Cal’s 2026 season opener had the kind of crowd that tells you the building means something again. Memorial Stadium was sold out for the first time since the 2024 Big Game, but UCLA quieted it with a 45-24 win that was driven by explosive runs, timely takeaways and just enough chaos to keep the Bears from ever fully settling in.
Cal did get the first punch in. RB Adam Mohammed set the tone early and finished with 120 rushing yards and a touchdown, giving the Bears a reliable edge on the ground even as the rest of the offense came and went in waves.
But UCLA answered quickly and cleanly, turning its opening drive into points after Wayne Knight handled the punt return and first play, Brian Rowe Jr. became the focal point on the next two snaps, and a defensive penalty moved the Bruins to the Cal 9-yard line. From there, QB Nico Iamaleava kept it himself for the score.
The Bears’ defense steadied after that opening burst. Cal started batting balls away, slowing UCLA’s run game and forcing the Bruins into less comfortable looks.
On the other side, Cal struggled to build much of anything until late in the first quarter, when a first down pushed the Bears to the UCLA 29. Jaron Keawe-Sagapolutele then found Ian Strong to get into field goal range, and Cal took a 3-0 lead.
That edge didn’t last long. UCLA came right back with Anthony Woods breaking free for a 31-yard touchdown run, then added another score before halftime as the Bruins kept finding space in the Bears’ territory. Javian Thomas and Wayne Knight finished that drive, and Knight’s score pushed UCLA to a two-touchdown cushion with a little more than three minutes left in the half.
Cal needed a spark before the break, and Kingston Lopa delivered it with an interception that stopped the Bruins from stretching the game further. That set up the Bears’ best sequence of the half.
On 3rd and 10 deep in their own end, Keawe-Sagapolutele hit Ian Strong for a 50-yard gain, then connected with Chase Hendricks to get into range before Mason Mini finished the drive with a touchdown. Just like that, Cal was back within reach at 21-17 heading into halftime.
The second half opened with a UCLA drive that went nowhere, though it did include an injury to WR Landon Ellis. Cal then answered with a tying march, built largely on Mohammed’s hard running, but that series also came with a setback when center Bastian Sweeney was injured.
After that, the game turned muddy. Both defenses tightened up against the run, both offenses piled up the kind of penalties that derail possessions, and field position started to matter more than rhythm.
Cal took a shot on 4th and 3 and came up short, handing UCLA the ball near midfield with 11 minutes left. The Bruins then got tagged for unsportsmanlike conduct, but the break in momentum didn’t last.
A pass went off Ian Strong’s hands and UCLA suddenly had the ball at the California 30, as if the sequence had reset itself. One play later, Wayne Knight raced 31 yards to the end zone, and the Bruins had blown the game open.
Cal’s next possession ended with another Keawe-Sagapolutele interception, giving UCLA the ball at midfield again. Then Nico Iamaleava went down on 3rd and 1 with an apparent lower body injury and was replaced by his freshman brother Madden Iamaleava. Even with the quarterback change, UCLA kept leaning on Knight, who stayed upright and finished another drive in the end zone to make it 38-24 with less than three minutes left.
The Bears never recovered. After another empty possession, Anthony Woods capped the night with a 53-yard touchdown run to close out the 45-24 final.
Cal actually held the ball for 10 more minutes than UCLA and finished with 51 fewer penalty yards, but the Bruins were the more efficient and more inventive team on the ground, and that was enough to take control of the opener.
In Other News...
Cal Showed Just Enough On Offense To Make This Loss Tougher
California had enough offensive flashes in its 45-24 loss to UCLA on Sept. 5 at California Memorial Stadium to make the result sting a little more. Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele moved the ball through the air with 271 yards and two touchdowns, while the Bears also found a steady spark from Adam Mohammed, who made his Cal debut look like something to build on as the running game and passing game both showed signs of life.
What made it tougher for Cal was the way the rest of the afternoon unfolded around those positives. Nate Burrell got back into the sack column for the first time since 2024, and Kingston Lopa picked off his first career interception, but the defense still spent too much of the day chasing UCLA. When a team loses by three touchdowns and still has enough individual bright spots to wonder what might have been, it usually means there is plenty to sift through before the next week arrives. [Read more 🡒]
Cal Let Tosh Lupois Debut Slip Away When It Mattered Most
Tosh Lupois Cal coaching debut came with plenty of anticipation, but UCLA controlled the night and left Memorial Stadium with a 45-24 win. Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele threw for 271 yards and two touchdowns, giving the Bears moments of offense to hang onto, while UCLA kept answering with the kind of plays that put the game out of reach.
TaShawn James helped tilt the momentum with two interceptions, and Wayne Knights touchdown runs kept Cal chasing from behind. Sagapoluteles two turnovers were especially costly after he entered the game riding a program-record run without an interception, a streak that underscored how abruptly the Bears chance to make Lupois debut matter slipped away. [Read more 🡒]
Cals Opener Turned Into A Collapse Fans Wont Soon Forget
Californias season opener had the kind of early energy that can make September feel full of promise, with lead changes and enough momentum swings to suggest a tight finish at California Memorial Stadium. Instead, the Golden Bears watched UCLA pull away for a 45-24 win in a game that never stopped tilting back and forth until the Bruins finally found the separation they needed.
For Cal, the frustration went beyond just another loss in a rivalry-adjacent Pac-12 matchup. Head coach Tosh Lupoi pointed to the competitive nature of the game and the need to keep improving, but the Bears also had to absorb the sight of running back Carter Vargas leaving in the first half, a setback that only added to an already unsettled night. [Read more 🡒]