ACC · Berkeley, California
California Football History
Championships, records and rivalries
Program history
CAL history
Cal's football history spans Andy Smith's Wonder Teams, a century at California Memorial Stadium, and the long Stanford rivalry known as the Big Game.
CAL history
The Wonder Teams and the early titles
Under Andy Smith, California's 1920 team went 9–0 and beat Ohio State 28–0 in the Rose Bowl. The university lists selector-recognized football national championships for 1920, 1921, 1922, 1923, and 1937. Those early titles reflect the pre-poll era's multiple selectors rather than a single modern championship game.
The undefeated 1920–22 stretch is often called the Wonder Teams. Cal's official histories also list the 1937 team among its national champions, even though it finished second in the final AP poll. Naming the selector context matters when comparing title claims across eras.
CAL history
Memorial Stadium and the Big Game
California Memorial Stadium opened in 1923. The Berkeley hillside setting has been the Bears' home for more than a century, including the 1923 Big Game opening. The stadium now carries the Databricks Field name in the program's schedule listings.
The Stanford rivalry began in 1892 and remains an annual fixture. In 1982, a five-lateral kickoff return ended with Cal beating Stanford 25–20 as the Stanford Band came onto the field. The finish is remembered as The Play, one of the rivalry's defining moments.
CAL history
The ACC chapter
Cal moved from the Pac-12 to the ACC for the 2024 season, changing the geography of its conference trips while keeping the Big Game against Stanford, which also joined the ACC. The 2025 Bears finished 7–6 overall and 4–4 in league play.
Tosh Lupoi returned to Berkeley as head coach for 2026 after previously playing and coaching at Cal. The current season is part of a much longer program story; its results and upcoming dates are tracked separately on the schedule page.
FAQ
CAL history questions
Which football national title years does Cal list?
Cal Athletics lists selector-recognized championships in 1920, 1921, 1922, 1923, and 1937.
When did California Memorial Stadium open?
In 1923, with the original stadium hosting that year's Big Game.
What was The Play?
A five-lateral kickoff return that gave Cal a 25–20 win over Stanford in the 1982 Big Game.
Published by Football Schedules Hub. Sources and editorial standards · Report a correction