oranges, 21-18. Golden Bear Kingston Lopa continues getting interceptions; last week Lopa had three interceptions, but in this game he would add more, which showed the Bears’ resilient defense. With big help on California’s offense. Especially Golden Bear quarterback Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele, who threw two touchdowns last week and threw three touchdown passes this week.

Coming into the game for the Seahawks, this was the two teams’ first time meeting for a football game. In general, the last time the Seahawks played football in California was in 2004 against San Diego. With Cal joining the ACC almost two years ago, this is the Seahawks’ fifth game ever against an ACC team. This game for Cal marks the second straight opponent coming from New York, first Syracuse and now Wagner.

Cal quarterback Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele would have himself a field day in this game. In the first three minutes, it would take Cal just seven plays to score. Jaron would make a fourteen-yard pass completion to his receiver Ian Strong. After that, Cal’s running back Adam Mohammed rushed right for a twenty-eight-yard gain for the first touchdown. Cal strikes first, 7-0. Then for the rest of the quarter, every time Cal’s offense was on the field, they would score. At the end of the first quarter, Cal would hold the lead over Wagner 29-0.

At the start of the second quarter, it would take Wagner twelve plays to finally get on the board. The Seahawks would get a big run play from their quarterback, Benjamin Newman. Newman would rush the middle for a twenty-three-yard gain on the carry. This would lead to Wagner’s eight-yard touchdown pass by Newman to Malik Redd on the front right side of the end zone. The score would still be in the Bears’ favor, 29-7. This touchdown possession was the only touchdown for the Seahawks the whole game.

After scoring twenty-nine points in the first quarter, Cal would score just ten points in the second quarter. Wagner’s defense would build some momentum from their offense scoring, and in Cal’s next offensive possession, they would hold the Bears to a field goal instead of a touchdown. Cal’s field goal in the beginning of the second quarter would make the score 32-7. At halftime, California would push the lead by thirty-two points over Wagner, 39-7.

Starting the third quarter, the Bears would march down the field. Starting off with a nineteen-yard pass from Cal’s QB Jaron to Ian Strong on the left side of the field. Then again, Cal’s QB Jaron would connect with Chase Hendricks on a thirty-one-yard pass on the left side. Ultimately setting up Cal’s running back Ashten Emory for an eight-yard rushing touchdown, pushing the score to 46-7. This would lead to the final quarter of the game.

In the fourth quarter, Cal would make a thirty-seven-yard field goal by Chase Meyer, making the score 49-7. Other than that, that would be the last scoring sequence in the game and would be the final score of the game. California would score six touchdowns and rack up 626 total yards. Cal’s QB Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele threw for a career-high 413 yards and three touchdowns. The Bears would score on right of their 11 drives.

Coming up next for the Golden Bears, California will stay at home and host the Clemson Tigers on Friday, September 25th, at the California Memorial Stadium in Berkeley, California. The game will be broadcast live on ESPN. This game will also be the Bears’ second conference matchup this season.

Bears Pull Off Upset Over Syracuse 21-18

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Cal Bears quarterback Jaron-KeaweSagapolutele (3) takes the football for a keeper against the Syracuse Orange defense at the GMA Wireless Dome in Syracuse NY on Sat Sep 12, 2026 (Cal Bears photo)

By Barbara Mason

Saturday afternoon the California Bears (1-1) traveled to JMA Wireless Dome in a week two matchup with the Syracuse Orange (1-1). The Cal Bears (1-1) running back Adam Mohammed to lead the ground game with 19 carries for 74 yards and the Orange running back freshman Shavane Anderson carried nine times for 18 yards as the Bears picked up their first win with a 21-18 win.

In a scare in last week’s game, Cal quarterback Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele hurt his ankle in last week’s loss to UCLA. He was a bit off in that game after the injury was ready in Saturday’s game. Syracuse quarterback Steve Angeli returned after a torn achilles ended last season’s campaign. He was back, healthy and ready to roll passed for 306 yards, one touchdown and was intercepted three times.

The Cal defense kept this game manageable keeping Syracuse out of the end zone in the opening quarter. The Orange were able to score a field goal with Tripp Woody kicking a 25 yarder taking a 3-0 lead onto the second quarter. The Orange would kick a second field goal in the second quarter taking a 6-0 lead. Syracuse scored the first touchdown of the game taking a 12-0 lead when the 2-point conversion failed.

Cal scored their first touchdown of the day in the second quarter driving downfield finishing with a 14 yard pass from Sagapolutele to Chase Hendricks at 7:15 followed by a successful extra point and the score was 12-7 in favor of the Orange going into halftime.

The Bears turned the ball over on downs at mid-field to start the third quarter. The ensueing Syracuse drive was stalled when Cal intercepted an Angeli pass and very nearly took it into the end zone. They started their drive deep in Orange territory finishing it off with a 2-yard touchdown taking their first lead of the game 14-12. The Orange took back the lead 18-14 with 1:38 left in the quarter.

Going into the fourth quarter it was a 4-point ball game. It was all Cal in the final quarter, the Orange unable to score. Kingston Lopia had his second interception of the game taking it into the end zone for a pick-six.

GAME RECAP

The Syracuse Orange took an early 3-0 lead in the first quarter of the game. Tripp Woody kicked a 25 yard field goal but the remainder of the quarter was a quiet one for the Cal offense.

Their defense was able to keep the Orange out of the end zone keeping this game extremely manageable but the offense was struggling both on the ground and in the air. Adam Mohammed had been unable to get going and Keawe Sagapolutele was also struggling.

Syracuse’s offense turned the heat up in the second quarter. They again scored an early field goal in the quarter. At 14:44 Woody scored a 33-yard field goal and the Orange had a 6-0 lead.

The first touchdown of the game was scored at 8:50 extending the Syracuse lead to 12-0. Steve Angeli threw a 23 yard pass to Daunte Bacheyie for the score but the 2-point attempt failed.

Mid-way through the quarter the Bears answered back as Sagapolutele completed three passes in the drive. Sagapolutele completed a 45-yard pass to Ian Strong moving Cal to the Orange 33-yd line and the Bears were in business. He completed a 14 yard pass to Chase Hendricks for their first touchdown of the game and Cal was on the scoreboard.

With two minutes left in the first half, Cal drove from their own 27-yard line deep into Syracuse territory. With two minutes left in the quarter then Bears were operating from the Orange 37 yard-line.

Cal could not advance the ball and the Orange took over with 1:41 left in half. Syracuse got hit with an unsportsmanlike penalty their second of the day pinning them on their own 9-yard line. With 1:22 left on the clock the Bears took over on their own 40 yard-line still with three time-outs.

They would drive down to the Syracuse 37-yard line. They squandered two time outs and a first down was foiled by a penalty and that would close out the drive. The Orange would take the 12-7 lead into the third quarter.

California would keep this game a one-score game thanks to another Orange penalty that negated a 71-yard return in the closing minute of the second quarter. The Bears had avoided falling even further behind and penalties were hurting Syracuse. Cal had to get their playmakers going in the second half.

The Bears would start the third quarter on their 25-yard line. They turned the ball over on downs at midfield and Syracuse was back in business. Angeli would throw an interception and Cal very nearly took the ball the length of the field.

A touchdown saving tackle set the Bears up deep in Syracuse territory. Cal was knocking on the door, threatening to take the lead, first and goal from the one yard. The interception had led to their first lead of the game 14-12 when Sagapolutele completed a two yard pass to Jordan King, and Cal had their second touchdown of the day. As the third quarter wound down the Orange’s Ju Juan Johnson rushed for two yards with a two-point conversion again failing giving Syracuse the lead back 18-14.

The Orange drove deep into Cal territory to start the fourth quarter. Syracuse went on fourth and one and it looked as if the Bears had recovered a fumble but was called for 12-men on the field and the Orange were looking for more points. The Bears not only kept them out of the end zone but also denied them a 31-yard field goal and the score remained 14-12 with a lot of time, 9:30, remaining in the game.

The Bears had a great drive going in the fourth quarter but stalled out when Sagapolutele was sacked for a nine yard loss and they were forced to kick pinning Syracuse inside their 15.

A Cal pick six on an Angeli pass gave the Bears a 21-18 lead with 4:51 left in the game. The interception did not deter Angeli who drove downfield completing 3 passes operating from the Cal 24-yard line with 2:00 left on the clock.

Another missed field goal for the Orange and Cal had a very real chance to win this game. It was up to the defense to put this one away and that’s exactly what they did intercepting the ball for a third time shutting down Syracuse in a wild and wooly game 21-18. They were physical and tough defensively and despite some really down moments in the first half they persevered. Head Coach Tosh Lupoi had his first win.

GAME NOTES

Cal played a mixed but encouraging first half of football. While they did trail 12-7 at the half, this game was still very much within reach. They had started slowly but settled down and scored a touchdown in the second quarter keeping themselves in the game. They did miss scoring opportunities when they missed a 47-yard field goal in the first half as well as stalling out in Syracuse territory.

This was new Head Coach Tosh Lupoi’s first win at the helm. This was actually a bit of a slopping game for both teams. Angeli threw three interceptions which paved the way for the Bears. The Orange finished the game with 15 penalties which hampered them the entire game.

Cal showed amazing resilience in this game and the defense came up huge forcing the three interceptions two of them by safety Kingston Lopa. Sagapolutele had a far improved game over last week throwing for 182 yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions.

Great decision-making on his part. Cal did get stronger as the game went on scoring in the second, third and fourth quarters. Syracuse was held scoreless in the final quarter. When you look at the stats, the Orange dominated the yardage with 436 yards to the Bears 247.

The bottom line is that it was the defense that won this game for the Bears. The offense had some trouble sustaining drives failing to cash in on some scoring opportunities but when push came to shove they also showed resilience. Things are looking up for the California Bears.

Next Saturday the Bears will take on Wagner at California Memorial Stadium. This will be the team’s home opener. Kickoff is scheduled for 12:30 PM.

Stanford Cardinal podcast Michael Roberson: Warren and Cardinal hope to exploit Duke defense Saturday at Wallace Wade Stadium

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Stanford Cardinal quarterback Davis Warren (8) drops back to pass against the Miami Hurricane at Stanford Stadium Sat Sep 5, 2026 (Stanford Cardinal photo)

Stanford Cardinal podcast Michael Roberson:

#1 Can Stanford quarterback Davis Warren lead the Cardinal offense to a strong performance against Duke?

#2 How much of an impact can wide receiver Caden High make for Stanford’s offense in the matchup?

#3 Can Stanford tight end Benji Blackburn provide a big-play threat against the Blue Devils?

#4 Will wide receiver Jordan Onovughe and the Stanford passing attack be able to exploit Duke’s secondary?

#5 Which Stanford player will emerge as the Cardinal’s most influential performer against Duke?

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UCLA Bruins beat Cal Golden Bears in season home-opener, 45-24

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California Golden Bear quarterback Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele (#3) avoids the UCLA Bruins’ defense and throws an 8-yard touchdown pass to Mason Mini in Week 1 of an NCAA football game on Saturday, September 5th, 2026, at California Memorial Stadium in Berkeley, CA. (Photo credit Michael Villanueva)

By Michael Villanueva

BERKELEY – A historic rivalry that began in 1993 and continues to this day. The matchup is known by many names: the Bear Bowl, the Sibling Rivalry, or even another variation of “NorCal vs SoCal”. This game was the home opener for Cal Berkeley as the UCLA Bruins visited the California Golden Bears, starting both teams’ 2026-27 NCAA football season in week 1. This sold-out Saturday night football game had the California Memorial Stadium at maximum capacity. This is Cal and UCLA’s 95th matchup of all-time. UCLA Bruins lead the series at 58-35-1. Last time the UCLA Bruins were in Berkeley, UCLA would get the win over Cal 35-28. However, in the last matchup, it was the Golden Bears getting the win over the Bruins 33-7 in Pasadena. Ultimately, tonight, it would be the UCLA Bruins (1-0) getting the victory on the road over the California Golden Bears (0-1) 45-24.

Both of these schools came into this game with new head coaches. Tosh Lupoi was announced as the Travers Family Head Football Coach of the Bears on Dec. 4, 2025. Lupoi won a pair of national championships during a five-year stint at Alabama, where he served as an outside linebackers coach and defensive coordinator, in addition to five conference championships (4 SEC, 1 Big 10). He is the 35th head coach in Cal football program history. Bob Chesney was hired as the 20th head coach in UCLA football history on Dec. 6, 2025. He arrives in Westwood after two successful seasons at James Madison from 2024-25, guiding the Dukes to a 21-6 record and numerous historic firsts.

The Golden Bears scored the first touchdown of the night and their season. Cal’s quarterback Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele gets a short pass to the left for a 9-yard touchdown to Chase Hendricks. Sagapolutele picked up where he left off last season in his freshman year. Sagapolutele completed 316-of-492 passes for 3,454 yards with 18 touchdown throws and nine interceptions while starting all 13 games in 2025. He was only the second true freshman to be named the Bears’ starting quarterback for a season opener and the first since Jared Goff arrived in Berkeley in 2013, on his way to becoming the No. 1 overall NFL draft pick in 2016.

On UCLA’s first offensive drive, they responded. The Bruins would get on the board by their quarterback, Nico Lamaleave. Lamaleave would do a fake handoff and keep the ball to run in a 9-yard touchdown. After that, the game would be tied at 7-7, halfway through the 1st quarter. Nico Iamaleava is back for his second season at UCLA. The Long Beach, Calif., native led the Bruins in rushing yards (505), carries (112), and rushing touchdowns (4) in addition to throwing for 1,928 yards and 13 touchdowns on 208 of 323 passes.

UCLA and California’s defense have been stellar throughout the first half. It wouldn’t be until three minutes into the second quarter that Cal would add more points on the scoreboard. Cal’s kicker Town McGough would make a 28-yard field goal to give the Golden Bears the lead, 10-7. After that, UCLA’s offense would catch Cal’s defense and score on back-to-back offensive possessions. UCLA running back Anthony Woods would rush for a 31-yard touchdown to give UCLA their first lead of the night, 10-14.

After UCLA’s defense held Cal’s offense. The Bruins would march down the field and score again on another rushing touchdown from Wayne Knight’s 8-yard run. The lead would go by 11 points for UCLA over California at 10-21. Then with three and a half minutes left, Cal is looking to score before halftime, but UCLA’s defense would have something to say. Cal quarterback Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele would get sacked and lose the ball during that, and UCLA’s Amier Washington would recover the fumble.

However, with fifty-one seconds left of the second quarter, the Golden Bears weren’t gonna let this game get out of control. UCLA quarterback Nico Lamaleava would throw an interception to Cal’s defensive back, Kingston Lopa. Giving the ball back to Cal with less than a minute. However, that’s all the time Cal would need to get themselves back in the game. With the ball at the 8-yard line, Sagapolutele would throw an 8-yard touchdown pass to Mason Mini to cut the lead to 4 points, 17-21.

With just two seconds left, UCLA would be able to get into field goal range and add three more points to the lead before halftime, 17-24. UCLA’s running game has been big for them in their Week 1 matchup. The Bruins were able to put up 123 rushing yards compared to the Golden Bears’ 34 rushing yards. These two sophomore quarterbacks have displayed that they could throw the ball and find their targets. UCLA would be able to finish the first half going 12-for-18 on passing, while California went 15-for-32 in their passing.

Heading into the third quarter, Cal took advantage of the game clock and emphasized it with a touchdown. The Golden Bears had the ball for basically the entire third quarter; they were on offense for over 11 minutes. Cal would march down the field and end the drive on a 1-yard touchdown from running back Adam Mohammed. That touchdown would tie the game and head into the final quarter.

Going into the final quarter of the game, with the score tied, the Golden Bears had the ball, and with ten minutes left, it was perfect for Cal to strike. However, UCLA’s defense would come up big for the Bruins. Cal quarterback Sagapolutele would throw two interceptions in the final minutes, and UCLA would capitalize on his mistakes. The first interception from the Bruins would follow up on a 31-yard rushing touchdown by Wayne Knight, 31-24. Then Sagapolutele would hop on the field to throw his second interception. Which, again, would lead to another UCLA touchdown by Wayne Knight, again, for his 3rd rushing touchdown of the night, 38-24.

With one minute and twenty seconds left, UCLA Bruins weren’t done with the Golden Bears. Bruins running back Anthony Woods would rush in a touchdown for 53 yards. The score would now go to 45-24. After that, it would be the Bruins doing the last dance on the field as UCLA wins the game, 45-24. UCLA Bruins would score 21 points alone in the fourth quarter.

After this crushing loss to the UCLA Bruins. The California Golden Bears are gonna hit the road for their next game. They’ll be facing the Syracuse Orange in Syracuse, New York. Syracuse got their win in week 1 against the New Hampshire Wildcats, 66-3. The game will be broadcast live on the ACC Network at 12:30 p.m.