Cal To Host No. 21 Wake Forest In Berkeley

Saturday, October 17

Berkeley, Calif.

7:30 PM

California

Wake Forest

Tickets From $35 - $450

Bears to host second consecutive home contest.

Photo by: Max Wood/Cal Football

10/13/2026 2:00 PM | Football

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Bears, Demon Deacons To Square Off Under The Lights

By: Cal Athletics

California football (3-3, 2-1 ACC) will welcome No. 21 Wake Forest (5-1, 3-1 ACC) to Databricks Field at California Memorial Stadium for the first time ever on Saturday evening. Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m. PT with the game to be shown live on ESPN2.

SATURDAY LINEUP
Venue: Databricks Field at California Memorial Stadium, Berkeley, Calif.
Time: 7:30 p.m. PT
Watch (ESPN2): Chuckie Kempf (PxP), Dustin Fox (Analyst), Lauren Sisler (Sideline Reporter)
Listen (English Radio): 810 AM – Justin Allegri (PxP), Mike Pawlawski (Analyst), Ben Ross (Sideline Reporter); Sirius XM Ch. 174 or 234/Sirius XM App, The Varsity App, YouTube Live Stream
Listen (Spanish Radio): Cal Football YouTube Live Stream – Jesus Zarate (PxP), Enrique Zarate (Analyst)

BEARS VS. DEMON DEACONS
- The Bears made the trip to Winston-Salem, N.C. for their first meeting with the Demon Deacons on Nov. 8, 2024, in which Cal captured its first conference win as members of the ACC with a 46-36 win.
- Cal picked off three passes, including a game-clinching interception by linebacker Liam Johnson and interceptions by future Super Bowl starter Craig Woodson and third-round NFL draftee Nohl Williams. Future first-round pick of the NFL Draft Fernando Mendoza threw for a then-career-high 385 yards and accounted for three touchdowns to help lift the Bears to victory.

CAL...
- Defeated Virginia Tech by a score of 25-20 last weekend, which is only the second time in history Cal has won a football game by that exact score in addition to the November 20, 1982 Big Game: one of the most famous games in Cal history known for "The Play" in which Cal defeated Stanford on a chaotic, last-second kickoff return featuring five lateral passes and the Stanford marching band running onto the field before time expired.
- Is hosting its "Grateful Bears" theme game this Saturday in celebration of the rich history of the iconic band The Grateful Dead's 29 performances at the Greek Theatre on Berkeley's campus.
- Has produced strong results in the red zone this season with the Bears ranking first in the ACC and tying for 12th in the NCAA in red zone defense (0.714) and ranking second in the conference and tying for 12th nationally in red zone offense (0.952).
- Ranks fourth in the ACC and ties for 14th nationally in passing offense (304.3).
- Has produced a strong passing defense that ranks third in the ACC and tie for 20th in the NCAA in team passing efficiency defense (112.06) and rank fifth in the ACC in average passing yards allowed per game (192.5).
- Ranks first in the ACC and sixth nationally in passes intercepted with seven. Five of those interceptions were registered to DB Kingston Lopa through the first three games while DB Isaiah Crosby logged an interception in the opening drive of the game against Clemson and DB Aiden Manutai intercepted a pass in the end zone against UNLV in the second quarter.
- Ranks first in the ACC and sixth nationally in defensive touchdowns with their two. Lopa registered a pick-six against Syracuse while ILB Kamar Mothudi had a scoop-and-score against Clemson.
- Ranks first in the ACC and ties for 25th nationally in turnovers gained (9).

ACTION JACKSON
- Jackson Brousseau, making his first start at Cal, was an effective 29-for-43 for 321 yards and a touchdown with no interceptions against the Hokies.
- Brousseau has completed 63.7 percent of his passes with three touchdowns and no interceptions in parts of four games this season.
- He directed a second-half offense that scored three touchdowns at UNLV - two through the air and one on the ground. At UNLV, he completed 19 of 32 passes for 200 yards, including a 53-yard touchdown pass to RB Carson Perry-Smith.
- Brousseau was named a Manning Star of the Week following his Week 6 performance against the Hokies. It was the first of his collegiate career and the second weekly Manning Award distinction by a Bear this season after QB Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele won the recognition after Week 3.

IN GOOD HANDS
- WR Ian Strong surpassed 2,000 career receiving yards in Cal's game versus Virginia Tech. He caught five passes for a season-best 97 yards, including a 31-yard grab on a pass from Brousseau.
- Strong leads the Bears with 396 receiving yards (which rank 10th in the ACC) on 28 catches this season. He also has the best average receiving yards per game by any Bear with 66.0, which ranks 13th in the ACC.
- WR Chase Hendricks ranks sixth in the ACC and ties for 18th nationally in receptions per game (6.5). He leads the Bears with 39 catches this season for 361 receiving yards. Hendricks ties with Perry-Smith for the team lead with two receiving touchdowns.
- Hendricks tallied a game-high seven catches for 94 yards, including a 42-yard grab in the second quarter against Virginia Tech that was his longest of the season.

FROM WALK-ON TO WONDER
- Carson Perry-Smith has worked his way from walk-on to major contributor for the Bears this season.
- Perry-Smith recorded his second touchdown in as many games on an acrobatic leap in the end zone on a pass from QB Jackson Brousseau against Virginia Tech.
- His career-first touchdown came against UNLV the week prior when he grabbed a pass from Brousseau and motored 53 yards into the end zone. It was the first reception of his collegiate career.
- Perry-Smith has compiled 65 receiving yards on three catches over the last two games and has gained 24 yards on seven rushing attempts this season. He leads the Bears in yards per catch (21.7) and ties with WR Chase Hendricks for a team-leading two receiving touchdowns this season.
- Prior to this season, he primarily contributed on special teams during his first few years in Berkeley. A versatile athlete, he began his career at Cal as a wide receiver before joining the running backs room this season.

DEMANDING HANDS
- Cal's defensive front has gone to work in the trenches over the last few weeks to successfully affect quarterbacks.
- Jericho Johnson is Cal's highest graded defensive lineman following Week 6 with a 73.1 overall grade, according to PFF.
- Johnson sacked Virginia Tech's Ethan Grunkemeyer for a loss of six yards and totaled five tackles - two of which were TFLs.
- Solomon Williams also sacked Grunkemeyer for a loss of seven yards to register his second sack of the season.
- True freshman JD McKinley was also credited with a sack for a loss of four yards to give him two in his debut season. McKinley also added a pair of QB hurries to the stat sheet against the Hokies.

OFFENSIVE LINE KEEPS BROUSSEAU UPRIGHT
- Cal's offensive line only allowed one sack early in the first quarter against Virginia Tech after giving up four at UNLV the week prior.
- The Bears' O-line had a 82.6 pass protection grade - its highest of the season, according to PFF.
- Starting left tackle Frederick Williams III was Cal's highest-graded offensive player against Virginia Tech with a 75.2 overall grade.
- The O-line only allowed three QB hurries to be recorded by the Hokies and paved the way for 403 yards of total offense and 5.8 yards per play.

SECONDARY STAYS HOT
- Cal's defensive backs continue to impress with Daniel Harris and Isaiah Crosby turning in solid performances that included eight tackles apiece against Virginia Tech.
- Harris ranks in the top-20 in the ACC with four passes defended this season.
- Crosby shares the team-lead for total tackles with ILB AJ Tuitele this season with his 32, while Harris and Lopa tie for second-most on the team with 27 each.