Game Information

• Matchup: Clemson Tigers (2-1, 1-0 ACC) @ California Golden Bears (2-1, 1-0 ACC)
• Date & Time: Friday, September 25, 2026 | 7:30 PM PT
• Location: California Memorial Stadium | Berkeley, CA
• TV: ESPN
• Radio: KSFO 810 AM / The Varsity Network

Matchup Overview

• A Rare Matchup: Tonight is just the second meeting ever between Cal and Clemson — and the first as ACC opponents.
• Series History: Cal leads the all-time series 1-0, with the Bears defeating Clemson 37-13 in the 1992 Florida Citrus Bowl.
• Remembering 1991: Cal will recognize the 35th anniversary of the 1991 team tonight. That team went 10-2, finished No. 8 in the AP poll, and capped the season with that Citrus Bowl win over No. 13 Clemson.
• Clemson Comes West: This is Clemson's first conference game on the West Coast and its first-ever trip to Berkeley.
• Early ACC Stakes: Both teams enter at 1-0 in conference play, making this an important early-season ACC matchup.

How They Got Here

Cal responded to its season-opening loss to UCLA with back-to-back wins — a gritty 21-18 road victory at Syracuse followed by a 49-7 win over Wagner in which the Bears piled up 626 yards of offense.

Clemson has followed a rough 51-10 opening loss at LSU with two straight wins of its own, beating Georgia Southern 22-7 and rallying in the fourth quarter to defeat North Carolina 28-20 last week.

Players to Watch

California Golden Bears 🐻

• Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele (QB, #3): JKS enters tonight with 866 passing yards and seven touchdowns through three games. He is coming off a career-high 413-yard, three-touchdown performance against Wagner and will face a much more disruptive Clemson front tonight.
• Adam Mohammed (RB, #24): Mohammed has quickly become one of the most important pieces of Cal's offense. He ran for 91 yards against Wagner while adding 78 receiving yards and scored three touchdowns. His ability to keep Clemson honest on the ground — and contribute as a receiver — could be critical.
• Kyion Grayes (WR, #6): A player Cal fans have been waiting to see break through. The former highly rated Ohio State recruit caught an 80-yard touchdown against Wagner for the first TD reception of his college career. Clemson presents a much bigger test, but Grayes gives JKS another potentially explosive weapon.
• Kingston Lopa (DB, #2): The breakout star of Cal's defense so far. Lopa has an incredible five interceptions through three games, including three against Syracuse, and has recorded a takeaway in every game this season. Clemson's freshman quarterback will have to know where he is at all times.

Clemson Tigers 🐯

• Tait Reynolds (QB, #2): The freshman made his first career start against North Carolina last week and threw for 215 yards while helping Clemson erase a fourth-quarter deficit. He's athletic enough to make plays outside the pocket, making containment important for Cal's front seven.
• Gideon Davidson (RB, #8): Coming off the best game of his young career with 105 rushing yards and a touchdown on 16 carries against North Carolina. He ripped off a 45-yard run on Clemson's go-ahead fourth-quarter drive.
• T.J. Moore (WR, #1): Clemson's most established receiving threat. Moore has now caught a pass in 30 consecutive games and already has a 100-yard receiving performance this season.
• Will Heldt (DE, #13): The matchup to watch when Cal has the ball. Heldt has recorded two sacks in each of Clemson's last two games and was named ACC Co-Defensive Lineman of the Week after the North Carolina game. Cal's offensive line did not allow a sack against Wagner, but this is a significant step up in pass-rush competition.

Storylines to Watch

Can Cal Protect JKS?

Cal's passing offense is averaging more than 320 yards per game, and Sagapolutele has looked increasingly comfortable. But Clemson's front seven is a different challenge.

Heldt is heating up off the edge, while linebacker Sammy Brown (#47) has 25 tackles through three games and recorded his first sack of the season against North Carolina.

Cal doesn't necessarily need to dominate Clemson's defensive front, but keeping JKS out of obvious third-and-long passing situations could determine whether the Bears can consistently move the ball.

Can Cal Stop Clemson's Ground Game?

Davidson's emergence gives Clemson a legitimate threat in the backfield, while Reynolds adds another dimension with his mobility.

Cal allowed UCLA to do significant damage on the ground in the opener, but the defense has looked better over the past two games. The challenge tonight will be stopping Clemson's run game without committing so many defenders that Reynolds gets favorable opportunities downfield.

Can Cal Force the Freshman QB Into Mistakes?

This might be the most interesting matchup of the night.

Reynolds looked composed in his first start, but he's making his first road start against a Cal secondary that has been exceptionally opportunistic. The Bears have five interceptions this season — all by Lopa — and rank among the nation's leaders in passing efficiency defense.

If Cal can stop the run and put Clemson into obvious passing situations, the Bears may have opportunities to create turnovers.

Could Special Teams Decide It?

If this game reaches the fourth quarter with the teams within a possession, keep an eye on the kickers.

Clemson's Nolan Hauser has been perfect so far, going 9-for-9 on field goals, including three against North Carolina last week. Cal's Towns McGough (#33) has made two of his three field-goal attempts this season.

In a matchup that could turn into a field-position battle, simply finishing drives with three points may become extremely important.

One More Piece of History

The last time these programs met, Cal quarterback Mike Pawlawski threw for 230 yards, Russell White rushed for 103, and Brian Treggs returned a punt 72 yards for a touchdown as the Bears beat Clemson 37-13 on New Year's Day 1992.

Thirty-five years later, Clemson finally comes to Berkeley.

GO BEARS! 🐻🏈