For selfish reasons, I hope they keep BYU. I haven’t been to Bryce Canyon, Arches, etc. and was planning to parlay game attendance into some amazing sightseeing. I’d rather they cancel UNLV.
Even though Cal is not a top level contender for the CFP keeping UCLA and BYU on the schedule will be important for strength of schedule. That means that they will play a Big 10 and Big 12 schools . Playing BYU in Provo would be tough but it is early in the season and the weather should not be too bad.
Respectful counterpoint, DD - after a decade of limping along at barely .500 under Wilcox, guess you could maybe argue wins matter more to this program right now than SOS….you’re already playing 10 games v P4 teams incl a marquee game v Clemson plus Franklin’s Hokies and at SMU…that’s pretty on par with everyone else.
Now that the ACC is mixing 8 and 9 conference games, I can't wait to see how next year's 4-way tie amongst 9-game teams is reconciled with the 3-way tie amongst 8-game teams to determine the ACC championship game matchup. I'm sure it will be without controversy.
In the CFP era, and now that you have 9 ACC games, is there really any reason for a school like Cal to play multiple Power Conference teams in the same.non-conference - gotta nix BYU.
BYU became a powerhouse in a hurry. They went from Vegas Bowl caliber opponent to CFP caliber opponent. Cal won its last matchup against BYU in 2018, but I suspect next year would be a different story.
I mean, context matters…the landscape has changed dramatically. Right now, on the heels of a decade of mediocre .500 seasons under Wilcox, W’s really seem most important, especially with the next phase of realignment looming. 9 ACC games, plus a P4 series with fUCLA - not sure a roadie in the MTN time zone v a B12 powerhouse backed by the massive NIL is smart.
Certainly no reason to play both roadies at BYU and UNLV.
I agree - nothing good comes from @ UNLV. If you win you’re supposed to - if you lose it’s a bad loss, like SDSU. But I lean towards nixing the Provo game - a more likely L.
BYU has improved (actually, they've always been pretty darned good) but would we be credited for a win in Provo? It also strikes me as a "damned if you do, damned if you don't game" ... but tougher than UNLV.
If you can win there, sure….but we’d be serious ‘dogs. BYU is using the NIL pretty darn well…they have a deep bankroll and easily could’ve made the CFP this year.
I just didn’t like this schedule even before the ACC went to 9 for half the league. IMO just like MBB, Cal more than anything NEEDS wins now to build the program back up. W’s are most important now - you’re gonna have a solid enough schedule with 10 P4 games. Why an 11th? Just seemed unnecessarily challenging at a time when there’s no incentive to do so.
LaVell Edwards stadium is a trap. The loudest, most ra,ucous sober stadium in all of football. Go there and you'll get punked by a seven year-old girl in blue face point.
Honestly, they have great fans and my Cougar friends are some of the most hardcore college football fans I know....but that's a tough game to win in Provo.
Love Tosh and the direction of the program, but they’ll be fortunate to get out of this current ‘26 OOC slate 2-2, before a 9-game ACC run with Dabo, James Franklin and a roadie in Dallas?
Apparently, it's a done deal. They dropped BYU.
Drop UNLV. BYU gives us more eyeballs and elevates our program.
For selfish reasons, I hope they keep BYU. I haven’t been to Bryce Canyon, Arches, etc. and was planning to parlay game attendance into some amazing sightseeing. I’d rather they cancel UNLV.
Schedule doesn't look that difficult
What are the chances that the ACC, featuring these 17 teams, will be around for the next 17 years?
Give me a %-age over under number; I'll take the under on anything >1%
Even though Cal is not a top level contender for the CFP keeping UCLA and BYU on the schedule will be important for strength of schedule. That means that they will play a Big 10 and Big 12 schools . Playing BYU in Provo would be tough but it is early in the season and the weather should not be too bad.
Respectful counterpoint, DD - after a decade of limping along at barely .500 under Wilcox, guess you could maybe argue wins matter more to this program right now than SOS….you’re already playing 10 games v P4 teams incl a marquee game v Clemson plus Franklin’s Hokies and at SMU…that’s pretty on par with everyone else.
Wait, we get Pitt here? This is great news, I love their uniforms. Go Bears!
They better not drop UCLA
A. F*ck ucla
B. You’re probably right
A. Is always the correct answer. ;-)
Now that the ACC is mixing 8 and 9 conference games, I can't wait to see how next year's 4-way tie amongst 9-game teams is reconciled with the 3-way tie amongst 8-game teams to determine the ACC championship game matchup. I'm sure it will be without controversy.
In the CFP era, and now that you have 9 ACC games, is there really any reason for a school like Cal to play multiple Power Conference teams in the same.non-conference - gotta nix BYU.
BYU became a powerhouse in a hurry. They went from Vegas Bowl caliber opponent to CFP caliber opponent. Cal won its last matchup against BYU in 2018, but I suspect next year would be a different story.
CRUMBL cookie empire!
Agreed.
I mean, context matters…the landscape has changed dramatically. Right now, on the heels of a decade of mediocre .500 seasons under Wilcox, W’s really seem most important, especially with the next phase of realignment looming. 9 ACC games, plus a P4 series with fUCLA - not sure a roadie in the MTN time zone v a B12 powerhouse backed by the massive NIL is smart.
Certainly no reason to play both roadies at BYU and UNLV.
Drop UNLV. Doesn’t do anything for us. If we win vs BYU, it matters. I seems to be the contrarian on this view.
It’s either one of those roadies.
I agree - nothing good comes from @ UNLV. If you win you’re supposed to - if you lose it’s a bad loss, like SDSU. But I lean towards nixing the Provo game - a more likely L.
BYU has improved (actually, they've always been pretty darned good) but would we be credited for a win in Provo? It also strikes me as a "damned if you do, damned if you don't game" ... but tougher than UNLV.
If you can win there, sure….but we’d be serious ‘dogs. BYU is using the NIL pretty darn well…they have a deep bankroll and easily could’ve made the CFP this year.
I just didn’t like this schedule even before the ACC went to 9 for half the league. IMO just like MBB, Cal more than anything NEEDS wins now to build the program back up. W’s are most important now - you’re gonna have a solid enough schedule with 10 P4 games. Why an 11th? Just seemed unnecessarily challenging at a time when there’s no incentive to do so.
Wait, I thought ucla was our cupcake game?
I like that thinking!
LaVell Edwards stadium is a trap. The loudest, most ra,ucous sober stadium in all of football. Go there and you'll get punked by a seven year-old girl in blue face point.
Honestly, they have great fans and my Cougar friends are some of the most hardcore college football fans I know....but that's a tough game to win in Provo.
Love Tosh and the direction of the program, but they’ll be fortunate to get out of this current ‘26 OOC slate 2-2, before a 9-game ACC run with Dabo, James Franklin and a roadie in Dallas?
Gotta lose one of those non-con aways…
would prefer dropping BYU. And it’s not because I’m afraid of them - it’s because I’m afraid of losing to them.
Why don't we schedule the cupcake games in late November the way the SEC does it.
We played our cupcake on November 22 this year.
We lost it and it cost our coach his job.
Great question.
Great news! I hope they drop BYU and schedule Virginia in September so we can fold in an Orioles and/or Nationals game.