Pro Football Focus’ latest numbers line up with what Cal fans saw on Friday night: the Bears’ defense held up well enough to win in a lot of ACC games, but the offense never found its footing in a 24-10 loss to Clemson.
The strongest individual performance in the game came from outside linebacker Kamar Mothudi, who finished as Cal’s top-graded player. Behind him, the Bears’ best marks were stacked with defensive backs: Isaiah Crosby, Aiden Manutai and Ricky Fletcher took the next three spots. That fits the bigger picture from the loss, where Cal gave up only 17 points on defense but still lost because the offense failed to score a touchdown and special teams allowed a 65-yard punt return for a Clemson touchdown.
Cal’s total output told the same story. The Bears managed just 231 yards, their lowest total in a game since 2022, and they’ll try to get the offense moving again in Saturday’s road matchup with UNLV, which is also 2-2.
One of the few bright spots for Cal all season remains safety Kingston Lopa, who continues to stand out nationally in PFF’s grading. Through four games, his 89.0 overall grade ranks him No. 3 among safeties in the country, and his 90.8 grade in pass coverage is the best of any defensive back in the nation.
He didn’t pick off Clemson, but his five interceptions still lead the country, with nobody else having more than three. Lopa also paces Cal with 27 tackles after putting up 11 stops against Clemson, though his 68.5 grade in that game was only fifth among Cal defenders.
Quarterback Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele had a rough outing, posting a career-low 119 passing yards with two interceptions and no touchdown passes. His 54.9 PFF grade ranked 13th among the 15 ACC starting quarterbacks who played this past weekend, with Clemson’s Tait Reynolds last - a finish that still reflects well on Cal’s defensive backs.
Sagapolutele’s season grade sits at 75.3 through four games, which ranks 101st nationally and 10th in the ACC among quarterbacks. PFF also listed him at 79.4 for his entire 2025 season, only a slight edge over his current 2026 mark, and he was the highest-rated true freshman quarterback in the nation last year.
The passing chart from the Clemson game showed where things went sideways. Sagapolutele went 1-for-4 on throws between 10 and 19 yards and was 0-for-5 on passes of 20 yards or more, with both interceptions coming on those longer attempts. He was much sharper underneath, completing all eight of his throws behind the line of scrimmage and going 7-for-9 on passes from 1 to 9 yards.
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Cals 24-10 home loss to Clemson left the Bears with more than just another setback on the schedule. The offense again looked stuck, the line still has not taken the kind of step forward the staff needed, and sophomore quarterback Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele is being asked to navigate a mess around him while the special teams issues only add to the drag on the whole operation.
That kind of stagnation usually forces a staff to start reconsidering who is steering the unit, and Cal is getting close to that point. Jordan Somervilles role has come under scrutiny, not because the Bears lack time to be patient, but because the offense keeps showing the same problems with little sign of a breakthrough, which is why the conversation around a possible change in how the plays are being called is starting to feel harder to avoid. [Read more 🡒]
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Virginia Tech arrives unbeaten under new coach James Franklin, giving the Bears another measuring-stick opportunity in a season that has already had its share of swings. The Hokies also will be making their first trip ever to Berkeley, which gives the game a fresh feel beyond the standings and the calendar, and makes Cals Homecoming stage look even more intriguing. [Read more 🡒]
Cal Faces A Familiar Crossroads After Another Uneven Start
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The history, though, is not especially encouraging for Cal teams that have stumbled early, even if there are a few standout exceptions tied to some of the programs best quarterback eras. This groups ability to make something of the season may rest in part on sophomore Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele continuing to grow into the job, but the larger issue is broader than one player. Cal needs to improve across the board, and soon, if this year is going to end anywhere near where the Bears want it to. [Read more 🡒]