After years of trying to climb back into the national conversation, Cal football finally has some momentum to build on - and this time, it feels real.
The Golden Bears wrapped up their 2025 campaign with a 7-6 record, their first winning season since 2019. That alone is a milestone, but it’s the way they got there - with a mix of breakout stars, record-setting performances, and a young quarterback who looks like the real deal - that has fans in Berkeley buzzing about what’s next.
Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele: A Freshman Season for the Books
Let’s start with the quarterback. Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele didn’t just play like a seasoned vet - he rewrote the Cal record books in his true freshman season.
In his final outing of the year, he threw for a career-high 343 yards on 28-of-39 passing, capping a remarkable debut campaign with 3,460 yards through the air. That number ranks sixth all-time in program history.
As a freshman.
Even more impressive? He threw for 200 or more yards in all 13 games.
That’s not just consistency - that’s elite-level poise and production. He became the only Power 4 quarterback - and just the second FBS player ever - to open his college career with at least 12 straight games of 200+ passing yards.
The only other guy to do it? Houston’s David Piland, who had 14 such games between 2010 and 2012.
Sagapolutele completed 63.6% of his passes on the year (288-for-453), tossing 17 touchdowns against nine interceptions. For a true freshman adjusting to the speed of the college game, those are numbers that scream long-term potential.
Jacob De Jesus: Cal’s New Standard at Receiver
While Sagapolutele was making headlines under center, wide receiver Jacob De Jesus was putting together one of the best seasons in school history.
In the final game, De Jesus hauled in nine catches for 137 yards and a touchdown - a fitting exclamation point to a record-breaking year. He finished 2025 with a school-record 108 receptions and 1,029 receiving yards, becoming Cal’s first 1,000-yard receiver since Chad Hansen in 2016.
And it wasn’t just a school record - De Jesus’ 108 catches are tied for the second-most in a single season by any ACC receiver. That’s elite company, and it underscores just how reliable and explosive he was all year long. No surprise, then, that he was named a team captain alongside Sagapolutele, ILB Cade Uluave, and DL Aidan Keanaaina.
Ground Game and Front Seven Bring the Grit
While the passing game grabbed the headlines, Cal’s ground attack and defense brought the toughness.
Running back Kendrick Raphael quietly had a monster year, finishing with 943 rushing yards and 13 touchdowns on 232 carries. Those 13 scores tie him for sixth on Cal’s all-time single-season rushing TD list. He was a steady presence in the backfield all year, giving the offense balance and punch.
On defense, inside linebacker Cade Uluave was a tackling machine. He notched nine stops in the final game to finish with a career-high 100 tackles on the season - a tone-setter in the middle of the field. Defensive lineman Aidan Keanaaina added one more tackle to his total, finishing with 56 for the year - the most by a Cal defensive lineman since Cameron Jordan racked up 62 back in 2010.
And while Cal’s streak of 24 straight games with at least one sack came to an end, the defense remained solid across the board. Eight players started all 13 games this season, including key contributors like DB Brent Austin, OLB T.J. Bush Jr., and OL Tyson Ruffins - a testament to the unit’s durability and cohesion.
Youth Movement in Full Swing
The finale also featured a few notable firsts. Running back Anthony League scored his first collegiate touchdown in his first career start - a moment he won’t forget. And defensive lineman Legend Journey made his collegiate debut, getting his first taste of live action.
It’s those little flashes - the underclassmen making plays, the young stars already leading - that point to a promising future in Berkeley.
A Christmas Eve First - and a Season to Remember
This season marked the first time Cal has ever played on Christmas Eve, and they made the most of the spotlight. It was a fitting stage for a team that’s been quietly building toward something bigger.
With a freshman quarterback who’s already rewriting records, a record-setting wideout, a powerful run game, and a defense anchored by tough, consistent performers, Cal has laid a foundation. After years of hovering around mediocrity, the Bears look like a program on the rise - and 2025 might just be the turning point.
The pieces are in place. Now, it’s about taking the next step.