Every one of Cal’s remaining 2026 opponents came away with a win this weekend, and two of the most notable came from teams that turned heads in the ACC. Stanford knocked off Georgia Tech, and Wake Forest went on the road and stunned No. 16 Louisville.
UCLA is now in the AP top 25, checking in at No. 23 after opening the season 4-0 for the first time since 2022 under Bob Chesney. The Bruins were the Big Ten’s worst scoring offense last season, but they’ve flipped that script fast, ranking tied for seventh nationally at 44.8 points per game. Running back Wayne Knight supplied 100 rushing yards on 10 carries and finished with 153 all-purpose yards against Maryland.
Syracuse had the week off and heads to UConn on Saturday, October 3. The Orange still haven’t settled the quarterback situation, with Steve Angeli and Amari Odom both in the mix for that road game.
Wagner also had a bye and will return next weekend for a Northeast Conference matchup with Central Connecticut State, which is 0-3.
Clemson held Cal to 231 yards of offense, which was the Bears’ lowest output in four years. The Tigers are now 2-0 in games started by freshman quarterback Tait Reynolds, and they’ll host Miami on Saturday, October 3.
UNLV entered the weekend off a bye, led 14-10 at halftime, and then pulled away with 17 points in the third quarter. Jai’Den Thomas racked up 167 total yards and scored three times, while Auburn transfer Jackson Arnold threw three touchdown passes. The Rebels host Cal on Saturday.
Virginia Tech stayed unbeaten under new head coach James Franklin, but it took a little work in the ACC opener at Boston College. The Hokies were down 14-6 early in the fourth quarter before Jeffrey Overton Jr. broke loose for a 76-yard touchdown run with 4:48 left to put Virginia Tech ahead for good. Overton finished with 209 rushing yards in the 21-14 win.
Wake Forest’s upset of Louisville came on the road, and it came with some late drama. Carlos Hernandez caught nine passes for 194 yards and a touchdown for the Demon Deacons. The Cardinals missed a 42-yard field goal that would have tied the game with 2:29 remaining, then saw a 57-yard try blocked with 15 seconds left.
SMU had to dig out of an early 10-0 hole, but Kevin Jennings did the heavy lifting in a big way. He went 33-for-39 for 464 yards, three touchdowns and one interception, set an SMU record with 21 straight completions, and became the school’s career passing yards leader. The Mustangs moved up to No. 21 in the AP poll and are the only ranked team still left on Cal’s schedule.
North Carolina State answered its ugly, last-second loss to Vanderbilt by closing strong against Appalachian State. The Wolfpack scored the final 10 points, and Duke Scott’s 16-yard touchdown run with 5:08 left broke a 31-31 tie. Scott finished with 146 rushing yards.
Virginia quarterback Beau Pribula was efficient and explosive against Delaware, completing 24 of 28 passes for 279 yards and four touchdowns while adding a rushing score. Rico Flores Jr. led the Cavaliers with 113 receiving yards against a Delaware team in its third season as an FBS program.
Stanford’s comeback against Georgia Tech started with Davis Warren, who threw for a career-high 396 yards and three touchdowns as the Cardinal erased a 10-point deficit. Stanford had dropped its previous two games, against Miami and Duke, by a combined 80-13 before this upset.
Pitt rolled past FCS-level Bucknell behind Mason Heintschel’s six touchdown passes, even while piling up 16 penalties for 165 yards. Heintschel now has 13 touchdown passes this season, just one behind the national lead.
In Other News...
Cals Offense Looks Broken And One Bears Decision Feels Inevitable
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 🡒]
Cal Gets A Fascinating Homecoming Test Against Unbeaten Virginia Tech
Cals Homecoming weekend will bring an early spotlight to Berkeley, with the ACC setting the Bears Oct. 10 meeting with Virginia Tech for a midday start and national television coverage still to be finalized between ESPN2 and the ACC Network. The timing matters for a Cal team that has looked sharper in day games than under the lights, and it adds a little extra edge to a matchup that already carries plenty of novelty on campus.
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
After another uneven opening month, the Bears find themselves at a familiar sort of crossroads, with plenty of season still ahead and not much margin for error. Cal has eight games left, and the path from here turns quickly from one last non-conference test into a long run of ACC play, which means the room to settle in, stack wins and change the narrative is still there if the team can find it.
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 🡒]