The California football team (5-3, 2-2 Atlantic Coast Conference) will meet No. 15 Virginia (7-1, 4-0 ACC) for the first time ever Saturday afternoon at California Memorial Stadium. Kickoff is scheduled for 12:45 p.m. PT, with the game set to be aired live on ESPN2.
 
SATURDAY LINEUP
Venue: California Memorial Stadium, Berkeley, CA
Time: 12:45 p.m. PT
Watch (ESPN2): Mike Couzens (PxP), Kirk Morrison (Analyst), Dawn Davenport (Sideline Reporter)
Listen: 810 AM
Justin Allegri (play-by-play), Mike Pawlawski (analyst), Ben Ross (sideline reporter); SiriusXM Ch. 381 or SXM App, The Varsity App 
 
BEARS VS. CAVALIERS
- The Bears will meet their first ranked opponent of the season as No. 15 Virginia visits Berkeley.
- Virginia is one of the surprise teams in the country this season. The Cavaliers haven't had a winning season since 2019 and were picked to finish 14th in the ACC preseason poll. They are currently tied atop the conference standings with Georgia Tech.
 
CAL... 
- Has not turned the ball over in the past two games and has four games this season with no turnovers.
- Is looking to become bowl-eligible the earliest in a calendar year since also becoming bowl-eligible on Nov. 1 in 2008.
- Is looking for its best record after nine games since also going 6-3 in 2008.
- Has recorded two or more rushing touchdowns in each of the last four games.
- Has registered at least one sack in 20 consecutive games dating back to last season.
- Ranks 4th in the ACC in pass efficiency defense (119.32) and passing defense (190.88 yards allowed per game).
- Will celebrate Asian American and Pacific Islander Appreciation Day this weekend in Berkeley.
 
SAGAPOLUTELE CONTINUES TO DAZZLE AS TRUE FRESHMAN
- QB Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele is the second true freshman in FBS history to pass for 200 or more yards in each of the first eight games of his college career. Houston's David Piland previously reached the milestone in 2010.
- Sagapolutele ranks fourth in the ACC in total passing yards with 1,982, good for 21st nationally.
- His 13 touchdowns (two rushing, 11 passing) are the third most of any true freshman quarterback in 2025.
- He has recorded a pair of three-passing touchdown games this season against Oregon State and Minnesota.
 
DE JESUS EMERGES AS ONE OF NATION'S MOST PRODUCTIVE RECEIVERS
- WR Jacob De Jesus has 21 catches over his past two games and now ranks eighth nationally and second in the ACC in both receptions (55) and receptions per game (6.88).
- De Jesus trails Boston College's Lewis Bond by one catch for the ACC lead. The Bears haven't had a player lead the conference in receptions since Chad Hansen hauled in 92 catches to pace the Pac-12 in 2016.
- He ranks third in the conference and 16th nationally in punt returns with an 11.2 average while also ranking third in the conference and 28th nationally in kickoff returns with a 22.3 average.
- De Jesus is second in the ACC and 24th nationally in all-purpose yards per game (113.5).
- He had a career-high 13 receptions for 105 yards in Cal's 21-18 win over North Carolina on Oct. 17. The 13 catches tied for sixth most in a single game by a Cal receiver in program history. It was also the most in a game by a Cal receiver since Chad Hansen had 14 catches at SDSU on Sept. 16, 2016.
 
CADE RISES
- ILB Cade Uluave recorded 19 tackles last week at Virginia Tech, the most in a game by a Cal player since Evan Weaver had 22 at Utah on Oct. 26, 2019.
- He was named ACC Linebacker of the Week on Oct. 27 following his standout performance in Blacksburg, his first conference weekly honor of the 2025 season.
- Uluave leads the ACC and ranks seventh nationally in both tackles per game (10.1) and total tackles (81).
- The last time a Cal player led the conference in tackles was in 2019 when Evan Weaver set a Pac-12 record with 182.
- Uluave registered his 200th career tackle against Virginia Tech.
- Uluave ranks second in the ACC and is tied for 19th nationally with 10.5 tackles for loss.
 
RAPHAEL RACKS UP TOUCHDOWNS
- RB Kendrick Raphael had a career-high three rushing touchdowns against Virginia Tech and now has eight for the season - which is tied for fourth in the ACC and leads the Bears.
- The last time a Cal player rushed for three touchdowns in a game was on Oct. 18, 2023, when Jaydn Ott did so against USC.
- His 135 carries are the most of any running back in the ACC and tied for 13th in the nation
- Raphael is the Bears' leading rusher this season. He has compiled 566 rushing yards, which is sixth most in the ACC. His 70.8 yards per game is good for eighth in the conference.
- He hit the 1,300 career rushing yards mark at Virginia Tech.
 
MASSES DEFENDS PASSES
- DB Hezekiah Masses leads the nation in passes defended for the fifth consecutive week with his 13 between four interceptions and nine pass breakups. His four interceptions are tied for second in the NCAA and lead the ACC.
- Masses recorded his fourth interception of the season at Boston College when he picked off the Eagles in the fourth quarter and returned the ball 22 yards, just two yards shy from the goal-line to set the Bears' offense up for a score on the next play. He recorded a third-quarter interception against Minnesota and picked off TSU at the end of the second quarter and returned it 28 yards. He returned a fourth-quarter interception 41 yards at Oregon State in his debut for the Bears.
- Masses continues the legacy of Bears leading the NCAA in total interceptions after 2025 NFL Draft pick and consensus All-American Nohl Williams finished his senior season with the Bears as the leading interceptor in the nation with seven. Williams is tied for third on Cal's single-season interceptions list, with Deltha O'Neal the all-time single-season interceptor with nine in 1999. 
 
MINI, KING HAVING BREAKOUT SEASONS
- TE Mason Mini continues to make a major impact in his first season with Cal, with four touchdown receptions - the most of any Cal receiver.
- Mini had a Cal career-high 61 yards receiving at Virginia Tech and hauled in the Bears' touchdown reception during the first overtime period. He also had a 25-yard grab on a pass from Sagapolutele during the game, which was his second-longest catch of the season.
- Mini's 51 yard touchdown reception at Boston College is tied for Cal's longest play from scrimmage this season. It was also the longest reception of his career and the Bears' longest TD reception of the season. His 70 yards receiving in that game was also a career high.
- Mini totaled 61 receiving yards in 12 games as a redshirt freshman at Idaho in 2024.
- Former walk-on WR Jordan King has compiled 228 yards and two touchdown receptions in 2025.
- King hauled in a career-high 64 receiving yards on four receptions, which ties for his career best, at Virginia Tech. He also had his career-longest catch with a 38 yard grab on a pass from Sagapolutele.
- Prior to this season, King had registered only 50 yards receiving and no touchdowns in 2024. He primarily played on special teams from 2022-23.
 
STAY POSTED
For coverage of Cal football, please follow the Bears on Twitter (@CalFootball, @CalFootballPR) and Instagram (@cal_football).