(Before I start, an apology to all our readers.

After years of yelling at clouds online about how bringing Tosh Lupoi back to Berkeley would be a bad idea based on how his first departure came about, and the many warning signs elsewhere, I had to sell myself back in when it became clear what decision was coming last fall.

I have never felt worse about any decision I’ve ever made as a writer. Because every worst-case scenario came true. Talk is cheap when the words are written, but I do apologize for not writing more honestly about how I felt.

But if it’s any consolation, I’m getting punished in spectacular fashion.)

If the Tosh Lupoi era is doomed, I at least got to witness in person the signature play of his tenure on Saturday night in Charlottesville.

Behold, the stupidest moment from the stupidest season in Cal football history.

Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele threw a pick-six at the line of scrimmage to essentially end the game in the third quarter, and somehow it wasn’t the worst pick-six of the day. All this against a flailing Virginia team that had one FBS win in two months.

That’s the Tosh Lupoi experience in a nutshell. Aimless, stupid, wasteful football.

Dating back to SMU, Cal has now been outscored 83-0 in its last three second halves. If you include the first half of Wake Forest, you get to Cal being outscored 117-0 in four halves of their last four games.

That’s 120 minutes of garbage, where Cal’s opponent essentially needed only half a game or less to figure out everything the Bears had in their arsenal.

The Cal special teams blocked an extra point. JKS attempted a pooch punt with the Bears down three scores and a quarter remaining on 4th and whatever. There was whatever that play was up there. This is easily the most entertainingly bad unit on this team, you never know what you’re going to get.

The Cal defense has this amazing ability to make even the most pedestrian offense look like a juggernaut. Virginia really didn’t have a passing attack to consist of, but the Cal defense found themselves caught off guard by several Beau Pribula keepers and let go of the rope a few times in coverage.

It was a by-the-numbers, pedestrian defensive performance for an overwhelmed unit that has shown barely any signs of energy or life in the last month. Here are the updated Cal defensive FBS metrics, all bottom-tier:

• 20+ yard plays allowed (135th of 138 teams)

• 6.3 yards per play (119th)

• 194 rushing yards per game (121st)

• 5.1 yards per rush (123rd)

• 140 pass rating (91st)

• 36 tackles per loss (120th)

• 34.8 points per game (124th)

• 43% 3rd down conversion (105th)

• 93% 4th down conversion (Last)

That performance gave Virginia enough cushion for the Cal offense to hang itself.

The Cal offense was as grounded as the American aviation system this weekend. With two weeks to tinker with new potential formulas or ideas, the Frankenstein pro-style scheme that Jordan Somerville installed remains stuck in place, with no incremental improvement from the coaches or the players.

JKS is completely unable to execute this system. He will have one or two nice drives a game before the opponent realizes he cannot read a zone defense or a disguised blitz, and the game will essentially end. Receivers again dropped many of his scrambling throws. Defenders instinctively seem to know when a run up the middle is coming, with Adam Mohammed bottled up as the box gets quickly plugged.

The result is an offensive margin call.

• 4.5 yards per play (135th of 138 FBS teams)

• 72.6 rushing yards per game (137th)

• 2.68 yards per rush (136th)

• 5.7 yards per pass (128th)

• 115 passer rating (117th)

• 63 tackles for loss allowed (126th)

• 22% 4th down conversions (134th)

• 17 points/game (129th)

Tosh Lupoi had one goal going into this season: Maximize the talents of an athletically gifted quarterback and some impressive skill transfers with proper coaching, scheme and system. Cal installed an offense not commensurate with his talents (complex reads, changed mechanics, wrong reads), and Sagapolutele is suffering.

He has failed spectacularly. And it might end his time at Cal before it’s really even begun.

Ultimately, what is happening off the field now becomes far more interesting and potentially gutting for the future of Cal football.

What comes next? Could Cal seriously move on from Tosh Lupoi after only one season? And what exactly is Ron Rivera doing owning one of the worst hires in recent college football history?

The alarm bells were off with Ron Rivera’s candid radio interview identifying the mistakes Lupoi had made in his first year, and they became ringing sirens when the New York Times broke the next day that Lupoi and Rivera had been at odds all season. This was not helped this week when Lupoi and Rivera gave a group presser, and it was exacerbated further when both were interviewed separately at Virginia, and each was referred to as coach.

There is reported dysfunction throughout the program, with tired staffers unable to handle Lupoi’s manic management of every facet of the football team. The resentment seems to be boiling over as the product on the field decomposes, with more and more whispers of dissatisfaction about how the team is not being prepared through the week to win games.

Having watched many of these games in person, staffers look confused and lifeless through most of the games. Players run down the count, get randomly subbed in, and then usually fail to execute their assignments. Lupoi continues to randomly run around the sidelines with puppy dog energy, but does not seem to be attuned to game situation, time and place, with Exhibit A displayed at the top of this article.

And his media appearances continue to be a garbled disaster of bravado and half-baked run-on sentences. I have gotten multiple inquiries from Cal alum who don’t pay attention to football asking how this man graduated from UC Berkeley. I do not have a good response right now.

Barring scandal, it is exceptionally rare for a football team to fire a head coach in its first season. Even the Jimmy Lakes and Deshaun Fosters of the world got multiple years to try and figure it out before the plug was pulled. Even absolute disasters like Chad Morris and Jeremy Pruitt got multiple reboots.

But if he comes back, I have very little hope a turnaround is coming. Because Tosh Lupoi has not shown any sign that he knows what he’s doing, and after that bizarre play Saturday, now the whole college football world knows of it.

He has made very public bad decisions, particularly around his handling of the quarterback situation. He does not show any signs in-game of being even a mediocre decision-maker, making bizarre 4th down calls, refusing to call timeouts, and having the wrong players on the field for the wrong situation.

He has made bad staffing decisions, hiring first-time coordinators who were immediately overwhelmed to install schemes players were not prepared for. He hired numerous graduate assistants who seemed to be brought in for their ability to acquire talent via the portal and recruiting, but have not really upskilled their players. And he has micromanaged this program to the point that national publications are now reporting on the dysfunction spreading from Strawberry Canyon. His only plus remains his recruiting, but the decommits are starting to flow in, and it’s hard to imagine that this end-of-season spiral will have positive ramifications.

Then there is Rivera, who is now going to have to thoroughly own this hire. What did he get wrong in the process? Why was Lupoi not more thoroughly vetted for his strategic football abilities before this decision was made? How is he making the situation worse right now with his very public meddling? How will Rich Lyons be able to trust him to make the next decision here, after so badly bungling this one?

After nearly freezing to death in Charlottesville watching three-plus hours of this nonsense, I am frankly sick of watching this, and am for the first time in nearly 20 years reconsidering my relationship with this program if this continues. I now dread Cal football Saturdays, and will have to walk into Memorial Stadium this weekend with almost no hope we will beat a talent-deficient but hardworking Stanford team. Cal families who have for decades loyally stood with the Bears have been doing, or are in the process of doing the same thing.

Many Cal fans have passed the breaking point with Tosh Lupoi. How much longer does Cal football have until it irrevocably breaks?

I was wrong.

Cal’s defense suffocated the Gauchos in the opening period, holding them to 3-of-18 shooting. After Thursday’s underwhelming win over Charleston, Coach Smith must have preached intensity during practice on Friday. Cal led 14-6 after the first period, with Lulu Twidale’s 6 points pacing the Bears.

Cal continually fought through ball screens and maintained intensive defensive pressure through the second quarter. There were no easy shots for the Gauchos, who were limited to 5-of-30 for the half, with no three pointers. Nine different Bears scored for the Bears in the half in a balanced offensive effort. Cal held a comfortable 36-16 halftime lead.

Cal’s defense continued to stifle the Gauchos over the second half, and Cal continued to have a balanced scoring attacked, as Cal cruised to the 79-47 win.

Cal’s team defense was on lockdown mode and the true MVP of the game, limiting UCSB to 24% shooting for the game, 10% from long range. Some more shooting notes below.

Cal shot 48% for the game, 41% from three point range. Cal scored 36 points from 2-pointers, 33 points from 3-pointers. Lulu Twidale scored 19 points, Gisella Maul added 15 points on plus shooting from both of them.

Notes and Observations

• Cal committed 10 turnovers in the opening quarter, before committing only 11 for the remainder of the game. If it weren’t for 10 turnovers for Cal early on, this may have been a blowout from the beginning.

• Cal’s interior defense was impressive. The help defense was well timed and well disciplined with no unnecessary flailing or swiping. UCSB was extremely frustrated.

• The Gauchos have been averaging 84 points a game while shooting 50% from three point range, amongst the national leaders. Tonight USCB made their first three pointer with two minutes left in the third period, after missing their previous thirteen attempts. Their abysmal shooting was partially due to variance, and partially due to them trying long range shots early on instead of trying to go inside as the game went on.

• After Thursday’s frustrating result, no doubt Coach Smith drilled home intensity and focus in the practices Friday and pregame. From my brief conversation with Coach Smith after the game;

BP: "Talk about the message that you had for the team after the Thursday game. And how do you think they responded to that message today?”

Coach Smith: “Yeah, I can’t really talk about that message. I think it was a needed thing. I didn’t like how we played, and I’m really proud of how our team responded, and I felt like this was Cal basketball.”

• More from Coach Smith on today’s defensive focus;

“I thought Taylor and Lulu started us off with extreme defensive assertiveness. Not letting people get to their spots, standing their ground, that was really good. We forced them in to some tough shots, we knew they are a really good shooting team. A message for this game was discipline, and I think we were disciplined defensively.”

• Shannon Dowell is leading the team in rebounding at 7 rebounds per game, unusual for a wing player. Lulu Twidale and Gisella Maul are right behind her, averagin 6 rebounds per game. Coach Smith, when asked specifically about Shannon’s rebounding;

“She told me she wanted to be a solid on the boards and rebound for us….I said okay go for it. And she’s been doing it. And when you have a guard that’s getting defensive rebounds, it really ignites our break. So, Lulu, Shannon, Gisella, they were all on the glass, and that helps our transition. So we want them to keep getting in there and getting those boards.“

• Shannon Dowell was a perfect 6-for-6 from the free throw line today, once again leading the Bears in attempts and makes. She remains perfect on free throws for the year, connecting on all 25 attempts.

  ---

Cal improves to 5-0 on the year. This was the Bears’ first road game. Cal travels to Hawaii next week, facing the Hawaii Rainbow Warriors on Friday and the Gonzaga Bulldogs the following Monday as part of the North Shore Showcase.

Cal Berkeley (3-7) played the University of Virginia (5-5) at Scott Stadium in Charlottesville.

The first Virginia drive saw the Cavaliers go for it on a 4th and manageable, and get it, putting them at Cal’s 24. Cal, opting for a traditional single-high defense, did not have a free safety available to cover the QB run, which Beau Pribula availed himself of, one play before a throw to Da’Shawn Martin, giving the receiver his seventh touchdown of the year and putting Virginia in front 6-0 after Khamani Hudson managed to block the extra point. The next scoring drive would belong to Virginia as well, and came in the second quarter, ending in a completed field goal by the skilled fifth-year senior Will Bettridge, bringing the score to 9-0 Virginia with just over eight minutes left in the first half.

Cal’s first successful drive was aided by two defensive pass interference plays that eventually found the Bears inside Virginia’s 10-yard line. Upon reaching fourth down, and with the half nearly over, the kicking team came on the field, with Cal seemingly taking the points. It was a trick play that found tight end Mason Mini as the acting QB. Throwing on the run, he was intercepted by Brandyn Hillman, who ran the ball back the full length of the field. This time the extra point was good, making it 16-0 Virginia.

The Golden Bears ran tempo to end the half and matriculated the ball down the field with expedience. The drive ended in a scoring touchdown from running back Adam Mohammed, and Townes McGough’s extra point made it 16-7 going into halftime.

Virginia took control in the second half, jumping on Cal, which went three-and-out to begin the third quarter. The Cavaliers were not terribly successful on offense despite dominating the game, managing to get in position for a 30-yard field goal to bring the score to 19-7. As the third quarter ran out, Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele threw a second interception that was taken back for a score by Kam Robinson, who picked off JKS when the teams met last year as well, making it 26-7 after the extra point.

The fourth quarter would feature a 41-yard field goal from Will Bettridge to make it 29-7. Sophomore Cal safety Aidan Manutai went down with a scary injury, but left the field on his own feet with additional help. On the next play, backup Virginia QB Eli Holstein found Jack Rhodes for a 35-yard completion to bring the ball to Cal’s goal line. Cavs’ RB Xay Davis scored on the following play, making the score 36-7 after the extra point was made.

With today’s loss, Cal loses bowl eligibility for the season. The Golden Bears have been outscored a cumulative 83-0 in the second half of their last three contests. Their next game is next Saturday in Berkeley, when they welcome the Stanford Cardinal for the 129th Big Game.

How to watch Cal v. Utah Tech men’s college basketball

• When: Saturday, Nov. 14, 2026

• Tip-Off Time: 2 p.m. Pacific

• Where: Haas Pavilion in Berkeley, Calif.

• TV: ACCNX

• Radio: Cal Bears Sports Network on KSFO 810 AM; Channel 266 on SiriusXM Radio, the SiriusXM app and website; or The Varsity Network app

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The California Golden Bears are underdogs in their matchup against the Utah Tech Trailblazers, according to the latest men’s college basketball lines and odds offered by sportsbooks.

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Cal v. Utah Tech men’s college basketball betting pick, odds and lines: Who is favored to win?

According to data independently collected by Write for California, the latest college basketball betting odds for Cal v. Utah Tech is between Cal -13.5 and Cal -14.5, as of Saturday afternoon.

The Cal -14.5 line implies the California Golden Bears are about 15-point favorites to beat the Utah Tech.

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According to data independently collected by Write for California, the latest point total for Cal v. Utah Tech men’s college basketball “over-or-under” total score bets is between 158.5 and 159.5 points, as of Saturday afternoon.

The Cal -14.5 line and 159.5-point total imply the California Golden Bears will beat the Utah Tech Trailblazers with a scoreline of about 87-72.

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According to data independently collected by Write for California, the latest Cal v. Utah Tech men’s college basketball “moneyline” ranges between Cal -1011 and Cal -1800 and Utah Tech +900 and Utah Tech -975, as of Saturday afternoon.

Moneyline bets pay out based on the Cal v. Utah Tech men’s college basketball game’s result, regardless of any point “spread” handicap or margin of victory.

A bet on Cal’s most favorable moneyline of Cal -1011 requires a $1,011 bet to earn a $100 profit because Cal is the favorite in the game, while a wager on Utah Tech’s most favorable moneyline of Utah Tech +975 pays a $975 profit on a $100 bet because Utah Tech is the underdog.

Cal v. Utah Tech men’s college basketball: What you should know

The California Golden Bears are 2-2 in the 2026-2027 men’s college basketball season, while the Utah Tech Trailblazers are 1-2.

Cal and Utah Tech meet for the first time this weekend.

Earlier this week, Cal lost, 65-77, at home to the No. 21 USC Trojans, its second-straight matchup and defeat to a nationally ranked team. The visiting Trojans had four players score double-digits.

In its last game, Utah Tech lost at Utah State, 86-118. Utah Tech trailed Utah State, 35-53, at halftime and never led in the second half.

Cal is 1-1 against the spread in the 2026-2027 men’s college basketball season, and Utah Tech is 0-2.

Cal has had one “over” and one “under” game, while Utah Tech has had two “over” games this season.

According to Vegas Insider, which reports sportsbooks’ offered odds and lines, the Cal v. Utah Tech men’s college basketball line opened Friday at about Cal -16.5. The Cal v. Utah Tech total for “over-or-under” total score bets opened at about 157.5 points. The same website reports the Cal v. Utah Tech moneyline opened at about Cal -1600 and Utah Tech +900.

According to Vegas Insider, 79% of Cal v. Utah Tech men’s college basketball bets with a point spread have been on Utah Tech, 53% of Cal v. Utah Tech “over-or-under” total score bets have been on the under and 99% of Cal v. Utah Tech moneyline bets have been on the favorites, the California Golden Bears.

Vegas Insider also reports 93% of the dollars wagered on Cal v. Utah Tech with a point spread have been on Utah Tech , 59% of total score bets have been on the “under” and 68% of dollars bet on the Cal v. Utah Tech moneyline have been on the favorites, Cal.

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Bet responsibly. Odds and betting lines can change. Write for California provides betting information for context and entertainment purposes.

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How to watch Cal v. NC State college football

• When: Saturday, Nov 14th, 2026

• Kick-Off Time: 12:30 p.m. Pacific, 3:30 p.m. Eastern

• TV: ACC Network

• Radio: KSFO 810 AM; Channel 258 on SiriusXM Radio or on the SiriusXM app and website; The Varsity Network app; or the official Cal Bears YouTube channel

How to watch Cal v. Virginia college football online

ACC Network can be streamed online on the ESPN app, ESPN website, popular online TV streaming services, and major paid cable or satellite TV providers’ online services.

The California Golden Bears (2-2), who will play their next four games at home, return to Haas Pavilion to host the Utah Tech Trailblazers (1-2) this weekend.

Cal will look to break its current two-game losing streak in the program’s first-ever meeting against Utah Tech. In another first, the visiting Trailblazers’ game against Cal will be their first against an Atlantic Coast Conference school.

Here is how you can watch Cal v. Utah Tech men’s college basketball Saturday afternoon.

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How to watch Cal v. Utah Tech men’s college basketball

• When: Saturday, Nov. 14, 2026

• Tip-Off Time: 2 p.m. Pacific

• Where: Haas Pavilion in Berkeley, Calif.

• TV: ACC Network Extra (ACCNX)

• Radio: Cal Bears Sports Network on KSFO 810 AM; Channel 960 on SiriusXM Radio, the SiriusXM app and website; or The Varsity Network app

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How to watch Cal v. Utah Tech men’s college basketball online

The Cal v. Utah Tech men’s college basketball game will air on ACC Network Extra (ACCNX).

ACC Network Extra (ACCNX) can be streamed online on the ESPN app or the ESPN website. Find ACCNX under the channels listing, which can be accessed by clicking or tapping “Browse” in the menu bar online or selecting “Watch” in the ESPN app.

ACCNX may also be available with an ESPN+ subscription, on major paid cable or satellite TV providers’ online services, and popular online TV streaming services.

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A Write for California subscription never includes live TV streams of college basketball games, including Cal v. Utah Tech, or any other sports games or events.

Christopher Helling

Scoreline: Cal wins 24-10

Virginia being 10+ point favorites is honestly insulting. I want to say "Virginia has been playing terrible football," but presumably anyone reading this has been watching Cal football and knows that Cal has been playing much worse. Still, I would like to predict that Cal gets its act together, plays a great game defensively, and comes away with a couple turnovers to overcome another anemic offensive performance.

Callie Wake

Scoreline: Cal loses 17-35

Berkelium97

Scoreline: Cal loses 10-23

Both teams are riding three-game losing streaks and have struggled mightily to put points on the board, but the Hoos have looked less incompetent lately than the Bears.

Piotr T Le

Scoreline: Cal loses 10-21

Why the loss? I think we're just a bad football team and UVa is flawed. Toss in my personal attendance and the fact that it is on the East Coast.

Ben

Scoreline: Cal wins 28-20

I really don't know man. at this point, maybe fresh off a bye we finally find some groove and get something going (doubtful). If you're going to be bad atleast be interesting.

BearBen

Scoreline: Cal loses 14-24

Until proven otherwise it will be another tale of 2 halves for Cal looking promising in the 1st half before an offensive struggle in the 2nd half will leave the defense tired and give Virginia life en-route to another rough loss, this one slightly less of a blowout.

Rob

Scoreline: Cal wins 28-21

Squeak out a low-scoring-shootout.

Week 9

1 Miami at North Carolina (Miami wins 38-35)

Jesse Miller-Gordon: Bill is getting the Jordon news out there and politicking behind the scenes with boosters as his team plays better and better. I’m now keeping an eye out for who ends up GM there, because if they get him the right ingredients he’s going to keep cooking. Miami is great and the Mensah Money looks proper right now. Malachi Toney continues to have the best nickname in all of sports.

Christopher Helling: Of course, a week after saying I didn’t think UNC was very good, they nearly upset Miami. North Carolina did a great job of limiting WR Malachi Toney (outside of highlight reel plays which you can’t stop), but Miami’s secondary made UNC QB Billy Edwards Jr look like... Darian Mensah (Edwards’ 341 passing yards, 82.4% completion rate, and 4 TDs/0 INTs were season-highs; 4 TDs is his career-high, and 82.4% completions is a non-FCS competition career high for him as well). Edwards kept finding wide open receivers to keep pace with Miami’s offense, and it looks like Miami may have exposed their Achilles’ heel.

Virginia at 14 Wake Forest (Wake Forest wins 51-7)

Jesse Miller-Gordon: Virginia’s disappointment would be a bigger story if there weren’t higher level tire fires blazing at the moment. Also, Jack Dickert has been so good so fast he’s outstripped a tiny institution that likes to keep their coaches as long as possible much faster than they were prepared for. Those pressers where he talks about doing all that winning with less money than other coaches are for his admin to hear as much as they’re to mess with other coaches.

Christopher Helling: Wake Forest scored every time they touched the ball (minus their final drive in garbage time), and the best Virginia could hope for was for some strong redzone defense to force WF to settle for FGs instead of TDs. Virginia knew they had to be aggressive on offense to keep up, but couldn’t convert on 4th downs in the redzone (1/12 on on 3rd down, 3/7 on 4th downs) and the score eventually got away from them. Virginia’s offense is built to grind it out on the ground, not win a shootout with an offense that can’t be stopped. Wake Forest has SMU in a few weeks on the road, and they’re probably the only team that might be able to keep up. Otherwise, it looks like smooth sailing for a rematch with Miami in the ACC title game. (No disrespect to Duke here, I just don’t think they can keep up either, especially when WF starts strong).

19 SMU at Syracuse (Syracuse wins 30-27)

Jesse Miller-Gordon: I’d be mad if I were an SMU fan and I’d be confused if I were a Syracuse fan.

Christopher Helling: Syracuse has now beat UNC and SMU in back to back weeks. Syracuse’s red zone defense was probably the difference in this one, as well as SMU QB Kevin Jennings eating some costly sacks that cost SMU points (and a credit to Syracuse’s front-7 as well). Syracuse is showing teams just how dangerous they can be when fully healthy..

Boston College at Duke (Duke wins 47-2)

Christopher Helling: I definitely thought BC would put up more of a fight in this one, but it shows how singularly important QB Mason McKenzie is to the BC offense. The Duke defensive line lived in the BC backfield and did a good job of containing McKenzie to prevent him from breaking off huge runs the way he did last week at Georgia Tech.

Stanford at Louisville (Louisville wins 52-24)

Christopher Helling: Stanford was playing well to start, and Louisville had a number of big miscues that helped keep Stanford in the game, including a turnover on downs on a fake FG, a fumbled snap for a turnover, a missed FG, and a number of busted coverages to give up big Stanford TDs. While Stanford was down 31-24 Louisville, Stanford botched a hook-and-ladder trick play when WR Nico Brown lateraled to WR Caden High and it bounced off his hands for a fumble return TD by Louisville to make it 38-24 Louisville, Stanford failing on 4th down (INT), and led to another Louisville TD to make it 45-24 before the end of the 3rd quarter (after previously matching Louisville blow for blow) and Louisville controlled the game from there. Louisville has a really good offense but a very porous secondary (other than CB Tayon Holloway) and a questionable defense, Louisville is a team built to win shoot-outs.

Jesse Miller-Gordon: Withholding all comments until the Big Game.

Clemson at Florida State (Clemson wins 36-24)

Christopher Helling: Haven't watched this one yet (only caught the first quarter live), but a lost season for FSU at this point. Star WR Duce Robinson is out for the season, they're missing RB1/RB2 (hard to relate as a Cal fan), and they have a Stanford QB under center. Clemson doesn't trust QB Tait Reynolds to make reads at all (hard to relate as a Cal fan) and simplifying the offense to an absurd degree for him. Clemson has enough talent at other positions to make up for it, at least. FSU finally pulled the trigger on firing Norvell though, so I guess we'll see if Brian Kelly or someone can do a better job of taking advantage of all that FSU talent (but I suspect it will be hard to do worse).

Jesse Miller-Gordon: Weird and fitting end for the Mike Norvell saga. Idk what you do when Bama is trying to poach your coach that just went 13-0 and got screwed by the playoff committee. The lesson I hope anyone would learn from this is not to do what FSU did this year: Stop paying for a decent roster and see if your coach can do more with less when his best year you were outspending everyone. 20 million was a lot a couple years ago, now it's the number Wake Forest's coach brags about overcoming.

Dabo is hanging on for dear life and the team isn't BAD it will just never be what it was, and the admin at Clemson will have to decide how they feel about that. Seems like they're cool with it for now even if the fanbase isn't.

Georgia Tech at Pitt (Pitt wins 34-11)

Christopher Helling: The Pitt defensive line kept finding its way into the backfield and the pressure was causing Mendoza to panic, and he was eventually benched for backup QB Grady Adamson, who found more offensive success running the ball himself (62 passing yards, 63 rushing yards in about a quarter of play). GT had no offense at all in the first half, while Pitt leaned heavily on the run and outgained GT in the first half 270 yards to 77 yards (a lot of GT’s 77 yards on the 2 min drill to score a FG before halftime), and 461 yards for Pitt to 238 yards total for GT. GT’s injured defensive line continues to be a weak spot, as Pitt ran for 281 yards with RB Damon Ferguson Jr running for a career-high 185 yards and 2 TDs. Neither team’s passing offense looked very good, and there were a lot of drops by both teams despite no inclement weather. Pitt will keep winning games with their defensive line, but the passing offense is a big weakness, and expect Pitt to struggle against any team with a strong run defense going forward.

Week 10

Virginia Tech at SMU (SMU wins 51-28)

Ben: very very very funny that Cal loses to SMU by a wider margin AND beats Virginia Tech. James Franklin is a very funny coach.

Piotr T Le: Expected, SMU is likely outside looking into the CFP with VTech realizing that the Franklin experience will take a couple years to kick into gear.

Nick Kranz: When you combine a QB like Kevin Jennings with a passing defense like Virginia Tech’s, then you get a fun situation where you get 350 passing yards on just 24 completions.

Christopher Helling: VT held on in the first half, and was only down 9 points in at halftime despite being outgained 280 yards to 180 yards, with the defense getting some stops to force SMU into settling for a couple FGs. But the VT offense was unable to keep pace with the SMU offense as they rolled through for 569 total yards, and SMU broke the game open in the 3rd quarter with a couple of TDs, and VT struggling to get anything going on offense as VT sunk into a bigger and bigger hole. SMU scored on every possession except one, with an interception off a deflected pass (plus the final garbage time drive with backups in to burn clock running the ball). SMU’s offense looked sharp in this one, like they did in the second half of the SMU-Cal game. SMU has a big test coming up with Wake Forest next week.

1 Miami at 11 Notre Dame (Miami loses 24-31)

Ben: Really the only game I watched this weekend but man what a game. Miami nearly pulls off the miracle and ultimately falls flat in the endzone. If only there was a targetting no-call that benefited Miami to help them out....

Piotr T Le: Malachi Toney is worth at least 10 points, this match up will come back in the CFP.

Nick Kranz: Miami losing to Notre Dame while dogwalking the rest of the ACC is a grim reminder of how far away most of this conference is from teams that are ready and able to compete in the playoffs.

Christopher Helling: Not having WR Malachi Toney is a big deal for Miami, because he changes how a team decides to play defense. ND was able to play a lot of man defense on Miami’s receivers, which is not something teams have done with Toney around. ND’s lines looked better than Miami’s; ND’s defensive line got a lot of pressure and run stops in the Miami backfield; e.g. ND had a goal line stand for 3 straight run stuffs at the 1 to force Miami into settling for their first FG, and they were able to play a simple 4-man rush and drop defenders into coverage on Miami’s final drive of the game when Miami took over with a minute left in the game, and Mensah just couldn’t find open receivers. ND’s offensive line gave QB CJ Carr all day to throw, and the Miami secondary is not built to hold for that long, and Carr hit a ton of open receivers for consistent offensive drives. Miami was down 24-3 in the 3rd quarter, but it seemed that QB Darian Mensah rediscovered his offensive chemistry with WR Cooper Barkate and had some big plays from TE Elija Lofton to get back in the game. ND is probably the first team that was able to beat Miami at the line of scrimmage, which probably means trouble for Miami in the postseason. Also, just going to put this here, but I have no idea how ND QB CJ Carr is considered a top NFL Draft prospect. I have only seen the ACC-ND games, but he struggles when his dominant offensive line falters even a little bit.

Merrimack at 16 Wake Forest (Wake Forest wins 77-0)

Ben: Honestly shameful that Jake Dickert and Wake Forest have to do this to get the committees attention.

Piotr T Le: Fun fact, WF didn’t even play Gio Lopez!

Christopher Helling: QB Gio Lopez sat this game out with an injury he suffered against Virginia (presumably to come back for next week at SMU). If you’re wondering what kind of team Merrimack is, they just beat our pals at Wagner (who are now 2-8) the week prior by a 19-14 margin.

Clemson at Syracuse (Clemson wins 18-13)

Ben: This is certainly a game. Does this give Dabo some further job security? Much to determine.

Piotr T Le: Somehow Cuse who is on their n-th QB gave Clemson a better fight than Cal has. Clemson is probably going to fire Dabo but each win makes it a tad harder.

Nick Kranz: In case you were curious. Clemson got to 18 with four field goals and a fumble return touchdown and missed 2 point conversion that turned out to be the decisive play of the game. Clemson is deeply flawed, yet still in the ACC championship picture thanks to a series of narrow wins in ACC play.

Christopher Helling: Neither of these offenses looked very good. Angeli had some bad throws for missed opportunities to score TDs, and WR Calvin Russell III was visibly frustrated. Tait Reynolds is a one-read QB, and Clemson only appears to trust Reynolds to run the ball when they need yards. Both offenses were bad in the redzone and on 3rd downs. The first TD of the game was a defensive scoop and score by the Clemson defense (followed by a missed 2-pt conversion), while Syracuse scored the only offensive TD of the game late in the 4th quarter. Clemson had a lot of penetration into the backfield, while CB Ashton Hampton locked down WR Umari Hatcher, Syracuse’s biggest weapon (2 catches for 12 yards). There were a lot of missed opportunities on offense for both teams, and this game could have gone either way with slightly better offensive performances by either side.

Florida State at Boston College (Florida State wins 31-24)

Ben: Dead cat bounce baby? Although man only one touchdown over BC?

Piotr T Le: First away ACC win in 3 years for FSU. Good on them as they are figuring out which coaching tier they can hire from. May I offer one gently used Tosh Lupoi?

Nick Kranz: Dead cat bounce

Christopher Helling: Two teams allergic to the passing game. It is funny to me that BC and FSU are basically equally matched teams after the seasons they had last year. FSU resorted to a fake FG for a TD in this one, only to be answered with a Kansas City Chiefs-inspired “Ring Around the Rosie” into the Swinging Gate trick play by Boston College right after. FSU just ran the ball a bit more effectively than BC to edge this one out.

North Carolina at UConn (North Carolina wins 38-21)

Ben: Quietly starting to worry that Belichick is putting it together an UNC and can be a force in the years to come.

Nick Kranz: One win away from a bowl for Chapel Bill, with Virginia and NC State still left on the schedule. When you’re casting jealous eyes towards THAT particular brand of dysfunction you’re in a dark place.

Christopher Helling: Okay, so I was wrong about UNC maybe not making a bowl game (do we still have bowl games?), as they’ll probably beat one of NCSU or Virginia. Do you think Bill Belichick would do the Duke’s Mayo Bowl mayo dump if UNC won that game? UConn is not good, and I may have overrated them a bit after watching them slug it out with Syracuse (who apparently does that with every opponent, no matter how good or bad they are), plus some residual bias after how well Jim Mora did there last year. Winning ugly is still winning.

Rob: Who wouldve thought Bill going through a break-up would help him find his coaching chops again?

Duke at NC State (Duke wins 41-3)

Ben: Annnnnd NC State is back down to the basement with out.

Piotr T Le: NC State is bad and this is how they ought to look to a competent team. Further proof of how woeful Cal has been this season.

Nick Kranz: This would be a deeply demoralizing result if I had any morale left.

Christopher Helling: This was the NCSU team I was hoping Cal would face. RB Nate Sheppard is so good that receivers were left in man coverage, and it just took one man getting beat to give up a big play. NCSU did a terrible job tackling, giving up e.g. an 18-yard TD on a simple WR screen (one-on-one coverage), followed by having a missed 50-yard FG returned over 100 yards for another Duke TD at halftime to make it 31-3 Duke at half. RB Nate Sheppard outgained the entire NCSU offense by himself (19 plays, 221 yards of offense, 3 TDs to 70 plays for NCSU, 217 yards of offense, 0 TDs) and he was pulled in the middle of the 3rd quarter when Duke was up 38-3. RB Nate Sheppard ran for 217 yards on 18 carries, and his running ability made QB Walker Eget’s job way easier for him. Duke’s offensive line lived in the NCSU backfield, and they contained NCSU for 32 yards rushing on 25 carries, while QB CJ Bailey was off-target all game and just couldn’t put the ball in catchable spots for the most part. NCSU usually starts strong (they were down 7-3 after the 1st quarter), but it was a complete blowout from the 2nd quarter onward. Duke has games against Miami and Wake Forest still on the schedule, so they control their own destiny, and they may be heating up at the right time.

Louisville at Georgia Tech (Louisville wins 44-17)

Ben: I honestly do not have a single read of Louisville this season. Is this a good win? Just beating up on Little Mendoza? Hmmmmm

Piotr T Le: If not for GTech, Cal and Stanford would be the worst teams in the ACC.

Nick Kranz: Louisville is going to finish ACC play with a point differential well above +100, wondering how exactly they took an utterly inexplicable 3 point loss to NC State.

Christopher Helling: GT had a questionable strategy of alternating quarterbacks every drive until a QB had success, and instead it seemed like neither QB had any rhythm, and a lot of missed throws due to poor QB/WR chemistry, so I am guessing this QB indecisiveness has been going on for a while. GT’s scoring drives were mostly assisted by Louisville mental mistakes in some way (1Q FG: 3 and out, muffed punt, 3 and out, roughing the kicker, then FG; 2Q TD: mostly a good 2 min drill by QB Alberto Mendoza plus a roughing the passer; 4Q TD: Louisville coach with sideline interference colliding with a ref). GT’s lines looked better than usual, and did better than I expected against a very strong Louisville rushing attack (which still ran for 251 yards), while QB Lincoln Kienholz had a lot of nice throws and played well overall. Louisville is just a couple close losses away from being undefeated (lost to current #10 Ole Miss by 1 FG, lost to #16 Wake Forest by 1 FG and had a game-tying FG blocked, and then somehow lost to NC State after RB Keyjuan Brown was stripped for a fumble on what would have been a game-winning TD to lose by 1 FG again). Louisville strong offense has been able to carry them so far.

Any other thoughts on the teams?

Piotr T Le: Cal somehow found a way to lose the BYE week with the chaos surrounding the program. The fact that Feldman level reporters had to write about the Cal leadership debacle is an embarrassment for the program. It is one thing to be bad, it is another thing to look incompetent doing so.

Nick Kranz: In the ACC: Louisville wins out (beats UNC and Pitt), SMU wins out (beats Wake Forest and Stanford), Wake Forest beats Duke and Georgia Tech, and Clemson beats Georgia Tech and Duke, and we get four teams tied at 7-2. Very plausible chaotic fun!

Christopher Helling: ESPN is ruining college football. A 24-team playoff is stupid.

The California Golden Bears are underdogs against the Virginia Cavaliers, according to the latest college football lines and odds offered by sportsbooks.

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Cal v. Virginia college football betting pick, odds and lines: Who is favored to win?

According to data independently collected by Write for California, the latest college football betting odds for Cal v. Virginia is between Cal +10 and Cal +10.5, as of Friday morning.

The Cal +10.5 line implies the California Golden Bears are about 11-point underdogs against the Virginia Cavaliers.

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According to data independently collected by Write for California, the latest point totals for Cal v. Virginia college football “over-or-under” total score bets is between 46.5 and 47.5 points, as of Friday morning.

The Cal +10.5 line and 47.5-point total imply the California Golden Bears will lose to the Virginia Cavaliers with a scoreline of about 29-19.

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According to data independently collected by Write for California, the latest Cal v. Virginia college football “moneyline” ranges between Cal +320 and Cal +355 and Virginia -376 and Virginia -420, as of Friday morning.

Moneyline bets pay out based on the Cal v. Virginia college football game’s result, regardless of any point “spread” handicap or margin of victory.

A bet on Cal’s most favorable moneyline of Cal +355 pays a $355 profit on a $100 wager, and a bet on Virginia’s most favorable moneyline of Virginia -376 requires a $376 bet to earn a $100 profit.

Cal v. Virginia college football: What you should know

The California Golden Bears are 3-6 and have a 2-4 record in the Atlantic Coast Conference in the 2026 college football season. The Virginia Cavaliers are 4-5 and have a 2-4 record in the Atlantic Coast Conference.

Cal has a 0-1 all-time record against Virginia in a series dating back to 2025. In the last matchup, Cal lost 21-31 at home on Nov. 1, 2025, in an ACC league game.

The California Golden Bears and Virginia Cavaliers are both 2-6 against the spread in the 2026 college football season.

Both Cal and Virginia have had three games finish with an “over” result and five games with an “under” result for total projected points in the 2026 college football season.

Last weekend, Cal lost to North Carolina State, 10-31, its third loss in a row. Cal and NC State were both tied at halftime, but the Wolfpack scored 21 unanswered points in the second half, as the Bears continue their late-game struggles. Cal has been outscored 80-132 in the second half in the current 2026 college football season.

In its last game, Virginia fell at No. 14 Wake Forest, 7-51. The Cavaliers gave up a score to the nationally ranked Deacons on all but one of their 10 drives, as Wake Forest rolled to a rout.

Cal has a 1-3 record away from home in the 2026 college football season, while Virginia is 4-1 at home.

The Cal v. Virginia college football line opened early this week at about Cal +12.5, according to Vegas Insider, which analyzes and aggregates sportsbooks and select prediction markets’ offered odds and lines.

Over the week, the Cal v. Virginia college football line has moved in Cal’s favor, suggesting that some bettors think Cal may pull off an upset this weekend.

Vegas Insider reports the Cal v. Virginia moneyline opened at about Cal +380 and Virginia -500. The Cal v. Virginia total opened at about 47.5 points.

According to Vegas Insider’s analysis, 98% of Cal v. Virginia moneyline bets have been on the favorites, the Virginia Cavaliers. Vegas Insider also reports that 78% of Cal v. Virginia total score bets have been on an “over” result.

Vegas Insider also reports that 85% of all dollars bet on the Cal v. Virginia moneyline have been on the Virginia Cavaliers, and 76% of dollars bet on the Cal v. Virginia total score bets have been on an “over” result.

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Bet responsibly. Odds and betting lines can change. Write for California provides betting information for context and entertainment purposes.

If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, help is available at 1-800-GAMBLER.

The California Golden Bears (3-6, 2-4 ACC) head to the East Coast for their final away game of the season this weekend. Cal returns from a bye to meet the Virginia Cavaliers (4-5, 2-4 ACC) in Charlottesville, Va.

Cal has lost three straight games and is looking to avoid falling to 3-7 for the first time since 2022.

Here’s how you can watch Cal v. Virginia college football this Saturday afternoon.

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How to watch Cal v. Virginia college football

• When: Saturday, Nov. 14, 2026

• Kick-Off Time: 3:30 p.m. Eastern

• Where: Scott Stadium in Charlottesville, Va.

• TV: ACC Network

• Radio: Cal Sports Network on KSFO 810 AM; Channel 258 on SiriusXM Radio or on the SiriusXM app and website; The Varsity Network app; or the official Cal Bears YouTube channel

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How to watch Cal v. Virginia college football online

The Cal v. Virginia college football game will air on ACC Network.

ACC Network can be streamed online on the ESPN app, ESPN website, popular online TV streaming services and major paid cable or satellite TV providers’ online services.

Write for California will have a live fan stream for reactions and discussions about the game. Join the Write for California community in our live game thread and follow @WriteForCal and @WriteForCalLIVE on X for the latest from the Write for California staff.

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Write for California will not have a live online video stream of the Cal v. Virginia college football game.

A Write for California subscription never includes live TV streams of college football games, including Cal v. Virginia, or any other sports games or events.

_{Photo Courtesy of UVA Athletics}

Virginia was a stunning surprise last season, going 10-2 under Head Coach Tony Elliot and earning the chance to play for an ACC title in Charlotte. A key factor in that ascent was Defensive Coordinator John Rudzinski’s group, which played very well throughout the season. He has an amazing background that is quite appropriate for this Veteran’s Day weekend. He was a linebacker for Air Force before serving as an officer for several years. He returned to his alma mater and climbed the coaching ranks before taking command of an Air Force Falcons defense that was transformed under his tenure to place among the best in school history. In 2022, he made the jump to P4 ball and has run things for Tony Elliot ever since.

The Hoos ranked at the top of the conference and the nation across defensive metrics such as scoring defense and pass rush success during the 2025 season. Rudzinski returned for his 5th season in charge of the defense and kept several key starters. In an ACC that has not exactly been a gauntlet over the past few seasons, a reasonable observer would think Virginia would be a safe bet as a contender in 2026.

Yet the Hoos enter the 11th month of the year fighting not for a lofty place amongst the commanding heights of college football but for simple bowl eligibility. They were blown out by Wake Forest and Florida State while falling again to the same Duke team that denied them a playoff spot last season. In large part, this is due to a defense that has slid down towards the bottom of the P4 among most defensive categories. They allow around 370 yards per game and puzzlingly cannot generate a pass rush in the same galaxy as last season, despite having a similar quality of personnel.

One explanation is missed tackles, which Virginia has struggled to crack down on. In their blowout loss against the Noles, Tony Elliot’s team missed almost 30 tackles. Additionally, Virginia’s secondary has struggled in one-on-one coverage despite bringing in solid defensive backs in the portal. Devastating injuries have certainly cost the Hoos at key positions, such as DB Omillio Agard being out for the season. Several returners have also failed to match anything close to last year’s production.

That being said, Virginia does excel in a few areas. First is limiting opponents' pass completion percentage, in which they rank 3rd in the nation at just 59%. They also rank respectably in passing yards allowed, scoring in the top third of the FBS at 193 yards per game.

Despite having a relatively weak rushing defense, Virginia should be able to stifle a battered Cal RB room and quickly make the Bears’ offense what it has been for much of the last several seasons: one-dimensional. On paper, this is the type of secondary that would struggle in coverage against the likes of Chase Hendricks and Ian Strong, and if the game is close or Virginia trails late, that is overwhelmingly likely to be the reason why. That being said, Cal has simply been unable to handle defensive adjustments all season, and it would be a reasonable bet that a seasoned Virginia staff will be able to make the kind of gameplan alterations that paralyzed the Bears against SMU and NC State in the respective second halves.

In terms of specific personnel that Cal fans should be aware of, first and foremost is DE Matthew Fobbs White, who has a team-high 5 sacks. Of particular interest here is that he averages almost 10 yards lost per sack, meaning that his individual effort is altering the course of entire drives. In the secondary, senior safety Brandyn Hillman is the kind of disruptive playmaker that can cause Cal a lot of headaches.

At a meta level, opposing defenses have discovered an indefensible Achilles heel in this Cal team that has consistently rendered the offense inert. They have taken advantage of the lack of sophistication and experience in coaching to make schematic and tactical adjustments that the coaching staff in Berkeley cannot respond to. Even if Virginia somehow gets torched in the early stages of the game, it is fair to doubt that their halftime adjustments will be something the Bears can find success against. The answer to that question will almost certainly decide whether Cal bounces out of bowl eligibility in early November or breathes an iota of life into the season.

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Cal raced out to an 11-0 lead and never looked back in the wire to wire win. The first quarter was all Bears, as eight different Cal players scored en route to a 25-4 lead. Charleston committed seven turnovers in the first period. The game looked like it might be a full on blowout.

The Cougars cleaned up their sloppy play in the second period (only 2 turnovers) and showed some fight. F Isla Juffermans led the charge for the Cougars, winning the interior battle over Cal’s platoon of Albina Syla and Jovana Jevtovic. Juffermans scored 12 points in the second quarter as the Charleston closed to within eight points on several occasions. Cal led 36-25 at halftime.

Charleston was able to reduce the lead to six, 40-34 midway through the third period. The combo of G Janna Vogelar (CAA Newcomer of the Week) and F Juffermans were executing the Cougar’s offense exceptionally well. Cal’s shooting went even colder than it had been, starting the period off only 2-of-11. Lulu Twidale started the game 0-for-8 on three point shots before connecting on her first one with two minutes left in the third period to push Cal’s lead back to double digits. Twidale’s basket kicked off an 11-2 Cal scoring run to end the period. The Bears led 60-43 after three.

Cal maintained at least a 12 point lead through the final period as they closed out the 78-64 win.

Shannon Dowell led Cal with 20 points on 5-of-10 shooting, and a perfect 9-of-9 from the free throw line. Lulu Twidale added 19 points, 15 of which came in the second half after a cold start.

Though Juffermans had a game high eight rebounds, Cal won the overall rebounding battle 42 to 31. Albina Syla and Gisella Maul led Cal with seven rebounds apiece.

My short version; Cal starts off strong, allows Charleston to hang around for the majority of the second and third periods, then Lulu starts finally hitting her shots and Cal pulls away for the 14-point win. The outcome was never really in doubt. It could have been more decisive against the overmatched opponent, but take the win and move on to the next game.

Coach Charmin Smith was more disappointed about her team’s performance. In her postgame press conference, Coach Smith was direct in her message of it being an underwhelming outcome. When asked about the lull in the second and third periods;

Coach: “I mean, after the first quarter, it was a tie ball game. I think it's unacceptable.”

BentPawn: “Can you expand on that a little bit more? What were you seeing, the execution? The shots just not going in? “

Coach: “Shot's not going in.....We've had that happen, you know, that happens. I didn't like our energy. Yeah, and I don't think I need to say any more than that. I think we could have played a lot better, and I know that we'll play better on Saturday. I love this team. I'm so grateful to be able to coach this team. And it wasn't our best day.”

Cal will take their 4-0 record on the road this weekend down the 101, facing the UC-Santa Barbara Gauchos on Saturday afternoon in the Thunderdome. The Gauchos are 3-0 on the year, and beat Stanford in an exhibition matchup in late October. Cal will need to play better in order to keep their perfect record intact.

Notes and Observations

• The shooting splits across the quarters paint the picture. Cal shot 52% in the first period, 44% in the final period, and under 30% for the second and third periods. The numbers are approximately inversed for Charleston.

• Charleston’s Isla Jufferman was on Louisville’s roster last year, but did not play for the Cardinals due to injury. Her 22 points today (and 7 rebounds) is a career high.

• Naya Ojukwu sat out today’s game due to illness. Cal rotated Syla and Jevtovic into the post, but Jufferman won most battles. Freshman C Anna Lagonaki played 6 minutes for the Bears, a career high. Lagonaki scored 1 point and grabbed 2 rebounds

• I underestimated Shannon Dowell. In my preseason roster writeup, I tabbed her as a bench sparkplug but was worried about her high turnover rate (3.5 per game) at Missouri last year. This year, her scoring has dropped from 14.9 points last year to 11.7 points per game. Other categories have improved dramatically, in less playing time.

  • 2025 Missouri: 14.9 points, 6.1 rebounds, 2.3 assists, 1.1 steals, 3.5 turnovers — 29.2 minutes per game

  • 2026 Cal: 11.7 points, 7.3 rebounds, 4.3 assists, .3 steals, 1.0 turnovers —24.7 minutes per game

• Dowell is perfect for the year on free throws, hitting all 19 of her attempts so far. When asked about this aspect of her game, Dowell was proud of her ability to draw fouls;

  “Just going in there knowing there’s going to be contact and just absorbing. It is really like my main focus. I mean, I kind of double clutch a lot too, so it kind of it baits the defender into fouling me.”

• All this to say, Dowell is becoming the second most impactful player for the Bears, a strong complement to Lulu Twidale.

With Lee Dort still recovering from a lower leg injury, Montas Kocanas once again earned the start at Center. Cal raced out to a 9-2 lead, punctuated by a Sammie Yeanay steal and breakaway dunk that forced USC to call a quick timeout to regroup. Cal was confident and not giving an inch to USC’s superior size.

Neither team shot well early on. Cal started 5-of-15 (2-of-10 from three-point range), while USC started 5-of-17(2-of 9 from deep), as both teams were comfortable going up tempo and settling for reasonable long range shots that weren’t connecting. Cal held a 16-14 lead midway through the first half.

Sammie Yeanay picked up his second foul at the 10-minute mark, sending him to the bench for over five minutes. USC took their first lead 21-20 at the 8-minute point, as their size generated 11 offensive rebounds which were led to 7 second chance points.

Cal continued to get good looks from long range and was not shy in bombing away. Unfortunately, Cal only connected on 2-of-14 shots from deep for the half, while USC shot slightly better(4-of-14). Without Dort, USC was able to get too many second chance opportunities, as USC took a 39-30 lead into halftime

Cal started the second half with a 6-0 run to close the gap; USC responded with a coopld buckets to maintain a 7-point lead. Samie Yeanay picked up his third foul two minutes into the second half, once again sending him to the bench. The story remained the same; Cal could not shoot, USC was getting too many second chances and was shooting just a little better as they pushed their lead to 51-40 with just under 14 minutes left. Sammie Yeanay was leading Cal in scoring with 11 points in only thirteen minutes. Madsen chose to put him back into the game in an attempt to bring Cal’s offense to life. He promptly picked up his fourth foul and was sent back to the bench.

Nojus Andrusaitis scored seven straight points to close the gap to 53-49 with eleven minutes remaining. The Cal crowd was energized as Cal was not backing down from the challenge.

USC maintained a four point lead until the 7 minute mark, 63-59. The Trojans went on a 6-0 spurt on a couple Cal defensive lapses to push the lead to ten with just under five minutes left.

Cal was not able to close the gap. It was a return to the first half script; Cal could not score, while USC successfully executed their offense and frequently broke down Cal’s high trap defensive scheme. Jake Wilkins fouled out towards the end, and Sammie Yeanay was limited due to his foul trouble throughout the game. USC closed out the 77-65 win.

Cal shot 36% for the game, 22% from long range. Sammie Yeanay led Cal with 14 points in only 17 minutes of court time. Nojus Andrusaitis added 13 points.

USC outrebounded Cal 53-36, with Andrusaitis leading the Bears with 6 boards. . Coach Madsen postgame; “We got punked on the glass.”

Note and Observations

• Lee Dort missed his fourth consecutive game. Coach Madsen, on Lee Dort’s absence and it’s impact on rebounding;

“We can’t use that as a crutch. We have to have some other guys step up and rebound the ball. Tonight I told the locker room, our two guards led us, with Nojus Andrusaitis with six. TT Carr, a 5’ 11” guard, with five. We need more rebounding, and I’ve got to find a way.”

• Cal would play 25 seconds of solid on-ball defense, only for it to break down at the end and allow an easy shot. Or, the on-ball defense was simply beat by a fadeaway 20-foot jumper from Arenas or Rice. Game respect game.

• DK Dhut did not play, as Montas Kocanas and Dominykas Daubaris took all the Center minutes. Kocanas and Daubaris were…competent. They combined for only 8 points and 5 rebounds. They both showed good court knowledge and positioning, and Kocanas displayed decent low post moves on a couple baskets. They were simply outmatched by USC, namely F Jacob Cofie’s 13 points and 15 rebounds.

• Amier Ali only played two minutes in the first half, his only minutes of the game. DK Dhut did not log any minutes. When Dort comes back, expect a core 7-man rotation of Dort, Kocanas, Ross, Andrusaitis, Cooper, Wilkins, and Yeanay. Carr, Ruff, Daubaris and Ali will be mixed in based on matchup and game situations.

• The announced attendance tonight was 5,087. The loudest cheer of the night was when USC’s Alijah Arenas missed two consecutive free throws, triggering a free burger giveaway at Berkeley’s Shake Shack for all game ticket holders.

• A close second for loudest cheer was for the student at halftime who sunk a half court shot to earn free room and board for a year.

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How to watch Cal v. USC men’s college basketball

• When: Wednesday, Nov. 11, 2026

• Tip-Off Time: 8 p.m. Pacific

• Where: Haas Pavilion in Berkeley, Calif.

• TV: ESPN2

• Radio: Cal Bears Sports Network on KSFO 810 AM; Channel 266 on SiriusXM Radio, the SiriusXM app and website; or The Varsity Network app

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Review

We start this week learning about where the game will be played at Scott Stadium, named for Frederic William Scott, a university donor and rector, which is a word I just had to look up. Scott Stadium is well-reviewed on Google at an average of 4.5 stars across 1,113 reviews. Let’s take a look at some of those reviews!

Interestingly, concerts are one of the highest appearing words throughout all reviews. Many in particular focus on one Lucas Combs.

Oh boy! That bodes well for this football game! But enough about moderate music, lets look into the concessions scene at Scott Field.

Noted! Avoid the hot dogs! If you’re going to this game, I hope you have a good time and a good game!

Citation Needed

Now to the usual stuff! Let’s take a look at how these Universities compare where it counts, Wikipedia citations!

UC Berkeley made up some ground, increasing the number of Wikipedia Citations by two to a nice 309! Thanks new citations! Meanwhile, University of Virginia sits at a tight 217. You know what they say, Wikipedia is the source of all knowledge and more citations is better!

Homeward Bound

Next, let’s learn more about the University of Virginia Cavaliers Wahoos Hoos! One particular incident is worth exploring just a bit more!

In the 1920s, the student Greek life somewhat adopted a stray dog aptly named Beta, named after the Beta Theta Pi members that adopted him. The dog roamed campus, appearing at parties and tailgates where he was lovingly fed hamburgers and beer. What a life!

One particular weekend, the student body felt that Beta’s presence was required in Athens, as the Cavaliers were set to square off against Uga and the Georgia Bulldogs. We don’t know which game it was, but in the 1920s UVA went 1-3 against Georgia. Personally I think it was the 1925 game where Virginia barely squeaked by Georgia winning 7-6. I’d like to think they got so drunk that that it what caused this next part.

After what I assume was an incredible party, the students left the next day and WHOOPS WE FORGOT BETA. Somehow, someway, these students cross THREE SETS OF STATE LINES AND FORGET THEIR DOG. HOW DOES THAT HAPPEN.

BUT THEN IT GETS CRAZIER. SOME WEEKS LATER, BETA JUST SHOWS UP BACK IN CHARLOTTESVILLE! A little thinner, a little tired, but just shows up again at the Beta House back door! AND THEN HE GOES ON TO LIVE FOR ANOTHER LIKE 10 OR 12 YEARS! HOWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW!

Thankfully, we here at Write For California, using the latest in imagery software have compiled this 27 minute video so that you can pretend to be Beta and fly from the University of Georgia Sanford Field to the Beta House in Charlottesville, Virginia. Put on the headphones, put it on full screen, and pretend to be a little dog with a jetpack flying across the American South. Like a Snoopy-esque chasing the Red Baron.

Nothing but the best for our readers!

Bear Power

Let’s take a look at another interesting statistic, distance to nearest bear!

UC Berkeley and the Oakland Zoo haven’t moved yet (we’re watching you Hayward Fault!) so the distance remains fixed at 11 miles. Meanwhile, the closest bear to the University of Virginia is the Asiatic Black Bear at the Norfolk Zoo, a staggering 164 miles away. I’d hate to be a parent driving from Charlottesville to the Zoo. Just two more hours child of mine! This one could very well tip the scales as we know our Golden Bears draw power from the proximity to the closest bear. Here’s hoping we can find a way to win.

And with that, we’ve learned everything we need to learn about the University of the Virginias. Hope this made you a smile or laugh. Here’s hoping for a Cal Bears victory this weekend. Thanks for reading, and Go Bears!

The California Golden Bears are underdogs in their matchup against the USC Trojans, according to the latest men’s college basketball lines and odds offered by sportsbooks.

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Cal v. USC men’s college basketball betting pick, odds and lines: Who is favored to win?

According to data independently collected by Write for California, the latest college basketball betting odds for Cal v. USC is Cal +8.5, as of Wednesday afternoon.

The Cal +8.5 line implies the California Golden Bears are about nine-point underdogs against the USC Trojans.

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According to data independently collected by Write for California, the latest point total for Cal v. USC men’s college basketball “over-or-under” total score bets is 161.5 points, as of Wednesday afternoon.

The Cal +8.5 line and 161.5-point total imply the California Golden Bears will lose to the USC Trojans with a scoreline of about 85-76.

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According to data independently collected by Write for California, the latest Cal v. USC men’s college basketball “moneyline” ranges between Cal +275 and Cal +335 and USC -350 and USC -410, as of Wednesday afternoon.

Moneyline bets pay out based on the Cal v. USC men’s college basketball game’s result, regardless of any point “spread” handicap or margin of victory.

A bet on Cal’s most favorable moneyline of Cal +335 pays a $335 profit on a $100 bet because Cal is the underdog, while a wager on USC’s most favorable moneyline of USC -350 pays a $100 profit on a $350 bet because USC is the favorite.

Cal v. USC men’s college basketball: What you should know

The California Golden Bears are 2-1 in the 2026-2027 men’s college basketball season, while the USC Trojans are 2-0.

The USC Trojans started the season ranked No. 21 in the Associated Press’ pre-season top-25 poll and No. 22 in the USA TODAY Coaches Poll. USC is ranked the same in both polls heading into its game against Cal.

The California Golden Bears have a 138-134 record against the USC Trojans in a series dating back to 1916. Cal has won the last two meetings, including its last game, a 82-74 win in Los Angeles in 2024, when both teams were Pac-12 Conference members.

Cal lost to No. 10 Houston, 68-86, this past weekend in a neutral-site pre-season tournament. The nationally ranked Cougars sailed to a win, leading by 11 points at halftime and turning that advantage to as many as 23 points in the second half.

At the same pre-season tournament, the No. 21 USC Trojans fought for a narrow 93-86 win against Wichita State Shockers. Rodney Rice and Alijah Arenas scored career-high 32 and 30 points, respectively.

Cal is 1-0 against the spread in the 2026-2027 men’s college basketball season, and USC is currently 2-0 when a point handicap is considered.

Cal has had one “over” game, while USC has had one “over” and one “under” point-total result this season.

According to Vegas Insider, which reports sportsbooks’ offered odds and lines, the Cal v. USC men’s college basketball line opened earlier this week at about Cal +7.5. The Cal v. USC total for “over-or-under” total score bets opened at about 160.5 points. The same website reports the Cal v. USC moneyline opened at about Cal +235 and USC -290.

According to Vegas Insider, 66% of Cal v. USC men’s college basketball bets with a point spread have been on USC, 66% of Cal v. USC “over-or-under” total score bets have been on the over and 99% of Cal v. USC moneyline bets have been on the favorites, the USC Trojans.

Vegas Insider also reports 65% of the dollars wagered on Cal v. USC with a point spread have been on USC , 63% of total score bets have been on the “over” and 96% of dollars bet on the Cal v. USC moneyline have been on the favorites, the USC Trojans.

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The California Golden Bears (2-1) face their second nationally ranked foe of the season, as they host the No. 21 USC Trojans (2-0) this weekend.

The Bears last played back-to-back games against nationally ranked teams last season when they lost to No. 6 Duke, 56-71, on Jan. 14 and No. 14 North Carolina, 78-84, on Jan. 17.

Cal and USC’s last meeting was in 2024, when both teams were members of the Pac-12 Conference. The Golden Bears came out ahead, besting USC 71-66 in Galen Center, their first road win against the Trojans since 2017.

Here is how you can watch Cal v. USC college basketball Wednesday evening.

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How to watch Cal v. USC men’s college basketball

• When: Wednesday, Nov. 11, 2026

• Tip-Off Time: 8 p.m. Pacific

• Where: Haas Pavilion in Berkeley, Calif.

• TV: ESPN2

• Radio: Cal Bears Sports Network on KSFO 810 AM; Channel 258 on SiriusXM Radio, the SiriusXM app and website; or The Varsity Network app

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How to watch Cal v. USC men’s college basketball online

The Cal v. USC men’s college basketball game will air on ESPN2.

ESPN2 can be streamed online on the ESPN app or the ESPN website, on major paid cable or satellite TV providers’ online services, and popular online TV streaming services.

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