BERKELEY - The California Golden Bears will open the 2019 season on Saturday, August 31 as they take on UC Davis at California Memorial Stadium. The in-state battle will be the first between the two teams since 2010, when Cal defeated the Aggies, 52-3, to open the campaign. 

STARTING THE SEASON STRONG
- Cal opens the 2019 season in Berkeley with a matchup against in-state foe UC Davis.
- This is the 10th meeting between the two schools, Cal has won all nine of the previous matchups, however eight of the previous games were contested prior to 1940. 
- In the lone matchup between the schools in the past 70 years, Cal won 52-3 to open the 2010 season. Keenan Allen had 110 yards receiving and two total touchdowns, while Marvin Jones added another score for the Bears. 
- Cal is 12-3 in its last 15 season openers since 2004. The Bears are 78-42-2 all-time in season openers.
- Cal has won its last five consecutive home openers and is 15-2 in its home openers dating back to 2002. 
- Cal is 26-0 all-time vs. current members of the Big Sky.
- This is the third straight year that the Bears will play a Big Sky opponent. They defeated Weber State, 33-20, in 2017 and Idaho State, 45-23, in 2018.  

SUMMER READING CHALLENGE RETURNS
This year, Michael Saffell has served as the ambassador for the Patrick Laird Summer Reading Challenge. Saffell has teamed with fellow offensive lineman Henry Bazakas to combat summer learning loss. Research has suggested that students lose some of their reading skills over the summer when they do not utilize those skills for months at a time. Saffell and Bazakas have travelled to multiple schools and summer camps to talk to kids and share why reading is important.  The challenge is open to any child in grades 1-6 and anyone who completes the challenge receives four complimentary tickets to the home opener vs. UC Davis. Last year as a senior on the team, Laird started the challenge and had more than 4,000 children sign up, with around 3,500 complimentary tickets handed out to the 2018 season-opening win vs. North Carolina. Laird is currently on the roster with the Miami Dolphins. For more information on the challenge go to walkonthenrun.com.

GAMEDAY UPGRADES AROUND MEMORIAL STADIUM
Cal fans can expect a number of enhancements to their gameday experience when they visit California Memorial Stadium this fall to attend Golden Bear football games:  
- Metal detectors to screen for prohibited items at 
all entrances to the facility.
- Expanded beer and wine service throughout the stadium and a larger beer garden on the plaza.
- New fan assistance booths to help guests with any questions they may have during their visits.
- Cal Social Media Deck on the East Rim of the Stadium designed for a fantastic view of the game and the Bay, a fun place for fans to relax and connect with each other on gameday. 
- Instagrammable moments throughout the stadium that include neon lights, and walls for photos with Oski, The Play and the Patrick Laird Reading Challenge. 
- Sutter Health Blue and Gold Zone which includes interactive games and a lego wall on the concourse. 

TAILGATE TOWN CONCERT SERIES
For the second straight year, there will be a live concert at Tailgate Town before the kickoff of every home game. Two hours prior to kickoff, fans can come to Maxwell Family Field just outside the stadium and hear some of their favorite songs. 
Petty Theft - Tom Petty Cover Band - August 31 - UC Davis


EVAN WEAVER NAMED PRESEASON ALL-AMERICAN
- ILB Evan Weaver was named a 2019 preseason first team All-American (Athlon), and a second-team All-American (AP, The Athletic, PFF, Sports Illustrated). He is the first Cal player to earn first-team preseason honors since Jahvid Best in 2009.
- He has been named to the preseason watch lists for the Lott IMPACT Trophy, Chuck Bednarik Award, Butkus Award and the Bronko Nagurski Trophy.
- Weaver is the nation's leading returning tackler after collecting 159 tackles in 2018. He ranked sixth in the country last season. He is also the nation's returning leader in solo tackles with 88 last season, a mark that ranked fourth in the country. 
- Weaver's 159 tackles last season tied for second on Cal's all-time single-season list with David Ortega (1989). He only trailed Hardy Nickerson's 167 tackles in 1985.
- Weaver is Cal's active career leader in tackles (230) and will begin the 2019 campaign 29 shy of reaching the school's all-time top 10 list.

TAKERS HIGHLIGHT DEFENSIVE IMPROVEMENT
- Cal's experienced defensive backfield has taken on the nickname of the "Takers" after the 2010 movie with the same name. A group of six players - senior NB/CB Traveon Beck, redshirt junior CB Camryn Bynum, redshirt senior S Ashtyn Davis, senior CB/NB Josh Drayden, junior CB Elijah Hicks and senior S Jaylinn Hawkins - have started 99 games in the defensive backfield over the past two seasons. 
- Four members of the team - Bynum, Davis, Hawkins and Hicks - have garnered preseason recognition; Davis was named honorable mention preseason All-American by PFF, while both he and Bynum are preseason first-team All-Pac-12. Hawkins is a second-team All-Conference honoree by multiple publications while Hicks is a third-team member according to Phil Steele.  
- Cal's secondary is ranked among the top eight in the nation in the preseason by three different media outlets. Phil Steele lists the unit second, while the Golden Bears are ranked fourth nationally according to Athlon and eighth by Lindy's.
- The defensive backs played a huge role in Cal's defensive success in 2018 when the Bears led the Pac-12 and finished in the top 10 nationally in interceptions (21, No. 2), defensive touchdowns (5, No. T4), turnovers gained (28, No. T6) and passing yards allowed (175.1 ypg, No. 9).
- Cal's five interceptions returned for touchdowns is the most in a single season in school history. 
- Cal ranked sixth in the country in turnovers forced, despite only recovering seven fumbles during the 2018 season, tied for the fewest in school history.
- Hawkins led the Pac-12 in total interceptions (6) and interceptions per game (0.5) in 2018 while ranking tied for third and tied for fifth nationally, picking up three against TCU to earn Cheez-It Bowl Defensive Player of the Game and Sports Illustrated All-Bowl Team honors. His six interceptions tied for the eighth-most interceptions in school history. (He tied with Herman Edwards and David Ortega amongst others).
- Davis tied for 16th in the country and third in the Pac-12 with four interceptions in 2018. Davis is also a four-time All-American in the hurdles for Cal's track & field team. He also won a Pac-12 Championship in the 110m hurdles and two MPSF 60m hurdles championships.

GARBERS OPENS SEASON AS STARTER
- Chase Garbers will open the season as the starter at quarterback after playing in 12 games with 10 starts during the 2018 season. He started each of the last seven contests for the Bears. 
- Garbers led the squad with 1926 yards of total offense, adding 420 yards rushing and two touchdowns on the ground on 98 carries as the team's top returning rusher.
- Garbers ranked second amongst Pac-12 quarterbacks in both total rushing yards behind only Arizona State's Manny Wilkins (452) and rushing yards per game with his 35.0.
- Garbers is tied for the fewest career Interceptions amongst Cal QB's with more than 200 attempts in their career as he has thrown 10 picks on 260 attempts. Randy Gold recorded 10 interceptions while playing from 1960-62 on 220 attempts.