ACC · Berkeley, California
California Football
2026 college football program hub
The short version
California football in 2026
California is 2-3 through 5 completed games: 2 wins, 3 losses.
Latest confirmed result: California lost to UNLV Rebels, 31-39, on Saturday, October 3, 2026.
California plays next against Wake Forest Demon Deacons on Saturday, October 17, 2026, at home in Berkeley, California. Kickoff is 10:30 PM EDT. TV coverage is TBD.
Program center
California football pages
2026 season
ACC football
2-3 current recordHead coach
Tosh Lupoi
Leading the California Golden Bears through the 2026 season.
Program profile
Berkeley, California
California
2026 roster snapshot
A face from the CAL roster
Program background · Reviewed 2026-10-06
Five games into the 2026 season
Cal opened with a 45–24 loss to UCLA in the Joe Roth Memorial Game, then won 21–18 at Syracuse and 49–7 against Wagner. Clemson won 24–10 in Berkeley on September 25, and the Bears fell 39–31 at UNLV on October 3. Cal has scored 135 points and conceded 133 across those five finals, with the Wagner win accounting for most of the positive scoring margin.
The first two ACC results split evenly: a win at Syracuse and a loss to Clemson. Virginia Tech and Wake Forest come to Berkeley on consecutive October Saturdays. After that, Cal travels to SMU, NC State, and Virginia before closing at home against Stanford and Pittsburgh. The schedule labels later kickoff windows TBD where Cal has not published a time.
Program background · Reviewed 2026-10-06
A new staff in Berkeley
Tosh Lupoi is the head coach for 2026. Cal lists Jordan Somerville as offensive coordinator and Michael Hutchings as defensive coordinator, with Zach Tinker coordinating special teams. Nick Rolovich is associate head coach and quarterbacks coach; Ike Hilliard works with receivers and is co-offensive coordinator. The coaches tab separates those jobs from the other position assignments on the published staff list.
The 112 players in the official roster table are grouped by position on this site. Their class years, measurements, and hometowns are those listed by Cal Athletics when reviewed October 6. The roster and staff are dated so readers can distinguish a reviewed snapshot from a live feed.
Program background · Reviewed 2026-10-06
The previous year and the Big Game
Cal finished 2025 at 7–6 overall and 4–4 in the ACC. That season ended in a bowl loss, and the 2026 team is starting under a different head coach. The current results and schedule are shown separately from last year's record so the two seasons are not confused.
Stanford visits on November 21 for the 129th Big Game. The rivalry began in the 19th century and produced the five-lateral finish known as The Play in 1982. This season's date and home site are confirmed, while its kickoff time remains unassigned on Cal's schedule.
Explore
More on CAL
Players
Roster
Published player records by position group, with available class years, measurements, and hometowns.
Staff
Coaches
Tosh Lupoi and the published staff directory.
Numbers
Season stats
Confirmed results, points scored and allowed, and per-game scoring averages.
Archive
Program history
Championships, milestones, and the program’s history.
League
ACC
The rest of the conference and how the title race is shaping up.
Nearby
Teams in California
Other programs in the same state, if you follow more than one.
FAQ
CAL frequently asked questions
What is the CAL 2026 football record?
California is 2-3 through 5 completed games: 2 wins, 3 losses.
When does CAL play next?
California plays next against Wake Forest Demon Deacons on Saturday, October 17, 2026, at home in Berkeley, California. Kickoff is 10:30 PM EDT. TV coverage is TBD.
Who coaches California?
Tosh Lupoi is the head coach.
What conference does CAL play in?
California competes in the ACC.
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