Weekly Writer Predictions: Cal vs. Virginia Tech Hokies Football 2025
Presented by Dokkaebier
Welcome to our weekly predictions post from our writers. You’ll see what they expect the score to be and any wacky or rational predictions they expect to see in each game!
Christopher_h
Scoreline: Cal loses 13-27
Ok, I have to put out a disclaimer here. My predictions this year are terrible, but we have to fill these out in the beginning of the week (before I’ve put my article together, and when I usually still have games to review). So my default inclination this season has been doom. I’m happy Cal won despite my predictions, but we’ve also kept it way too close against bad teams (e.g. BC, UNC). Cal has made some mediocre-to-bad run offenses look very good this year, and so I am very concerned how the Cal defense will handle a team that’s actually good at running the ball. I think Cal will struggle to stop the run, and Cal hasn’t shown the ability to win with its offense. Also, watching ACC games, I hear announcers making excuses for teams that have to fly across the country to face Cal or Stanford for a game, but never anything about Cal/Stanford doing that for roughly half of their games. That travel has to wear on a team as well as Cal flies to Virginia.
Callie Wake
Scoreline: Cal wins 24-21
After watching Cal squeak past worse teams like BC and UNC (the last decade notwithstanding), I’m hesitant to ever say a game is going to be a free win for us. Our run game was on fire off the rip against UNC, but quickly regressed to the norm the very next drive. If Cal can bring an effective and consistent rushing attack to Blacksburg, we can mercifully take some of the pressure off our receivers. This is a tough ask but I think the key to victory is a balanced offense. If we can’t bring that, then it’s gonna be a rock fight for sure. Either way, I think Cal pulls off the victory and bowl eligibility. Another close game win on the way for the Golden Bears.
Rob Hwang
Scoreline: Cal wins 35-21
Bowl eligibility on the line? Win and in.
TD_24
Scoreline: Cal wins 21-17
This is a weird one to predict much like Christopher said. 5-2 vs 2-5, in a still pretty loud environment. I think Cal gets dragged into a bit of a bar fight but if there’s one thing that’s been consistent this year, they’ve made the winning plays in close games. I think they force one bad Kyron Drones decision late to sneak past and earn bowl eligibility.
Piotr T Le
Scoreline: Cal loses 14-27
Cal finds a way to Cal and loses to a 2-5 team that has looked better at times than we have had. Toss in a cross country trip during midterm season. And it’s close to Halloween against a team in Halloween-ish colors. Spooky, just like a Wilcox defense against an athletic QB with inconsistent accuracy.
Berkelium97
Scoreline: Cal wins 27-24
Cal already managed one improbable, Friday night, ACC-After-Dark victory over a program desperately trying to avoid a death spiral. Why not make it two?
Ben
Scoreline: Cal wins 30-21
Another Friday funhouse game (or maybe a repeat of the Wake Forest game) that pushes Cal to 6-2 and we’re all confounded again.
Nick Kranz
Scoreline: Cal loses 17-19
In a low scoring, field goal heavy game, defined by defensive lines that outplay offensive lines, Cal’s close game luck finally runs out.






Go Bears!
Cal survives an ugly, nightmarish slog and gets its first win streak of the season in a memorable/forgettable 13-12 tilt.