ACC FOOTBALL COMPANION GUIDE • ALPHABETICAL 2 OF 17
2026 Season Snapshot • Berkeley, California
7–6 (4–4 ACC)
ACC
Live schedule, lines and results for California.
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HEAD COACH
Tosh Lupoi — 1st season at California
LIFETIME COACHING RECORD
First college head-coaching job
A Cal alum who played defensive line for the Golden Bears (2000-05) before rising through the program's coaching staff and later serving as Alabama's and Oregon's defensive coordinator. Hired in Dec. 2025 after Justin Wilcox was fired mid-season (48-55 over nine years, despite a 2022 extension through 2027) — a homecoming hire specifically built around retaining breakout freshman QB Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele.
CALIFORNIA ATS RECORD
No single published career ATS figure
Cal finished 2025 at 7-6 (4-4 ACC) under Wilcox/interim Nick Rolovich, capped by a Hawaii Bowl loss. Wilcox's firing came despite a signature 38-35 upset of SMU late in the season — a real case of a big extension not guaranteeing job security once results didn't follow.
HEAD COACH SALARY (2026)
~$2.0M (waived Oregon
TEAM NIL VALUATION (EST.)
~$30M (est.)
PRIMARY NIL COLLECTIVE
Cal General Managed (via
buyout) GM Ron Rivera) Coach salary per SI (Lupoi's prior Oregon DC salary was reported at $2M; his Oregon buyout was waived since he left for an FBS head-coaching job; a 5-yr Cal deal terms not fully public). NIL figure per SF Standard reporting citing GM Ron Rivera: Cal's total roster spending is now in the ~$30M range, in line with ACC upper-tier programs like Clemson and Florida State. QB Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele individually carries a reported $3M NIL deal.
OFFENSIVE COORDINATOR
Jordan Somerville • 1st season • Multiple
Followed Lupoi from Oregon (by way of three seasons as the Buccaneers' assistant QB coach under Baker Mayfield). Works directly with Sagapolutele, who threw for 3,117 yds, 17 TD, 9 INT (63.6% completion) as a true freshman in 2025 — a real building block for the new staff.
DEFENSIVE COORDINATOR
Michael Hutchings • 1st season • Multiple
New hire alongside co-DC Da'Von Brown, tasked with a full defensive installation for the new staff's first season.
2025 RECORD
7–6 (4–4 ACC)
Hawaii Bowl: L 31-35 vs. Hawaii. A signature 38-35 upset of SMU highlighted Sagapolutele's freshman breakout, but Wilcox was fired with one game left in the regular season regardless.
HOME FIELD
California Memorial Stadium
Artificial turf (FieldTurf), Berkeley. A program with real new financial backing and a homecoming coach specifically brought in to keep talent like Sagapolutele from leaving — the clearest test yet of whether Cal can compete financially in the modern ACC.
| SLOT | PLAYER | YEAR | HS Stars | NOTES / NFL OUTLOOK |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| QB1 | Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele | Soph | ★★★★★ | Four-star signee (top-100 recruit, Hawaii); threw for 3,117 yds, 17 TD, 9 INT (63.6% completion) as a true freshman, leading Cal to a 7-5 record. Turned down transfer interest (including a brief Oregon flip) to return; individually carries a reported $3M NIL deal. |
| RB1 | Adam Mohammad | Soph | ★★★★★ | TOP TRANSFER Three-star signee (Apollo HS, Glendale, Ariz.). Washington transfer who followed his backfield mate onto the market after Jonah Coleman's NFL exit left the Huskies' room crowded; rushed for 523 yds, 5 TD on 4.9 ypc in 2025, including back-to-back 100-yard games. Cal considers him a real transfer-portal steal and its clear No. 1 back. |
Four-star signee (top-100 recruit, Hawaii); threw for 3,117 yds, 17 TD, 9 INT (63.6% completion) as a true freshman, leading Cal to a 7-5 record. Turned down transfer interest (including a brief Oregon flip) to return; individually carries a reported $3M NIL deal.
Three-star signee (Apollo HS, Glendale, Ariz.). Washington transfer who followed his backfield mate onto the market after Jonah Coleman's NFL exit left the Huskies' room crowded; rushed for 523 yds, 5 TD on 4.9 ypc in 2025, including back-to-back 100-yard games. Cal considers him a real transfer-portal steal and its clear No. 1 back.
| PLAYER | POS | YEAR | HS Stars | NOTES |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Line protecting a $3M investment | OL | — | ★★★★★ | Tasked with protecting Cal's biggest individual financial commitment; specific 2026 starters to be confirmed closer to Week 1. |
Tasked with protecting Cal's biggest individual financial commitment; specific 2026 starters to be confirmed closer to Week 1.
| PLAYER | POS | NOTES |
|---|---|---|
| Justin Beadles | DE | New Mexico State transfer, one of several portal additions brought in by the new staff to reinforce a defensive front being installed fresh under Michael Hutchings. |
New Mexico State transfer, one of several portal additions brought in by the new staff to reinforce a defensive front being installed fresh under Michael Hutchings.
| PLAYER | POS | HS Stars | NOTES / NFL OUTLOOK |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cam Sidney | DB | ★★★★★ | Withdrew from the transfer portal to stay at Cal in January 2026 — a real, early sign that Lupoi's retention push extended beyond just the starting quarterback. |
Withdrew from the transfer portal to stay at Cal in January 2026 — a real, early sign that Lupoi's retention push extended beyond just the starting quarterback.
2025 ATS
5-8
38.5% cover rate — 66th of 82
2025 Straight up
7-6
Point differential -24
Scoring environment
52.5
Combined points per game — 40th highest of 82
Home / road ATS
2-4 · 3-4
Totals 5-8 O/U (2-4 home, 3-4 road)
Points scored / allowed
25.3 per game scored (55th) · 27.2 allowed (55th)
Margin & schedule
Margin of victory -1.8 (57th) · Strength of schedule -2.9
SRS power rating
-4.5
60th of 82 — projected points vs. a league-average team on a neutral field
Offensive SRS
-0.2
46th of 82
Defensive SRS
-3.8
63rd of 82
Points (margin of victory)
-1.8 · 57th of 82
Against the spread
5-8 (38.5%) · 66th of 82
Totals (combined PPG)
52.5 · 40th of 82
Computed from CollegeFootballData 2025 results and closing consensus lines.
Saved Just J research for California.
Cal lost Fernando Mendoza to the portal in 2025 (he went on to win the Heisman and a national title at Indiana); determined not to repeat that, Lupoi and GM Ron Rivera retained Sagapolutele on a reported $3M NIL deal.
Rivera has stated Cal's total roster spend is now around $30M, in the range of ACC upper-tier programs like Clemson and FSU — a genuine step up for a program that "hasn't been consistently relevant in nearly 20 years."
Lupoi brought several Oregon off-field staffers with him — a real attempt to transplant a proven program culture rather than build one from scratch.
Notes are maintained in the Admin area — no code changes required.
