Clemson heads to Berkeley on Friday night with both teams already sitting at 1-0 in ACC play, and Cal will try to keep a strong early run rolling at Memorial Stadium.
The Bears are looking for a third straight win after opening the season with a loss to still-unbeaten UCLA. A victory would also put Cal at 2-0 in conference play for the first time since Jared Goff’s final season in 2015. This is also the third of five home games the Bears will play over their first seven weeks.
One of the key questions for Cal is how aggressively it can get after Clemson freshman quarterback Tait Reynolds, who is making just his second start. The Bears are expected to blitz more often in an effort to knock him off rhythm. Cal also brings one of the most disruptive ballhawks in the country in sophomore safety Kingston Lopa, the Oregon transfer who already has five interceptions, two more than any other player nationally.
Cal’s injury report adds a couple of concerns. No. 2 running back Carter Vargas is listed as doubtful and is likely to miss his third straight game. Veteran defensive lineman Nate Burrell is also doubtful.
Cal quarterback Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele has been putting up big numbers early, ranking 17th nationally with 288.7 passing yards per game. He threw for a career-high 413 yards in last week’s 49-7 win over FCS-level Wagner College. The Bears’ pass defense has been sharp, too, ranking first in the ACC and 10th nationally in pass defense efficiency at 95.31.
Clemson arrives with some unusual numbers of its own. The Tigers are averaging just 20.0 points per game, which leaves them 16th in the ACC.
It’s the second straight year they’ve scored 60 or fewer points through their first three games, after opening 14 of the previous 15 seasons with at least 100 points over that same stretch. They also needed a comeback to beat North Carolina 28-20 last week, a game that featured a length lightning delay for the third week in a row.
The Tigers have been nearly automatic against ACC opponents since 2015, going 84-14, though they were only 4-4 in league play last season. The run defense has been a glaring issue so far, ranking 119th nationally and third-lowest among Power Four teams at 181.7 rushing yards allowed per game.
Special teams has been a bright spot for Clemson. Placekicker Nolan Hauser made three field goals last week and is 9 for 9 to open the season, the best mark in the nation. He has also made 12 straight from 40 yards or longer dating to last season.
Clemson is making just its fourth trip to California. Its most recent one ended with a 44-16 win over Alabama in the 2018 national championship game at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara. The only previous meeting with Cal went to the Bears, who beat Clemson 37-13 in the 1991 Florida Citrus Bowl.
In Other News...
Cals Clemson Test May Come Down To One Brutal Battle Up Front
Clemsons visit to Berkeley is drawing plenty of attention for reasons that go beyond the usual September matchup, and the conversation around the Tigers has been shaped by a fan base still trying to sort out what this version of the program is supposed to be. Michael Ray Serber, a Clemson fan and podcast producer, said the teams recent performance has left expectations in a strange place, even as there are still players on both sides of the ball worth circling. He pointed to names on offense and defense who could matter in a game that should be tight, with the Tigers likely trying to lean on the run.
For Cal, that makes the trench battle feel like the whole story. Serber expects Clemson to come in wanting to establish its ground game and keep the game within reach, which puts the Bears front squarely under the microscope. If Cal can control that part of the game, it can make life harder on a Clemson offense still searching for consistency and turn a matchup that looks close on paper into one decided by who wins up front. [Read more 🡒]
Cal Defense Could Put Clemson In A Spot It Hasn't Faced Yet
Clemson arrives in Berkeley facing the kind of early-season uncertainty that can make even a familiar opponent feel tricky. The Tigers have leaned on continuity in the past, but this version of the roster is still settling in after heavy transfer portal turnover, and the offense is doing it with freshman quarterback Tait Reynolds taking on a major role. For Cal, that creates a chance to make the game feel uncomfortable in a hurry, especially if the Bears can get pressure on a group that is still trying to find its rhythm.
The matchup also puts a spotlight on Kingston Lopa, whose ball production has already made him one of the most dangerous defenders in the country. If Cal can force Clemson to think twice about pushing the ball downfield, the Tigers may have to take a more measured approach than they would prefer. For a program that has usually had the upper hand in this series, this is the sort of test that can reveal how ready it is to handle disruption. [Read more 🡒]
Cals New Transfer Weapons Face Their Biggest Test Yet
Cals offense has changed shape quickly around Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele after the departure of Jacob De Jesus, and the transfer portal has given the Bears a fresh set of targets to lean on. Chase Hendricks and Ian Strong have become part of that new look, helping give the quarterback more options as Cal works through the early part of the season and tries to establish a rhythm in the passing game.
Now comes a test that looks a lot bigger than anything the Bears have seen so far. Cal has already shown enough offensive pop to make its first three games feel encouraging, but Clemson brings a different level of speed, depth and pressure, and it does so in a matchup Cal has not seen in nearly 35 years. For a group still taking shape, it is the kind of game that can say a lot about how far the new receiving pieces have come. [Read more 🡒]