BERKELEY — Cal closes out its non-conference schedule Saturday night at San Diego State, with the Bears seeking a victory that will make them 4-0 for the first time in six seasons and fuel confidence in the program that seems to be gaining some national traction.
Without a winning record since 2019, the Bears (3-0) are betting favorites for the first time this season, given a 12.5-point edge according to DraftKings. It won’t be the last time, unless they stumble against the Aztecs (1-1) at Snapdragon Stadium.
ESPN’s Bill Connelly wrote this about the Bears early in the week: “After Saturday night’s upset-that-didn’t-look-like-an-upset over Minnesota, they’re projected favorites in each of their next six games.”
The Cal Bears celebrate after scoring a touchdown in the second half against Texas Southern at hosting Cal Berkeley in Berkeley, CA on Saturday, Sept. 6, 2025. (Don Feria for Bay Area News Group)
Being projected as a favorite does not promise a victory, but imagine if the Bears won all six of those. Cal hasn’t started a season 9-0 since 1950, when Pappy Waldorf was the coach and Justin Wilcox wouldn’t be born for another 26 years.
Wilcox is not concerned with the first five games of the ACC schedule — Boston College, Duke, North Carolina, Virginia Tech and Virginia. His focus is solely on SDSU.
“We don’t spend a lot of time talking about the (point) spread and favorites and who’s not favored,” Wilcox said. “We respect everybody we play and our job is to go out and play the best football we can. We need to do that again this Saturday night.”
Here are three more subplots to this week’s matchup:
Tweaking the O-line again
The Bears have started a different offensive line each game so far, and which five players get the call Saturday will be influenced by how the week’s practice unfolded.
Redshirt sophomore Fred Williams III last Saturday became the fourth different player to start at tackle. Wilcox gave him high marks for his play vs. Minnesota.
Cal is trying to generate a consistent running game to complement what freshman quarterback Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele is providing. The equation starts with a mindset.
Cal quarterback Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele carries against Texas Southern in the second half at hosting Cal Berkeley in Berkeley, CA on Saturday, Sept. 6, 2025. (Don Feria for Bay Area News Group)
“I think it’s a work in progress,” Wilcox said. “You really want the O-line to be the enforcers on the team. The best teams, that O-line carries an attitude with their style of play. The mentality at that position permeates throughout the team when it’s right. We’re growing there.”
More praise for Sagapolutele
Aztecs coach Sean Lewis was asked this week if there’s an advantage to facing a young quarterback early in the season before he gets things figured out.
“Based on the film I’ve seen, he’s got a lot of things figured out already,” Lewis said of Sagapolutele, who has thrown six touchdowns and just one interception in three starts. “There’s a calm and there’s a composure to what he’s doing. He’s obviously mature beyond his years.”
Lewis cited the Bears’ last-minute first-half drive in their 27-14 win over Minnesota, when Sagapolutele was 3 for 3 for 62 yards to set up a field goal as time expired.
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“They cut him loose and they come away with points,” Lewis said.
This one is personal
Redshirt freshman inside linebacker Luke Ferrelli, who leads the Bears with 27 tackles and is perhaps the most improved player on the roster, grew up in San Diego. He was recruited by the Aztecs. His mother graduated from SDSU.
Cal’s Luke Ferrelli stops a Texas Southern rush in the second half at hosting Cal Berkeley in Berkeley, CA on Saturday, Sept. 6, 2025. (Don Feria for Bay Area News Group)
The game has a bit of extra motivation for him because his older brother Anthony Ferrelli is a starting linebacker for Stony Brook, which got crushed 42-0 by San Diego State in the season opener.
Luke called his brother afterward and recalls Anthony telling him, “Man, they put a whoopin’ on us. You guys got to go put a whoopin’ on them.”