Cal’s first injury report of the week landed with two names that matter most for Friday night’s matchup with Clemson: running back Carter Vargas and defensive lineman Nate Burrell. Both Golden Bears are listed as doubtful, and both would leave noticeable holes if they can’t go in Berkeley.
Vargas appears headed toward a third straight missed game after injuring himself in the opener against UCLA. He started that game, when Cal opened with two running backs on the field, and he also serves as the Bears’ No. 2 back behind Adam Mohammed.
On top of that, he’s one of Cal’s main kickoff returners and gives the offense a little extra flexibility because he can line up in the slot as a receiver. Before leaving against UCLA, Vargas ran for 14 yards on four carries and caught two passes for 6 yards.
If he’s out again, Mohammed is set up for even more work after averaging 20 carries over Cal’s first three games and piling up 285 yards. Behind him, Ashten Emory, Anthony League and Carson Perry-Smith would be next in line.
Burrell’s absence would also sting. The defensive lineman started Cal’s first two games and worked both inside at defensive tackle and out at defensive end.
He sat out last week against Wagner and is doubtful again after collecting eight tackles this season, along with one of Cal’s five sacks and two quarterback hurries. If he can’t play, Derek Wilkins or Emmanuel Okoye would likely step into the starting role, depending on how Cal lines up defensively to begin the game.
There is at least some good news for the Bears on the offensive line. Jimothy Lewis Jr. is not on the injury report, which suggests he’s available after starting Cal’s first two games. Even so, it remains unclear whether Lewis or Michael Klisiewicz, who started against Wagner, will get the nod at offensive tackle.
Clemson’s report carries a few questions of its own. Starting cornerback Corian Gipson is questionable after starting all three games and posting nine tackles and one quarterback hurry. Defensive tackle Devarrick Woods is also questionable; he has started one game, appeared in all three, and has three tackles with half a tackle for loss.
The Tigers’ quarterback situation is also worth watching, though it doesn’t change the starter for Friday. Christopher Vizzina is listed as probable with an elbow injury after starting Clemson’s first two games, but freshman Tait Reynolds made his first career start last week and is set to start again against Cal no matter what happens with Vizzina. If Reynolds struggles, Vizzina could still see the field.
Clemson running back Jay Haynes is another name to track. He has not played since tearing his ACL in the 2024 ACC Championship Game, but he is listed as questionable and could make his 2026 debut Friday. In 2024, he rushed for 295 yards at 6.9 yards per carry and added seven receptions.
In Other News...
Cal Gets An Early ACC Test Against A Different Clemson Offense
Clemsons visit to Berkeley brings an early look at a different version of the Tigers, one shaped by Tait Reynolds stepping in for his first career start and helping guide a win over North Carolina. He completed 20 of 29 passes for 215 yards with a touchdown and an interception, giving Clemson enough to keep moving as it turns the page toward its first ACC matchup with Cal. For the Bears, it adds another layer to a game already carrying cross-country travel and time zone adjustments for both sides.
Cal has its own passing game coming in with momentum after Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele threw for 413 yards and three touchdowns in a win over Wagner. The matchup now feels like a useful early measuring stick for both teams, with Clemson trying to settle in behind a new starter and Cal trying to show it can carry its recent offensive rhythm into conference play. [Read more 🡒]
Cals Swinney Just Became An Unexpected Clemson Storyline
A little family-tree confusion has drifted into the buildup for Cals meeting with Clemson, and it has nothing to do with the Bears playbook. Clemson coach Dabo Swinney has been publicly poking at the coincidence of sharing a last name with Cal starting center Bastian Swinney, bringing it up on his radio show and again in a pregame press conference as the two programs prepared to face each other.
For Cal, the more relevant part is who Bastian Swinney has become up front. The sixth-year center has settled in as a steady leader on the offensive line, giving the Bears a veteran presence in the middle while an unexpected off-field storyline gives the matchup a little extra color. The question now is less about any actual connection and more about how Cals line handles the attention that has come with it. [Read more 🡒]
Cal Has A Breakout Star Changing The Ceiling Of This Defense
Cals defense has found an early-season jolt in safety Kingston Lopa, whose playmaking has changed the feel of the back end. Through three games, the Oregon transfer has piled up 17 tackles and quickly established himself as one of the most disruptive defenders in the country, drawing attention not just for his range but for how often he seems to be around the football. The buzz around him has only grown after a performance that earned him multiple defensive player of the week honors and put his name in the same conversation as some of the programs better defensive backs from recent years.
Lopas emergence matters because it gives Cal a true centerpiece on a unit that can now tilt games in a different way. The redshirt sophomore is already being viewed as a rising NFL draft prospect, and the trajectory is easy to see for anyone watching how consistently he has influenced the first part of the season. What makes the next stretch so intriguing is whether this start is the beginning of a special year or just the first sign of a player whose ceiling keeps climbing. [Read more 🡒]