In a renewal of a rivalry that went on for 90 seasons, the Cal Golden Bears will host the UCLA Bruins to open the 2026 football season for both teams on Saturday night. It will be the 95th meeting between the two former conference foes with the Bruins holding onto a 58-25-1 edge in the series. The Bears took the last meeting however with a 33-7 win on the road in November of 2023. Tosh Lupoi makes his debut as head coach for the Bears, returning to his alma mater after coaching stints with impressive programs like Alabama and Oregon with NFL stops in between. Second-year quarterback Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele looks to get the season started right and build on a fantastic freshman campaign as he leads a team with lots of newcomers. The Bruins are led by Bob Chesney, who last saw great success coaching James Madison to 12 wins and a berth in the College Football Playoffs. His 2nd-year QB Nico Iamaleava will also be leading the way for a team with lots of new faces. Get set for a great rivalry game in Week 1, with our preview of UCLA and Cal right here.
