A New Hope. . . For Cal Football
A long time ago in a galaxy far far away the California Golden Bears were 10-2, ranked number nine in the nation and led by, two time NFL MVP, Aaron Rodgers, and all pro running back Marshawn Lynch.
Photo Credit: Cal Athletics
Despite a loss in the Holiday Bowl, they came back two years later, went 10-3, were ranked 14th in the country, and won the Holiday Bowl. This was behind the strong effort of Swiss army knife wide receiver Desean Jackson. Since then, Cal football has struggled to find sustained success, recording just eight winning seasons over the past 20 years and reaching its lowest point in 2013 when they put together a 1-11 season. Although there have been some highlights, they are few and far between. The 2015 season stands out as notable success, as number one overall pick Jared Goff led the program to 8-5 and an Armed Forces Bowl victory. Cal also had Heisman trophy winner and National Champion Fernando Mendoza in 2022-2024 (he won all those trophies after transferring to Indiana), a bittersweet moment for Cal fans leaving them with the feeling that this was a metaphor for Cal football, and they were destined for mediocrity. But after years of the same story, something has begun to change—a disturbance in the force.
After Fernando Mendoza transferred to Indiana, it looked bleak for Cal Football. The star quarterback was gone, the Bears were coming off back to back heartbreaking 6-7 seasons, and fan favorite running back Jaydn Ott was transferring to Oklahoma. While those seasons were disappointing, fans were lured into the idea that if a couple more plays went Cal’s direction they could’ve turned into winning seasons. That uncertainty began to change as a new set of recruits brought renewed optimism to the program.
The 2025 recruiting class kicked off a new beginning for Cal. Led by four star recruit Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele (JKS), who initially committed to Cal in July of 2024, flipped to Oregon in December and eventually back to Cal only a month later. Expectations were low, but the freshman quickly raised them after outperforming Ohio State transfer quarterback Devin Brown for the starting position. Cal also hit the transfer portal heavily, recruiting multiple four stars and lots of 3 star athletes. Optimism built quickly, Coach Justin Wilcox had high hopes that he could finally get the Golden Bears over the hump, with one of his best rosters in his nine seasons at Cal.
As a result, the 2025 campaign couldn’t have begun better. JKS was proving that the force was strong with this one. Game one versus Oregon State was a statement piece. The lefty gunslinger went 20/30 throwing 234 yards, 3 touchdowns, and a resounding 34-15 victory. The following two games he didn’t slow down, throwing for 267 yards versus Texas Southern and a whopping 279 yards and three touchdowns versus a strong Minnesota team, both games ended in victory. The buzz was real in the East bay, a true shift was happening, but it wasn’t without roadbumps. Game four at San Diego State brought Cal fans back to Earth, where they got dominated 34-0, reminding them that the rebellion wouldn’t be without its fights. From here on the season tone was set, there were some strong wins including
SMU, Boston College, Louisville, and UNC. But there were stronger losses, including an unacceptable 31-10 loss to the empire itself; Bay Area rival Stanford. This loss, was the final nail in the coffin for Coach Justin Wilcox, and he was fired the following day. Cal finished the season 7-6 losing to Hawaii in the Hawaii bowl, a game where they snatched defeat from the jaws of victory. A classic Cal football loss on Christmas eve, the script had changed, but the story remained the same.
The only thing left of the 2025 season was skepticism; Cal was at a crossroads and questions were being asked. Who was going to be the new head coach? Was JKS going to enter the transfer portal like Cal’s past stars? How does Cal develop NIL and bring in new weapons? It was at that moment that General Manager Ron Rivera answered them.
Tosh Lupoi, former Cal defensive lineman, Cal defensive coach, Atlanta Falcons and Jacksonville Jaguars coach, National Champion under Nick Saban at University of Alabama, defensive coordinator at University of Oregon and now Cal football head coach. The resume speaks for itself.
Photo courtesy of Mercury News
The Jedi, JKS, now has his master: Tosh Lupoi. Upon arriving in California, Tosh Lupoi meant business. He immediately flew out to Hawaii to meet with JKS and his family, even sleeping on a bench in his suit, determined to get JKS to stay a Golden Bear. Then after securing the star quarterback he got straight to work, bringing in the strongest recruiting class in years. Starting with six four-star recruits from the transfer portal many from big name schools, with massive football programs. Two more four-stars committed out of high school and that's not to overlook the countless amount of three-stars that committed both from high school and the transfer portal. News outlet 247 Sports ranks Cal’s recruiting class 35th, in the nation and the transfer rank at 14th. The recruiting was complete and Tosh was ready to get started.
The buzz around California Football is as real as ever. Students and fans around the country are excited, and have high expectations for the season. Many feel that Cal will not just finish with a strong record, but could emerge as an unlikely force to make a run at the ACC title. The 2026 campaign begins September fifth, in a hyped up, sold out game versus southern California rival UCLA. The game is expected to have around 60,000 people, something Cal Memorial Stadium hasn’t done since 2015. Both teams have new head coaches and second season quarterbacks ready to prove themselves, and re-establish their schools as powerhouses in the galaxy of college football.