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Re: Bear Territory : California CF25
The Golden Bears severely outperformed all expectations, but did it mostly in expected ways. Jaydn Ott starred for an offense that found ways to move the ball on the ground, and their defense was one of the best in the nation at taking the ball away. What was very unexpected was the way in which Mike Bloesch turned what seemed like a one man offense into the nation’s most powerful attack in the air and on the ground.
Cal finished with the #1 offense by total yards, rushing yards, points per game, and rushing TD. They finished 4th in passing yards and 6th in passing TD, good enough to keep them on top but clearly an area for improvement.
Defensively, they struggled to stop the pass but that didn’t seem to matter with the ways they were able to shut down opponents on a weekly basis. Cal would finish with the 11th best rushing defense by yards, mostly due to teams having to throw on them, and the second most interceptions (20) behind Ohio State (24). In terms of total takeaways they finished 4th, but thanks to their own turnover problems they only had a +8 differential.
Justin Wilcox managed to set a school record for wins in a season, and it’s hard to tell if he can improve on that in 2025 or if this season was just a perfect storm.
2024 ACC FINAL STANDINGS
2024 FINAL RANKINGS
CALIFORNIA TOP PERFORMERS
Offense : RB Jaydn Ott - Ott cemented his name in California Lore with a season to remember. He finished as Cal’s all-time leading rusher with 4,439 yards, blowing way past Russell White’s 3,367, and passed J.J Arrington for the most rushing yards in a single season (2,227). He now has career (47) and single season (27) records for rushing TD’s, as well as being Cal’s first Doak Walker Award winner. There is no doubt he was the best player on offense, and there’s an argument that he’s their best play ever.
Defense : DT Ricky Correia - Taking home two awards and finishing the season with 10 sacks from the nose tackle position is impressive, he was key in putting pressure on QB’s who ended up having to throw a lot against a high powered Cal offense. Correia did incredible work when blocked one-on-one by a Center, it took a long time for teams to adjust and try to double up on him.
Special Teams : K Ryan Coe - This might come as a surprise, considering how many issues he had with missing FG and PAT during the season, but Coe was invaluable on kickoffs. Coe led the nation in touchbacks as teams almost never had a chance to return a kick.
2024 CALIFORNIA AWARD WINNERS & ALL AMERICANS
Prior to the start of the season only one Golden Bear was on anyone’s watch list; Jaydn Ott. Ott was shortlisted for the Maxwell and Doak Walker awards, with the Maxwell a long shot for non-QB, and that was it. The season Cal had put some eyes on them, and a number of players had objectively great seasons and earned the recognition.
Chuck Bednarik Award : DT Ricky Correia
Lombardi Award : DT Ricky Correia
Fred Biletnikoff Award : WR Tobias Merriweather
Doak Walker Award : RB Jaydn Ott
John Mackey Award : TE Jack Endries
Jim Thorpe Award : SS Isaiah Crosby
First Team All Americans
RB Jaydn Ott
TE Jack Endries
RT T.J. Sessions
Second Team All Americans
WR Tobias Merriweather
2025 OUTLOOK
Needs Improvement - Defense, again, though not as much as after the 2023 season. The fact that Cal’s offense found its footing managed to paper over their inability to stop teams from scoring on them. To be fair, Cal was up quite a bit in most games and faced teams forced to pass and be aggressive in an attempt to catch up. Their offense also managed to score quickly, and the defense spent an unusual amount of time on the field to further their problems. Peter Sirmon kept his job, but his next steps are to find a way to shut teams down, not just slow them down enough to keep them far enough back from the offense.
Things will be made more complicated by graduations and transfers, every starter on defense aside from MLB Cade Uluave, RE Ethan Saunders, and DT Ricky Correia is gone. Sirmon is practically starting from scratch.
On The Right Track - The offense as a whole vastly exceeded expectations, finishing as the nation’s top offense by just about every metric aside from passing yards, but more specifically the growth of Fernando Mendoza allowed Cal to field one of the nation’s best offenses. That did not seem like something that would be in the cards before the season, and Mendoza’s drastic improvement allowed the whole offense to flow. Ott is likely off to the NFL, but the offensive line will remain mostly intact along with all of Cal’s top receivers returning. Mike Bloesch found something, if they can build on that Cal might be able to win 10 or more games again.
Comment
Re: Bear Territory : California CF25
Welcome to a new feature called Four Downs With where I get time to wrap up the season with each ACC head coach. Today I was able to sit down with Cal’s Justin Wilcox after his first season in the ACC and discuss the challenges of switching conferences and how the Golden Bears plan to build on their 2024 season.
This might be the last time you hear this question now that 2024 is in the books, but how has the change to the ACC affected your team?
It took a while to adjust to the travel, and really I don’t think we completely adjusted to it, but the long road trips in conference play put us off at times. I really think it energized us a bit, it was new but mostly exciting playing a new set of teams and getting that opportunity to play on a different stage. Obviously we aren’t happy to lose our in-state rivalry games, but that’s just the reality of football now. We just move forward and play whoever lines up across from us, it’s the only thing we can do.
Jaydn Ott was key to Cal’s success this year, assuming that he enters the draft, where does Cal go in 2025 for a leader on offense?
We managed to keep him out of the portal last year, and we haven’t really had that discussion yet, but if he leaves for the NFL we have players that I feel are ready to step up. Even with everything Jaydn did, we aren’t one player, this is a team and we will move forward as one. Fernando [Mendoza] is an obvious pick here, he was able to make a leap this year as a sophomore, so expectations are high for next year.
You won a school record 11 games in 2024 and played in your first conference title game, are you managing expectations or have you raised the bar for the whole program?
There will be some managing of expectations, but we feel like we can do all of that again. That’s our aim going forward, we have to aim high in everything we do. Obviously we don’t exist in the kind of environment a program like Alabama or Ohio State does, where the margin for error is razor thin, I’m not going to have fans screaming for my head if we lose a game, but we need to look at 2024 as a realistic goal every year.
What aspect of the team, and this could be staff as well, do you see as a critical area for improvement in 2025?
Hard to say we have any areas of critical need after winning eleven games, but the place we can obviously do more is on defense. Our guys were on the field a lot, but in a good way, we managed to score quickly in a lot of games. We just need to limit the big plays and find a way to get to the QB faster, we can’t let guys stand back there and throw on us all game. We have a plan in place already, there is work to be done in the offseason.
This might be the last time you hear this question now that 2024 is in the books, but how has the change to the ACC affected your team?
It took a while to adjust to the travel, and really I don’t think we completely adjusted to it, but the long road trips in conference play put us off at times. I really think it energized us a bit, it was new but mostly exciting playing a new set of teams and getting that opportunity to play on a different stage. Obviously we aren’t happy to lose our in-state rivalry games, but that’s just the reality of football now. We just move forward and play whoever lines up across from us, it’s the only thing we can do.
Jaydn Ott was key to Cal’s success this year, assuming that he enters the draft, where does Cal go in 2025 for a leader on offense?
We managed to keep him out of the portal last year, and we haven’t really had that discussion yet, but if he leaves for the NFL we have players that I feel are ready to step up. Even with everything Jaydn did, we aren’t one player, this is a team and we will move forward as one. Fernando [Mendoza] is an obvious pick here, he was able to make a leap this year as a sophomore, so expectations are high for next year.
You won a school record 11 games in 2024 and played in your first conference title game, are you managing expectations or have you raised the bar for the whole program?
There will be some managing of expectations, but we feel like we can do all of that again. That’s our aim going forward, we have to aim high in everything we do. Obviously we don’t exist in the kind of environment a program like Alabama or Ohio State does, where the margin for error is razor thin, I’m not going to have fans screaming for my head if we lose a game, but we need to look at 2024 as a realistic goal every year.
What aspect of the team, and this could be staff as well, do you see as a critical area for improvement in 2025?
Hard to say we have any areas of critical need after winning eleven games, but the place we can obviously do more is on defense. Our guys were on the field a lot, but in a good way, we managed to score quickly in a lot of games. We just need to limit the big plays and find a way to get to the QB faster, we can’t let guys stand back there and throw on us all game. We have a plan in place already, there is work to be done in the offseason.
Comment
Re: Bear Territory : California CF25
A hectic recruiting season has come to a close as the next window opens, no rest for the wicked when it comes to the recruiting battlefield. With the NIL landscape constantly expanding and changing, the teams with the most cash at hand have managed to maintain their spots at the top of the ranking.
The biggest risers in this cycle were Cal, who managed to top expectations and pull in the 17th ranked class, and Nebraska (15th). The Golden Bears normally live around the mid-40’s and 50’s, but Justin Wilcox has pulled a rabbit out of his hat during a surprise 11 win season, and Matt Rhule is starting to turn things around in Lincoln.
The most surprising programs to fall in the rankings were Texas A&M (21) and Oklahoma (26), things are moving in the wrong direction for these programs and things aren’t going to get any easier in the SEC.
2025 TOP RECRUITING CLASS
ESPN 300 Commits : 20
Top Offensive Prospect : WR Isaiah Bond (Alabama)
Top Defensive Prospect : CB Alex Adams
Final Ranking : 1
No surprises here as Kirby Smart continues to maintain the nation’s top program. Michigan made a run at the top, but the Bulldogs closed hard on National Signing Day. Stealing WR Isaiah Bond from Alabama in the Portal was icing on the cake.
ESPN 300 Commits : 10
Top Offensive Prospect : RB Larry Hall
Top Defensive Prospect : FS Scoot Henderson
Final Ranking : 17
The Golden Bears signed a massive class, maxing out their available scholarships to try and restock a team in desperate need of higher end talent. They also managed to pull in 10 ESPN300 prospects, something they don’t usually do, and some of them figure to have a shot at starting spots in 2025. The most notable player in terms of starting immediately is LE Karl Haggan, the end position is thin after the surprise transfer of Nate Burrell and Wilcox didn’t use the portal to address this.
Wilcox didn’t use the portal as much as he did in 2023, but the players he signed should be immediate starters. Grabbing LG Noah Dunham from Washington State was a big win, especially with Cal looking to control the line of scrimmage with a strong running game. The addition of speedy WR Noah Short from Army might also fill a starting slot with top WR Tobias Merriweather bolting for the NFL.
The biggest risers in this cycle were Cal, who managed to top expectations and pull in the 17th ranked class, and Nebraska (15th). The Golden Bears normally live around the mid-40’s and 50’s, but Justin Wilcox has pulled a rabbit out of his hat during a surprise 11 win season, and Matt Rhule is starting to turn things around in Lincoln.
The most surprising programs to fall in the rankings were Texas A&M (21) and Oklahoma (26), things are moving in the wrong direction for these programs and things aren’t going to get any easier in the SEC.
2025 TOP RECRUITING CLASS
ESPN 300 Commits : 20
Top Offensive Prospect : WR Isaiah Bond (Alabama)
Top Defensive Prospect : CB Alex Adams
Final Ranking : 1
No surprises here as Kirby Smart continues to maintain the nation’s top program. Michigan made a run at the top, but the Bulldogs closed hard on National Signing Day. Stealing WR Isaiah Bond from Alabama in the Portal was icing on the cake.
ESPN 300 Commits : 10
Top Offensive Prospect : RB Larry Hall
Top Defensive Prospect : FS Scoot Henderson
Final Ranking : 17
The Golden Bears signed a massive class, maxing out their available scholarships to try and restock a team in desperate need of higher end talent. They also managed to pull in 10 ESPN300 prospects, something they don’t usually do, and some of them figure to have a shot at starting spots in 2025. The most notable player in terms of starting immediately is LE Karl Haggan, the end position is thin after the surprise transfer of Nate Burrell and Wilcox didn’t use the portal to address this.
Wilcox didn’t use the portal as much as he did in 2023, but the players he signed should be immediate starters. Grabbing LG Noah Dunham from Washington State was a big win, especially with Cal looking to control the line of scrimmage with a strong running game. The addition of speedy WR Noah Short from Army might also fill a starting slot with top WR Tobias Merriweather bolting for the NFL.
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Re: Bear Territory : California CF25
Nice job with a top 25 recruiting class, not something Cal pulls off regularly. Should help build on that 11 win season!
Nice job with a top 25 recruiting class, not something Cal pulls off regularly. Should help build on that 11 win season!
Comment
Comment
Re: Bear Territory : California CF25
I'm thinking Ott goes pro after that season and all the accolades, so it is nice to see you scoop up another RB.
I'm thinking Ott goes pro after that season and all the accolades, so it is nice to see you scoop up another RB.
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Re: Bear Territory : California CF25
Loving the way you've set this up!
Loving the way you've set this up!
MICHIGAN WOLVERINES
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MONTREAL CANADIENS
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Re: Bear Territory : California CF25
The 2024 California Golden Bears caught everyone by surprise, particularly their new ACC conference members. At first glance it’s easy to think that last season was a wild aberration, but on closer inspection it seems as though Cal’s floor and ceiling have been raised through the hard work of Justin Wilcox and his staff.
Yes, there are mediocre teams that have a dream season and outperform projections. What Cal did was beyond that, a team doesn’t just accidentally lead the nation in almost every important offensive metric out of the blue. More importantly for Wilcox, the majority of factors that led to that improvement are still with the team or have similar replacements. It would be one thing if they had a group of generational talents that pushed them to victory, only for the team to fall flat when they graduate or head for the draft, but none of that happened. Nevertheless, this will be an important season for Wilcox and Cal’s football program. Will they be able to maintain an elevated floor, or will the ceiling come crashing down?
SPRING ANSWERS
1 - Jaydn Ott is not here. Ott did quite a bit for Cal last year, but if you look hard enough you will notice that Byron Cardwell did a really good job backing him up. A number of Cal’s blowouts saw Cardwell rush for over 100 yards, and it looks like Wilcox is very comfortable with him as their #1. After suffering ankle and knee injuries, one of which cost him all of 2023, Cardwell put in a full season without getting injured. There may be even more reasons to feel good about Cardwell’s heath (more on that in #3) as he probably won’t be given the same load as Ott in an attempt to keep their ball carriers healthy.
Can Cardwell replace Ott’s production?
2 - Fernando Mendoza is still under center. Everyone who could possibly have been considered competition for the starting QB job is gone, either through graduation or transfer. Mendoza really elevated his game in 2024 and looks completely locked in with just CJ Harris and a group of incoming freshmen left. Harris is starting to look like a bridge to freshman Duane Dinson, who was redshirted, who figures to have the first shot at starting if Mendoza decides to leave early for the NFL.
3 - Cal can run the ball. It seemed like Ott was the only serious threat on the ground, but it looks like Bloesch has managed to take Cal’s running game from good to great. The 1st round selection was certainly a special player, but with the offensive line playing so well there is a bit of plug-and-play going on with Cal’s backfield. Cardwell will not be expected to shoulder the entire load, the emergence of freshman RB Larry Hall means that Wilcox will have excellent options for running the ball. Look for Hall to be on the field more often than Cardwell was behind Ott.
FALL QUESTIONS
1 - Receiving depth is shallow. This again? Yes, but not nearly in the same way as last year. Tobias Merriweather and Mikey Matthews put together incredible seasons of over 1000 yards and 10+ TD each, Merriweather had such a good season that he took his Fred Biletnikoff Award and bolted for the NFL. Matthews remains, and unlike the 2023 squad, he’s proven to be a very solid #1 WR option. Transfer Noah Short is fast, really fast, and just his speed alone put him above everyone else on Cal’s depth chart. He’ll have to prove himself, but Mendoza loves the short underneath passes and a lot of those turned into big gains last season. Trond Grizzell is still around, and did well as the #3 WR, but after him things drop off rather quickly. Junior Kyion Grayes looks promising, but he’s never been able to crack the starting rotation, and most of the freshman WR have been redshirted.
If Matthews is injured, Mendoza will need to lean even harder on one of his favorite targets; Jack Endries. Endries had a massive breakout season, and from what Wilcox says he’s only going to get better. The primary issue here is the depth behind him is poor, Freshman Vai Bush looks like the heir apparent but will need to prove himself as Endries’ backup.
Will Endries fill the void left by Merriweather?
2 - Can Mendoza stop the turnovers? Mendoza was one of the best passers in the nation, leading in completion percentage by a wide margin, but his interceptions hurt his perception and cost Cal in critical situations. If he can cut down on the turnovers, and find a way to push the ball downfield to someone not named Jack Endries, he might be able to garner some attention during award season.
3 - Big plays are an ongoing concern. The Golden Bears defense as a whole was very perplexing. They improved significantly compared to 2023, they managed to be a turnover menace in the secondary, but they really couldn’t keep anyone from scoring. They had a few games where they shut down their opponent, but they seemed to play tough for 90% of the game and then give up some really big scoring plays. The unfortunate truth might be that they just don’t have the players to shut down big play receivers, 2024 will show if Peter Sirmon can figure this out.
IMPORTANT ADDITIONS
Wilcox hit the recruiting trail hard in 2024, bringing in his highest ranking recruiting class, and after the completion of summer practice is looks like he landed a handful of impact players. He didn’t use the transfer portal as much as last year, but the players he did bring in figure to be immediate starters.
Transfer Portal
WR Noah Short (SR, Army) - As noted before, Short is fast. He earned a starting spot over the summer and will serve as Cal’s primary kick and punt returner. He’s only here for one year, but that means he brings experience to a WR depth chart that lost its top receiver to the NFL.
CB Jaydn Marshall (JR, UCLA) - One Jaydn leaves for the NFL and another moves in, Marshall was buried in the depth chart for UCLA in 2024 but looks to be the top choice in Nickel / Dime packages.
LG Noah Dunham (SO, Washington State) - Likely the biggest prize of Cal’s transfer business, Dunham is an immediate upgrade at LG and he’s a sophomore. Wilcox likely has the LG position locked down for at least the next two years, and with the way Cal wants to run the ball that could spell trouble for everyone else.
2024 Recruiting Class
ROLB Jabari Uwaezuoke - Only two new additions are starting on defense, and Uwaezuoke is the best of them. He is quickly looking like one of Cal’s best defenders in a key position, having him and Cade Uluave on the field at the same time will make the right side of their defense a major headache.
LE Karl Haggan - The surprise departure of Nate Burrell left a big hole at LE, but Haggan jumped right in and made the position his over the summer. The 6’4 262 freshman was one of Wilcox’s best signings and he figures to be a problem for opposing offensive lines with his blend of speed off the edge and ability to stand firm against the run.
RB Larry Hall - As mentioned earlier, Hall was the crown jewel of Cal’s recruiting class and looks to be Cardwell’s primary backup after the summer. He’s much faster than Cardwell in the open field, and will likely see a decent workload in an attempt to avoid grinding Cardwell into dust.
DEPTH CHART
With the exception of Short and Dunham, there isn’t much change on offense. The offensive line only lost LG Will McDonald and RT T.J. Sessions, and they were replaced by Dunham and Trent Ramsey. Both are experienced, and Ramsey played behind Sessions last year. In theory there shouldn’t be much drop off, Wilcox has been open in his thinking that Cardwell and Hall combined will make the loss of Ott a non-factor.
Defensively, things should be an improvement as well. Players already on campus replaced departed starters, all of which left for the draft or graduated, and the true freshman starters are looking like upgrades at their positions.
SCHEDULE
The Schedule Gods have smiled on Cal in 2025, specifically in the ACC. A road trip to Oregon State won’t be all that easy, but getting a slumping Minnesota and UNLV at home and a short trip to San Diego State should have them cruising before the conference schedule starts.
The Golden Bears manage to miss all of the big ACC programs and their only ranked opponents, as of the preseason, are #19 Louisville and #21 North Carolina. On top of that they are facing two programs with first year head coaches (Virginia and Stanfurd), and one who’s on track to be fired (Duke) if things don’t turn around fast.
Yes, there are mediocre teams that have a dream season and outperform projections. What Cal did was beyond that, a team doesn’t just accidentally lead the nation in almost every important offensive metric out of the blue. More importantly for Wilcox, the majority of factors that led to that improvement are still with the team or have similar replacements. It would be one thing if they had a group of generational talents that pushed them to victory, only for the team to fall flat when they graduate or head for the draft, but none of that happened. Nevertheless, this will be an important season for Wilcox and Cal’s football program. Will they be able to maintain an elevated floor, or will the ceiling come crashing down?
SPRING ANSWERS
1 - Jaydn Ott is not here. Ott did quite a bit for Cal last year, but if you look hard enough you will notice that Byron Cardwell did a really good job backing him up. A number of Cal’s blowouts saw Cardwell rush for over 100 yards, and it looks like Wilcox is very comfortable with him as their #1. After suffering ankle and knee injuries, one of which cost him all of 2023, Cardwell put in a full season without getting injured. There may be even more reasons to feel good about Cardwell’s heath (more on that in #3) as he probably won’t be given the same load as Ott in an attempt to keep their ball carriers healthy.
Can Cardwell replace Ott’s production?
2 - Fernando Mendoza is still under center. Everyone who could possibly have been considered competition for the starting QB job is gone, either through graduation or transfer. Mendoza really elevated his game in 2024 and looks completely locked in with just CJ Harris and a group of incoming freshmen left. Harris is starting to look like a bridge to freshman Duane Dinson, who was redshirted, who figures to have the first shot at starting if Mendoza decides to leave early for the NFL.
3 - Cal can run the ball. It seemed like Ott was the only serious threat on the ground, but it looks like Bloesch has managed to take Cal’s running game from good to great. The 1st round selection was certainly a special player, but with the offensive line playing so well there is a bit of plug-and-play going on with Cal’s backfield. Cardwell will not be expected to shoulder the entire load, the emergence of freshman RB Larry Hall means that Wilcox will have excellent options for running the ball. Look for Hall to be on the field more often than Cardwell was behind Ott.
FALL QUESTIONS
1 - Receiving depth is shallow. This again? Yes, but not nearly in the same way as last year. Tobias Merriweather and Mikey Matthews put together incredible seasons of over 1000 yards and 10+ TD each, Merriweather had such a good season that he took his Fred Biletnikoff Award and bolted for the NFL. Matthews remains, and unlike the 2023 squad, he’s proven to be a very solid #1 WR option. Transfer Noah Short is fast, really fast, and just his speed alone put him above everyone else on Cal’s depth chart. He’ll have to prove himself, but Mendoza loves the short underneath passes and a lot of those turned into big gains last season. Trond Grizzell is still around, and did well as the #3 WR, but after him things drop off rather quickly. Junior Kyion Grayes looks promising, but he’s never been able to crack the starting rotation, and most of the freshman WR have been redshirted.
If Matthews is injured, Mendoza will need to lean even harder on one of his favorite targets; Jack Endries. Endries had a massive breakout season, and from what Wilcox says he’s only going to get better. The primary issue here is the depth behind him is poor, Freshman Vai Bush looks like the heir apparent but will need to prove himself as Endries’ backup.
Will Endries fill the void left by Merriweather?
2 - Can Mendoza stop the turnovers? Mendoza was one of the best passers in the nation, leading in completion percentage by a wide margin, but his interceptions hurt his perception and cost Cal in critical situations. If he can cut down on the turnovers, and find a way to push the ball downfield to someone not named Jack Endries, he might be able to garner some attention during award season.
3 - Big plays are an ongoing concern. The Golden Bears defense as a whole was very perplexing. They improved significantly compared to 2023, they managed to be a turnover menace in the secondary, but they really couldn’t keep anyone from scoring. They had a few games where they shut down their opponent, but they seemed to play tough for 90% of the game and then give up some really big scoring plays. The unfortunate truth might be that they just don’t have the players to shut down big play receivers, 2024 will show if Peter Sirmon can figure this out.
IMPORTANT ADDITIONS
Wilcox hit the recruiting trail hard in 2024, bringing in his highest ranking recruiting class, and after the completion of summer practice is looks like he landed a handful of impact players. He didn’t use the transfer portal as much as last year, but the players he did bring in figure to be immediate starters.
Transfer Portal
WR Noah Short (SR, Army) - As noted before, Short is fast. He earned a starting spot over the summer and will serve as Cal’s primary kick and punt returner. He’s only here for one year, but that means he brings experience to a WR depth chart that lost its top receiver to the NFL.
CB Jaydn Marshall (JR, UCLA) - One Jaydn leaves for the NFL and another moves in, Marshall was buried in the depth chart for UCLA in 2024 but looks to be the top choice in Nickel / Dime packages.
LG Noah Dunham (SO, Washington State) - Likely the biggest prize of Cal’s transfer business, Dunham is an immediate upgrade at LG and he’s a sophomore. Wilcox likely has the LG position locked down for at least the next two years, and with the way Cal wants to run the ball that could spell trouble for everyone else.
2024 Recruiting Class
ROLB Jabari Uwaezuoke - Only two new additions are starting on defense, and Uwaezuoke is the best of them. He is quickly looking like one of Cal’s best defenders in a key position, having him and Cade Uluave on the field at the same time will make the right side of their defense a major headache.
LE Karl Haggan - The surprise departure of Nate Burrell left a big hole at LE, but Haggan jumped right in and made the position his over the summer. The 6’4 262 freshman was one of Wilcox’s best signings and he figures to be a problem for opposing offensive lines with his blend of speed off the edge and ability to stand firm against the run.
RB Larry Hall - As mentioned earlier, Hall was the crown jewel of Cal’s recruiting class and looks to be Cardwell’s primary backup after the summer. He’s much faster than Cardwell in the open field, and will likely see a decent workload in an attempt to avoid grinding Cardwell into dust.
DEPTH CHART
With the exception of Short and Dunham, there isn’t much change on offense. The offensive line only lost LG Will McDonald and RT T.J. Sessions, and they were replaced by Dunham and Trent Ramsey. Both are experienced, and Ramsey played behind Sessions last year. In theory there shouldn’t be much drop off, Wilcox has been open in his thinking that Cardwell and Hall combined will make the loss of Ott a non-factor.
Defensively, things should be an improvement as well. Players already on campus replaced departed starters, all of which left for the draft or graduated, and the true freshman starters are looking like upgrades at their positions.
SCHEDULE
The Schedule Gods have smiled on Cal in 2025, specifically in the ACC. A road trip to Oregon State won’t be all that easy, but getting a slumping Minnesota and UNLV at home and a short trip to San Diego State should have them cruising before the conference schedule starts.
The Golden Bears manage to miss all of the big ACC programs and their only ranked opponents, as of the preseason, are #19 Louisville and #21 North Carolina. On top of that they are facing two programs with first year head coaches (Virginia and Stanfurd), and one who’s on track to be fired (Duke) if things don’t turn around fast.
Comment
Re: Bear Territory : California CF25
Not too many new faces in the DC... could be a really great season building on last year's successes. But, it could also make next season extra tough.
Not too many new faces in the DC... could be a really great season building on last year's successes. But, it could also make next season extra tough.
Comment
Re: Bear Territory : California CF25
The ACC had a wild 2024 with the pecking order getting completely reorganized, as a whole it was a boon to the conference despite failing to make too much noise in the College Football Playoff. NC State and Miami were the only participants, unless you want to count Notre Dame, and only Miami managed to win a game as the 11 seed over Penn State. Despite all of that the ACC finished with seven ranked teams, more than any other conference. That optimism has spilled over into 2025, seven ACC teams start the season in the Top 25 and NC State is starting out at #2 behind defending national champion Ohio State. The Wolfpack even managed to garner nine 1st place votes.
The big question hanging over the conference is if things are going to stay this way. Florida State and Clemson are licking their wounds while Mario Cristobal seems to have turned things around for the Hurricanes. Can NC State and Cal keep their places in the title contender tier, or are we going to see a regression toward the mean?
BIG MEN ON CAMPUS
QB Cade Klubnik (Clemson) - The ACC is currently in a down year when it comes to big name QB’s, with none of them popping up in the early season Heisman conversation or Too Early draft talk. The bar is low, but Klubnik is the first to get there. He was good enough to help turn around the Tigers’ lost season, finishing 9-4 and ranked 12th in the nation, but there are nagging questions about his ceiling. This will be his third full season starting for Clemson, so it isn’t likely he will suddenly develop into a much better QB, but with Dabo Swinney refusing to use the portal he’s going to remain the face of one of the conference’s premier teams.
QB Preston Stone (SMU) - Stone lacks the name recognition of Klubnik, but he’s making a solid run at being the best QB in the conference. When Kyron Drones and Virginia Tech fell out of view, Stone managed to steal their thunder despite a disastrous 5-7 that saw SMU fall from the ranks of the media darlings. SMU isn’t messing around, so Rhett Lashlee is going to need to get things going on offense. If SMU can turn things around and get into the Top 25, Stone is going to be the key.
SS Shyheim Brown (Florida State) - Brown might elicit a “who?” from casual fans, but offensive coordinators all across the ACC know him well. Elevated to team Captain, Brown is the Seminole’s hard hitting strong safety and leader of the defense. He’s Florida State’s best player, and will likely follow in the footsteps of previous teammates and have his name called in the 1st round of the NFL draft next year.
WR Kevin Concepcion (NC State) - Concepcion helped NC State make the College Football Playoff as well as win the ACC title in dramatic fashion. He’s one of the best and fastest receivers in the nation, and with Grayson McCall gone he’s going to be the primary target for whoever wins the QB competition for the Wolfpack.
QB Fernando Mendoza (California) - The QB bar is low, but Mendoza has the advantage of putting up better seasons than Klubnik and Stone in 2024. He’s been in Ott’s shadow, but it’s going to be hard for people to ignore him now. If Cal’s offense does the same thing it did last year Wilcox is going to be more concerned about keeping him from the NFL Draft than people recognizing his name.
SEASON PREDICTIONS
Conference Title / CFP Contenders
Head Coach : Dave Doeren (13th Year)
What a difference a conference title and College Football Playoff appearance makes. The Wolfpack got it done in the ACC, beating Cal twice on their way to the 4th seed in the Playoff before losing to eventual title game participant Georgia. All of that, combined with a deep returning roster has earned them a #2 ranking in the preseason. Doeren has some issues under center, Grayson McCall has left for the NFL, but he retains so many key pieces across the board they might be able to make due with first year starter redshirt sophomore Lex Thomas. Having top WR Kevin Concepcion return will be an excellent safety blanket.
NC State will absolutely earn it if they win at least 10 games, their schedule is brutal in and out of the ACC. A week 4 trip to Alabama would be bad enough on it’s own, but the Crimson Tide open the season ranked #10 and won’t make anything easy. They also have road games at #5 Miami and #12 Notre Dame before finishing the season with #16 Florida State and #21 North Carolina at home.
Head Coach : Mike Norvell (6th Year)
The Seminoles haven’t gone away, but things are very packed at the top of the conference now. Their perceived dominance has evaporated over the course of a single season, but that doesn’t mean they can be counted out from anything up to a berth in the College Football Playoff. Things are going to be tough on offense, with sophomore QB Luke Kromenhoek taking over an offense bereft of high end talent. They have several solid offensive lineman and two good RBs, but things are not going to be as easy for them. Defensively Norvell has built a very talented team, their five best players are on defense and it’s likely all of them get drafted. Led by Shyheim Brown, the Seminoles defense is going to keep them in games all year.
Something about Alabama and the ACC this year, they must have an appetite for destruction. Florida State opens the season with a home game against the Crimson Tide before they duke it out with NC State for the hardest schedule. At #14 Clemson and #2 NC State, with home games against #5 Miami and Florida. Norvell has his work cut out for him, those four games will decide their season.
Head Coach : Dabo Swinney (17th Year)
Swinney and the Tigers aren’t going anywhere either, but they have some questions to answer after falling short again in 2024. Clemson is absolutely loaded on defense, with DT Peter Woods ranking as the best defensive tackle in the nation. Their defensive line, linebackers, and secondary all have elite players leading them into what feels like a “must win” type of season for Swinney. Their biggest issue will be Kulbnik’s ceiling. Can he elevate his game enough to take advantage of all the offensive talent around him?
The Tigers get a bit of a schedule break compares to the teams above them, but not much. Opening the season at home against #23 LSU and getting #16 Florida State in Death Valley as well will help them out, but playing at #19 Louisville and #21 North Carolina could trip them up late.
Head Coach : Jeff Brohm (3rd Year)
QB Brady Allen finds himself in a really good position, the Cardinals have offensive talent at every position and the right coach to get the most out of them. The Cardinals’ strength is on offense, but their defense continues to be tough and keeps them in games every week.
Louisville also falls prey to the ACC-SEC schedule, opening their season against #18 Texas before getting a break until Week 10. Brohm is not going to be able to sleep for three weeks starting in Week 10 with a road trip to #5 Miami, and then home games against #14 Clemson and #13 Cal. If Cal regresses things get easier, but they finish the season at home against Kentucky. Rivalry games can transcend rankings, something Louisville will want to have fall in their favor.
Head Coach : Mario Cristobal (4th Year)
Stop me if you’ve heard this before, Miami are loaded with high end talent. Cristobal managed to turn things around last year and snuck into the College Football Playoff despite not playing in the ACC Title game, but this year he’s got some serious work to do. Players like LE Reuben Bain Jr., arguably the top LE in the nation, will make things easier for the Hurricanes. Cristobal’s problem is that Cam Ward is gone, and Emory Williams transferred out. Reese Poffenbarger, who transferred to Miami in 2023, finds himself the man under center with an army of freshman dying to take his job. The talent around Poffenbarger, combined with the defense, might be enough to sneak by.
Miami’s schedule isn’t a disaster, but without a high end QB they should be holding their breath for an undefeated season. They got lucky on venues, facing #12 Notre Dame, #2 NC State, #19 Louisville, and Florida at home. Road trips to #16 Florida State and sneaky Top 25 contender Arizona will make things even harder.
Head Coach : Justin Wilcox (9th Year)
The Golden Bears are good? That seems to be the question on everyone’s mind, and after making the conference title game last year while sporting the nation’s top offense it’s hard to write them off. You might need to get into a shouting match with Clemson fans, but you could argue Mendoza is the best QB in the conference. Wilcox lost some serious contributors on offense, but he’s got people in place to replace the production. The defense is more experienced and has some higher ceiling freshman coming in, all they need to do is hold teams under 30 and the offense could carry them the rest of the way.
Can Cade Uluave and the Golden Bears defense improve?
The Schedule Gods have blessed Cal with one of the easiest in the conference. They open at Reser Stadium against Oregon State, which is not an easy place to go, but they go on to avoid most of the ranked ACC teams (which is a lot this year) while playing some of the worst in 2024.
Top 25
Head Coach : Mack Brown (17th Year)
The Tarheels were a surprise in 2024, taking a run at the ACC Title deep into the season when a loss to eventual champion NC State knocked them out of the running and let Cal in. There were some whispers at the start of the season, and they’ve been getting louder this summer, that this could be Brown’s last year coaching. The 73-year old brought the Tarheels back, and if they can match or improve on their 10-3 record from last year he could leave on a high note. It will be impressive if Brown can do it, the Tarheels are putting together a real “more with less” run. Brown’s defense is leading the way, with a very tough defensive line, but QB Conner Harrell has a chance to elevate their offense.
North Carolina doesn’t have it as bad as others, but there are a few games that could torpedo their season. Road games at #13 Cal and #2 NC State could put them behind the competition, and a home game against #14 Clemson could finish them off.
Head Coach : Rhett Lashlee (4th Year)
Rhett Lashlee went from one of the hottest coaches in college football to one of the hottest seats. SMU took a massive step backwards last season, even beating a one-loss Cal in the final game of the season didn’t do much to help him, and things might get even hotter in Dallas if he doesn’t turn things around quickly. Nothing worked that well for the Mustangs on either side of the ball, something that helped them finish with a 5-7 record after being picked as a conference title game dark horse. QB Preston Stone is going to have to do it all, the receiving core was eviscerated by graduations with six players leaving. TE RJ Maryland is the only returning starter at a skill position. Last year’s backup HB, LJ Johnson Jr., is now the starter.
The Mustangs have a very easy schedule until it isn’t, a run of three games starting Week 7 could make Lashlee’s seat really hot. At #14 Clemson, home against #19 Louisville, and a long road trip to #13 Cal could tank their season. If that wasn’t bad enough, #5 Miami comes to Dallas for their final game.
Going Bowling
Head Coach : Brent Pry (4th Year)
The Hokies took a step backwards last year, mostly due to a horrid 2-6 conference record. They fell a game short in a bid for a bowl game last year, and this might be Pry’s last chance before having to rebuild his roster. QB Kyron Drones didn’t have the season people were expecting, though he got some Heisman buzz after a good stretch, but he’s still Tech’s best player and should be in the conversation for best QB in the conference. The Hokies’ next best player is Lou Groza Award nominee John Love, which is a little concerning unless Pry is planning to kick his way to a bowl game.
The Hokies find themselves in Schedule Hell if their plan is to make 6 wins. They face six ranked opponents; #16 Florida, #19 Louisville, #2 NC State, #13 Cal, and #5 Miami. They also landed an interesting road game at Texas State, who finished 12-2 last year, they could easily lose that one. Their season opener against South Carolina could either set them on the path to 5-7 again or keep their dreams of 6-6 or better alive.
Head Coach : Bill O’Brien (2nd Year)
The Eagles were ranked for a bit in 2023 before a 3-5 conference record did them in. They are a borderline 6 win team, but an easier schedule might help tip them in the right direction. QB Thomas Castellanos is back for his final year, and O’Brien is really going to need him to work some magic. The Eagles are fairly average, but their advantage might be that average is better than over half the ACC.
Their schedule could save their season. Their toughest games come against #12 Notre Dame, #14 Clemson, #13 Cal, and #19 Louisville. They open their season with a road game at North Texas and follow that up with a visit from UMass, the games that are tough to call in their favor are a road trip to Michigan State and a home game against SMU. The ranked opponents combined with the Spartans and Mustangs could doom them to another 5-7 season.
Down & Out
Head Coach : Jon Carroll (1st Year)
Turns out Troy Taylor’s seat was hot, extremely hot, even after making a bowl game. The Cardinal finished 6-7, a substantial improvement in 2023, but perhaps the 49-19 beating they took in the Big Game turned some heads with the donors. Taylor was a surprise firing, but as the offseason rolled on it seemed like there were more internal conflicts beyond their record. They turn to Carroll to try and keep things afloat, they still have some solid pieces to keep themselves out of the Bottom 10 Material tier. QB Ashton Daniels returns along with top WR Elic Ayomanor, perhaps that will be enough to keep them bowl bound.
They escaped a brutal schedule in 2024, and their reward is a much easier one this time around. Their biggest punishment is opening the season at Hawai’i followed by a season of games in the ACC, they couldn’t get more frequent flier miles if they tried. They face five ranked opponent; #21 North Carolina, #5 Miami, #16 Florida State, #13 Cal, and finish the season at home against #12 Notre Dame. Their game at SMU in Week 10 could decide their postseason fate.
Head Coach : Fran Brown (2nd Year)
The Orange were surprisingly not bad last year, finishing 7-6 with a bowl win. Brown is going to need to pull a rabbit out of his hat again with a fairly average roster. HB LeQuint Allen returns for his senior season, Syracuse is going to need to rely on him to keep their offense afloat. Former Ohio State QB Kyle McCord is gone, and his replacement is a marked downgrade. Braden Davis will do his best, but Syracuse figures to struggle for 6 wins.
Opening the season on the road twice, against #12 Notre Dame and #5 Miami will have them starting 0-2. They also travel to #14 Clemson and get #11 Tennessee at home, the remainder of their schedule is easy enough that they have a path to six wins. UConn, Georgia State, Albany, and Duke should be easy wins.
Head Coach : Hank Springer (1st Year)
A disappointing season cost Pat Narduzzi his job, and now Springer will have the task of picking up the pieces in a loaded ACC. He’s going to have his hands full, especially with a roster bereft of high end talent. The Panthers do have an experienced offensive line made of mostly seniors, so he’ll have a good base to work from, but that just means he’s going to have a whole new line in 2026. QB Eli Holstein is one of the better signal callers in the ACC, and he’ll be able to hand off to senior HB Desmond Reid, beyond that is anyone’s guess. Pitt is likely headed for another sub-.500 season.
Pitt really must have upset someone in the scheduling offense, because they are going to die a slow death from Week 6 through 12. During that span they will face #2 NC State, #19 Louisville, #16 Florida State, #21 North Carolina, #5 Miami, and end their misery against #12 Notre Dame. Making things worse during that stretch will be a road game at Stanfurd.
Head Coach : Bryan Warren (1st Year)
Another team with a first year coach as Tony Elliot was fired after a 5-7 season, Warren will probably feel good if he can get to 5-7 with this team. MLB Kam Robinson resisted transferring and leads the defense as one of the best linebackers in the ACC. Junior Anthony Colandrea has the offense all to himself after splitting time with the now graduated Tony Muskett.
They have a somewhat easy schedule, facing just four ranked teams in #19 Louisville, #13 Cal, #16 Florida State, and #21 North Carolina. They will open up against Coastal Carolina, William & Mary, and Charlotte before getting into conference play. All of those games are winnable, with the Chanticleers a tough matchup.
Head Coach : Brent Key (3rd Year)
The Yellow Jackets went on a bit of a run early in the season last year, but things really fell apart through conference play. A 3-5 record doomed them from doing too much, but they did manage a 6-6 record for a bowl invite. They lost, but the good news is that Key should have a path back to 6-6 if things go well. All three of their best offensive players return; QB Haynes King, HB Jamal Haynes, and WREric Singleton Jr. Beyond that, it’s going to be a lot of tossup games in the conference unless King can use his legs to elevate their offense above the 2024 result.
Their schedule is very friendly in conference, facing only #2 NC State and #14 Clemson, but their non-conference schedule is going to burn them by opening at #4 Colorado and finishing the season with Clean, Old-Fashioned Hate against #3 Georgia.
Head Coach : Dave Clawson (12th Year)
Clawson should be a little hurt finding himself down here on the list, after all the Demon Deacons had a really good season. 5-3 in the ACC helped propel them to an 8-5 season, once in which they dipped their toe into the Top 25 for a week. Part of their problem is that QB Hank Bachmeier has graduated, it looks like redshirt freshman Jeremy Hecklinski has won the job, but just barely. Clawson has a QB room that is six guys deep, it may take a few years for someone to emerge as the next Sam Hartman.
Their schedule could get them back to 8-5, it just won’t be easy. Games against #16 Florida State, at Ole Miss, #21 North Carolina, and #2 NC State will probably set 8 wins as their ceiling. Their Week 13 matchup against SMU could be the decider, but they have so many easy teams on the schedule they should outperform their talent level.
Bottom 10 Material
Head Coach : Manny Diaz (2nd Year)
Diaz is looking over at Stanfurd and wondering how he’s still at Duke. The Blue Devils were far and away the worst team in the ACC, literally everyone beat them. After a good 3-1 start Diaz saw his team drop eight straight while scoring the least points in the conference. It won’t surprise anyone to hear that Duke was decent defensively, and that should continue this year with the majority of their best players on that side of the ball. Diaz’s problem will be fixing the offense, and fast. QB Maalik Murphy is going to lead a nearly completely rebuilt offense that could easily be the worst in the ACC again. At least they have one of the nation’s top kickers in Todd Pelino.
Duke gets one of the easiest schedules, but they will still face a gauntlet of ranked ACC teams. Games against #2 NC State, #21 North Carolina, #14 Clemson, and #13 Cal will ruin the second half of their season. They open against Navy, Illinois, and travel to Tulane, a much harder stretch than last year. Diaz would be very happy starting 3-1 again.
FIVE BEST ACC GAMES OF 2024
Here are the five conference games that feature (a) the highest combined SP+ ratings for both teams and (b) a projected scoring margin under 10 points, or a must watch / unique matchup. Who will be in the ACC title game is more of a mystery than it’s ever been.
Florida State at Clemson (Week 8) - This could be a big “put up or shut up” game for both teams. The loser of this game is in big trouble, with both facing tough games to finish out the season. A team with two conference losses could easily make the ACC title game, but it’s unlikely they will have their name called in the College Football Playoff.
Miami at Florida State (Week 9) - Norvell finally finds himself on this list with a home game, the conference title picture will start to get clear in the Week 8-10 zone with so many critical games going on. It’s also odd to think how outsized the influence of Billy Napier and Florida will be for conference contenders. Both Miami and Florida State will face the Gators, if they can get one over on their ACC rivals it will seriously dent their College Football Playoff hopes.
Louisville at Miami (Week 10) - An interesting moment in the schedule with this game a crossover for two teams that have to suffer through brutal 3-4 game stretches. Miami is going through hell from Week 7 to 10, ending with this game, while Louisville is going to go through hell starting with this game. A win for the Cardinals would be big, making the rest of their schedule a near formality. A win for Miami could set the tone for a rough stretch, but whatever happens wins will have an outsized influence at this point in the season.
California at Louisville (Week 12) - Circle your calendars for this one, there is a non-zero chance this could decide who heads to the ACC title game. The Golden Bears have a very easy schedule and the Cardinals are a very good team, no matter how good the Golden Bears are, a trip to Louisville will be their toughest game.
Florida State at NC State (Week 13) - If things are as crowded at the top as they appear to be, this could be an ACC Title / College Football Playoff decider. It’s unlikely there will be a team undefeated in the conference, the loser of this game could be stuck on the outside looking in. Perhaps, like Miami last year, a one loss team on the wrong end of this game could sneak into the playoff.
The big question hanging over the conference is if things are going to stay this way. Florida State and Clemson are licking their wounds while Mario Cristobal seems to have turned things around for the Hurricanes. Can NC State and Cal keep their places in the title contender tier, or are we going to see a regression toward the mean?
BIG MEN ON CAMPUS
QB Cade Klubnik (Clemson) - The ACC is currently in a down year when it comes to big name QB’s, with none of them popping up in the early season Heisman conversation or Too Early draft talk. The bar is low, but Klubnik is the first to get there. He was good enough to help turn around the Tigers’ lost season, finishing 9-4 and ranked 12th in the nation, but there are nagging questions about his ceiling. This will be his third full season starting for Clemson, so it isn’t likely he will suddenly develop into a much better QB, but with Dabo Swinney refusing to use the portal he’s going to remain the face of one of the conference’s premier teams.
QB Preston Stone (SMU) - Stone lacks the name recognition of Klubnik, but he’s making a solid run at being the best QB in the conference. When Kyron Drones and Virginia Tech fell out of view, Stone managed to steal their thunder despite a disastrous 5-7 that saw SMU fall from the ranks of the media darlings. SMU isn’t messing around, so Rhett Lashlee is going to need to get things going on offense. If SMU can turn things around and get into the Top 25, Stone is going to be the key.
SS Shyheim Brown (Florida State) - Brown might elicit a “who?” from casual fans, but offensive coordinators all across the ACC know him well. Elevated to team Captain, Brown is the Seminole’s hard hitting strong safety and leader of the defense. He’s Florida State’s best player, and will likely follow in the footsteps of previous teammates and have his name called in the 1st round of the NFL draft next year.
WR Kevin Concepcion (NC State) - Concepcion helped NC State make the College Football Playoff as well as win the ACC title in dramatic fashion. He’s one of the best and fastest receivers in the nation, and with Grayson McCall gone he’s going to be the primary target for whoever wins the QB competition for the Wolfpack.
QB Fernando Mendoza (California) - The QB bar is low, but Mendoza has the advantage of putting up better seasons than Klubnik and Stone in 2024. He’s been in Ott’s shadow, but it’s going to be hard for people to ignore him now. If Cal’s offense does the same thing it did last year Wilcox is going to be more concerned about keeping him from the NFL Draft than people recognizing his name.
SEASON PREDICTIONS
Conference Title / CFP Contenders
Head Coach : Dave Doeren (13th Year)
What a difference a conference title and College Football Playoff appearance makes. The Wolfpack got it done in the ACC, beating Cal twice on their way to the 4th seed in the Playoff before losing to eventual title game participant Georgia. All of that, combined with a deep returning roster has earned them a #2 ranking in the preseason. Doeren has some issues under center, Grayson McCall has left for the NFL, but he retains so many key pieces across the board they might be able to make due with first year starter redshirt sophomore Lex Thomas. Having top WR Kevin Concepcion return will be an excellent safety blanket.
NC State will absolutely earn it if they win at least 10 games, their schedule is brutal in and out of the ACC. A week 4 trip to Alabama would be bad enough on it’s own, but the Crimson Tide open the season ranked #10 and won’t make anything easy. They also have road games at #5 Miami and #12 Notre Dame before finishing the season with #16 Florida State and #21 North Carolina at home.
Head Coach : Mike Norvell (6th Year)
The Seminoles haven’t gone away, but things are very packed at the top of the conference now. Their perceived dominance has evaporated over the course of a single season, but that doesn’t mean they can be counted out from anything up to a berth in the College Football Playoff. Things are going to be tough on offense, with sophomore QB Luke Kromenhoek taking over an offense bereft of high end talent. They have several solid offensive lineman and two good RBs, but things are not going to be as easy for them. Defensively Norvell has built a very talented team, their five best players are on defense and it’s likely all of them get drafted. Led by Shyheim Brown, the Seminoles defense is going to keep them in games all year.
Something about Alabama and the ACC this year, they must have an appetite for destruction. Florida State opens the season with a home game against the Crimson Tide before they duke it out with NC State for the hardest schedule. At #14 Clemson and #2 NC State, with home games against #5 Miami and Florida. Norvell has his work cut out for him, those four games will decide their season.
Head Coach : Dabo Swinney (17th Year)
Swinney and the Tigers aren’t going anywhere either, but they have some questions to answer after falling short again in 2024. Clemson is absolutely loaded on defense, with DT Peter Woods ranking as the best defensive tackle in the nation. Their defensive line, linebackers, and secondary all have elite players leading them into what feels like a “must win” type of season for Swinney. Their biggest issue will be Kulbnik’s ceiling. Can he elevate his game enough to take advantage of all the offensive talent around him?
The Tigers get a bit of a schedule break compares to the teams above them, but not much. Opening the season at home against #23 LSU and getting #16 Florida State in Death Valley as well will help them out, but playing at #19 Louisville and #21 North Carolina could trip them up late.
Head Coach : Jeff Brohm (3rd Year)
QB Brady Allen finds himself in a really good position, the Cardinals have offensive talent at every position and the right coach to get the most out of them. The Cardinals’ strength is on offense, but their defense continues to be tough and keeps them in games every week.
Louisville also falls prey to the ACC-SEC schedule, opening their season against #18 Texas before getting a break until Week 10. Brohm is not going to be able to sleep for three weeks starting in Week 10 with a road trip to #5 Miami, and then home games against #14 Clemson and #13 Cal. If Cal regresses things get easier, but they finish the season at home against Kentucky. Rivalry games can transcend rankings, something Louisville will want to have fall in their favor.
Head Coach : Mario Cristobal (4th Year)
Stop me if you’ve heard this before, Miami are loaded with high end talent. Cristobal managed to turn things around last year and snuck into the College Football Playoff despite not playing in the ACC Title game, but this year he’s got some serious work to do. Players like LE Reuben Bain Jr., arguably the top LE in the nation, will make things easier for the Hurricanes. Cristobal’s problem is that Cam Ward is gone, and Emory Williams transferred out. Reese Poffenbarger, who transferred to Miami in 2023, finds himself the man under center with an army of freshman dying to take his job. The talent around Poffenbarger, combined with the defense, might be enough to sneak by.
Miami’s schedule isn’t a disaster, but without a high end QB they should be holding their breath for an undefeated season. They got lucky on venues, facing #12 Notre Dame, #2 NC State, #19 Louisville, and Florida at home. Road trips to #16 Florida State and sneaky Top 25 contender Arizona will make things even harder.
Head Coach : Justin Wilcox (9th Year)
The Golden Bears are good? That seems to be the question on everyone’s mind, and after making the conference title game last year while sporting the nation’s top offense it’s hard to write them off. You might need to get into a shouting match with Clemson fans, but you could argue Mendoza is the best QB in the conference. Wilcox lost some serious contributors on offense, but he’s got people in place to replace the production. The defense is more experienced and has some higher ceiling freshman coming in, all they need to do is hold teams under 30 and the offense could carry them the rest of the way.
Can Cade Uluave and the Golden Bears defense improve?
The Schedule Gods have blessed Cal with one of the easiest in the conference. They open at Reser Stadium against Oregon State, which is not an easy place to go, but they go on to avoid most of the ranked ACC teams (which is a lot this year) while playing some of the worst in 2024.
Top 25
Head Coach : Mack Brown (17th Year)
The Tarheels were a surprise in 2024, taking a run at the ACC Title deep into the season when a loss to eventual champion NC State knocked them out of the running and let Cal in. There were some whispers at the start of the season, and they’ve been getting louder this summer, that this could be Brown’s last year coaching. The 73-year old brought the Tarheels back, and if they can match or improve on their 10-3 record from last year he could leave on a high note. It will be impressive if Brown can do it, the Tarheels are putting together a real “more with less” run. Brown’s defense is leading the way, with a very tough defensive line, but QB Conner Harrell has a chance to elevate their offense.
North Carolina doesn’t have it as bad as others, but there are a few games that could torpedo their season. Road games at #13 Cal and #2 NC State could put them behind the competition, and a home game against #14 Clemson could finish them off.
Head Coach : Rhett Lashlee (4th Year)
Rhett Lashlee went from one of the hottest coaches in college football to one of the hottest seats. SMU took a massive step backwards last season, even beating a one-loss Cal in the final game of the season didn’t do much to help him, and things might get even hotter in Dallas if he doesn’t turn things around quickly. Nothing worked that well for the Mustangs on either side of the ball, something that helped them finish with a 5-7 record after being picked as a conference title game dark horse. QB Preston Stone is going to have to do it all, the receiving core was eviscerated by graduations with six players leaving. TE RJ Maryland is the only returning starter at a skill position. Last year’s backup HB, LJ Johnson Jr., is now the starter.
The Mustangs have a very easy schedule until it isn’t, a run of three games starting Week 7 could make Lashlee’s seat really hot. At #14 Clemson, home against #19 Louisville, and a long road trip to #13 Cal could tank their season. If that wasn’t bad enough, #5 Miami comes to Dallas for their final game.
Going Bowling
Head Coach : Brent Pry (4th Year)
The Hokies took a step backwards last year, mostly due to a horrid 2-6 conference record. They fell a game short in a bid for a bowl game last year, and this might be Pry’s last chance before having to rebuild his roster. QB Kyron Drones didn’t have the season people were expecting, though he got some Heisman buzz after a good stretch, but he’s still Tech’s best player and should be in the conversation for best QB in the conference. The Hokies’ next best player is Lou Groza Award nominee John Love, which is a little concerning unless Pry is planning to kick his way to a bowl game.
The Hokies find themselves in Schedule Hell if their plan is to make 6 wins. They face six ranked opponents; #16 Florida, #19 Louisville, #2 NC State, #13 Cal, and #5 Miami. They also landed an interesting road game at Texas State, who finished 12-2 last year, they could easily lose that one. Their season opener against South Carolina could either set them on the path to 5-7 again or keep their dreams of 6-6 or better alive.
Head Coach : Bill O’Brien (2nd Year)
The Eagles were ranked for a bit in 2023 before a 3-5 conference record did them in. They are a borderline 6 win team, but an easier schedule might help tip them in the right direction. QB Thomas Castellanos is back for his final year, and O’Brien is really going to need him to work some magic. The Eagles are fairly average, but their advantage might be that average is better than over half the ACC.
Their schedule could save their season. Their toughest games come against #12 Notre Dame, #14 Clemson, #13 Cal, and #19 Louisville. They open their season with a road game at North Texas and follow that up with a visit from UMass, the games that are tough to call in their favor are a road trip to Michigan State and a home game against SMU. The ranked opponents combined with the Spartans and Mustangs could doom them to another 5-7 season.
Down & Out
Head Coach : Jon Carroll (1st Year)
Turns out Troy Taylor’s seat was hot, extremely hot, even after making a bowl game. The Cardinal finished 6-7, a substantial improvement in 2023, but perhaps the 49-19 beating they took in the Big Game turned some heads with the donors. Taylor was a surprise firing, but as the offseason rolled on it seemed like there were more internal conflicts beyond their record. They turn to Carroll to try and keep things afloat, they still have some solid pieces to keep themselves out of the Bottom 10 Material tier. QB Ashton Daniels returns along with top WR Elic Ayomanor, perhaps that will be enough to keep them bowl bound.
They escaped a brutal schedule in 2024, and their reward is a much easier one this time around. Their biggest punishment is opening the season at Hawai’i followed by a season of games in the ACC, they couldn’t get more frequent flier miles if they tried. They face five ranked opponent; #21 North Carolina, #5 Miami, #16 Florida State, #13 Cal, and finish the season at home against #12 Notre Dame. Their game at SMU in Week 10 could decide their postseason fate.
Head Coach : Fran Brown (2nd Year)
The Orange were surprisingly not bad last year, finishing 7-6 with a bowl win. Brown is going to need to pull a rabbit out of his hat again with a fairly average roster. HB LeQuint Allen returns for his senior season, Syracuse is going to need to rely on him to keep their offense afloat. Former Ohio State QB Kyle McCord is gone, and his replacement is a marked downgrade. Braden Davis will do his best, but Syracuse figures to struggle for 6 wins.
Opening the season on the road twice, against #12 Notre Dame and #5 Miami will have them starting 0-2. They also travel to #14 Clemson and get #11 Tennessee at home, the remainder of their schedule is easy enough that they have a path to six wins. UConn, Georgia State, Albany, and Duke should be easy wins.
Head Coach : Hank Springer (1st Year)
A disappointing season cost Pat Narduzzi his job, and now Springer will have the task of picking up the pieces in a loaded ACC. He’s going to have his hands full, especially with a roster bereft of high end talent. The Panthers do have an experienced offensive line made of mostly seniors, so he’ll have a good base to work from, but that just means he’s going to have a whole new line in 2026. QB Eli Holstein is one of the better signal callers in the ACC, and he’ll be able to hand off to senior HB Desmond Reid, beyond that is anyone’s guess. Pitt is likely headed for another sub-.500 season.
Pitt really must have upset someone in the scheduling offense, because they are going to die a slow death from Week 6 through 12. During that span they will face #2 NC State, #19 Louisville, #16 Florida State, #21 North Carolina, #5 Miami, and end their misery against #12 Notre Dame. Making things worse during that stretch will be a road game at Stanfurd.
Head Coach : Bryan Warren (1st Year)
Another team with a first year coach as Tony Elliot was fired after a 5-7 season, Warren will probably feel good if he can get to 5-7 with this team. MLB Kam Robinson resisted transferring and leads the defense as one of the best linebackers in the ACC. Junior Anthony Colandrea has the offense all to himself after splitting time with the now graduated Tony Muskett.
They have a somewhat easy schedule, facing just four ranked teams in #19 Louisville, #13 Cal, #16 Florida State, and #21 North Carolina. They will open up against Coastal Carolina, William & Mary, and Charlotte before getting into conference play. All of those games are winnable, with the Chanticleers a tough matchup.
Head Coach : Brent Key (3rd Year)
The Yellow Jackets went on a bit of a run early in the season last year, but things really fell apart through conference play. A 3-5 record doomed them from doing too much, but they did manage a 6-6 record for a bowl invite. They lost, but the good news is that Key should have a path back to 6-6 if things go well. All three of their best offensive players return; QB Haynes King, HB Jamal Haynes, and WREric Singleton Jr. Beyond that, it’s going to be a lot of tossup games in the conference unless King can use his legs to elevate their offense above the 2024 result.
Their schedule is very friendly in conference, facing only #2 NC State and #14 Clemson, but their non-conference schedule is going to burn them by opening at #4 Colorado and finishing the season with Clean, Old-Fashioned Hate against #3 Georgia.
Head Coach : Dave Clawson (12th Year)
Clawson should be a little hurt finding himself down here on the list, after all the Demon Deacons had a really good season. 5-3 in the ACC helped propel them to an 8-5 season, once in which they dipped their toe into the Top 25 for a week. Part of their problem is that QB Hank Bachmeier has graduated, it looks like redshirt freshman Jeremy Hecklinski has won the job, but just barely. Clawson has a QB room that is six guys deep, it may take a few years for someone to emerge as the next Sam Hartman.
Their schedule could get them back to 8-5, it just won’t be easy. Games against #16 Florida State, at Ole Miss, #21 North Carolina, and #2 NC State will probably set 8 wins as their ceiling. Their Week 13 matchup against SMU could be the decider, but they have so many easy teams on the schedule they should outperform their talent level.
Bottom 10 Material
Head Coach : Manny Diaz (2nd Year)
Diaz is looking over at Stanfurd and wondering how he’s still at Duke. The Blue Devils were far and away the worst team in the ACC, literally everyone beat them. After a good 3-1 start Diaz saw his team drop eight straight while scoring the least points in the conference. It won’t surprise anyone to hear that Duke was decent defensively, and that should continue this year with the majority of their best players on that side of the ball. Diaz’s problem will be fixing the offense, and fast. QB Maalik Murphy is going to lead a nearly completely rebuilt offense that could easily be the worst in the ACC again. At least they have one of the nation’s top kickers in Todd Pelino.
Duke gets one of the easiest schedules, but they will still face a gauntlet of ranked ACC teams. Games against #2 NC State, #21 North Carolina, #14 Clemson, and #13 Cal will ruin the second half of their season. They open against Navy, Illinois, and travel to Tulane, a much harder stretch than last year. Diaz would be very happy starting 3-1 again.
FIVE BEST ACC GAMES OF 2024
Here are the five conference games that feature (a) the highest combined SP+ ratings for both teams and (b) a projected scoring margin under 10 points, or a must watch / unique matchup. Who will be in the ACC title game is more of a mystery than it’s ever been.
Florida State at Clemson (Week 8) - This could be a big “put up or shut up” game for both teams. The loser of this game is in big trouble, with both facing tough games to finish out the season. A team with two conference losses could easily make the ACC title game, but it’s unlikely they will have their name called in the College Football Playoff.
Miami at Florida State (Week 9) - Norvell finally finds himself on this list with a home game, the conference title picture will start to get clear in the Week 8-10 zone with so many critical games going on. It’s also odd to think how outsized the influence of Billy Napier and Florida will be for conference contenders. Both Miami and Florida State will face the Gators, if they can get one over on their ACC rivals it will seriously dent their College Football Playoff hopes.
Louisville at Miami (Week 10) - An interesting moment in the schedule with this game a crossover for two teams that have to suffer through brutal 3-4 game stretches. Miami is going through hell from Week 7 to 10, ending with this game, while Louisville is going to go through hell starting with this game. A win for the Cardinals would be big, making the rest of their schedule a near formality. A win for Miami could set the tone for a rough stretch, but whatever happens wins will have an outsized influence at this point in the season.
California at Louisville (Week 12) - Circle your calendars for this one, there is a non-zero chance this could decide who heads to the ACC title game. The Golden Bears have a very easy schedule and the Cardinals are a very good team, no matter how good the Golden Bears are, a trip to Louisville will be their toughest game.
Florida State at NC State (Week 13) - If things are as crowded at the top as they appear to be, this could be an ACC Title / College Football Playoff decider. It’s unlikely there will be a team undefeated in the conference, the loser of this game could be stuck on the outside looking in. Perhaps, like Miami last year, a one loss team on the wrong end of this game could sneak into the playoff.
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Re: Bear Territory : California CF25
sucks Ott left, would've been really nice to keep him this year. I love how random the players leaving for the draft are. I was an OC at South Carolina at Nyck Harbor never even thought of declaring early for the draft despite 2 Heismans and 70 total touchdowns in 3 years lol.
Anyways, good luck this season. Schedule looks easy enough on paper, but recruiting at the end of the year is going to be hard with 4 road games in a row
sucks Ott left, would've been really nice to keep him this year. I love how random the players leaving for the draft are. I was an OC at South Carolina at Nyck Harbor never even thought of declaring early for the draft despite 2 Heismans and 70 total touchdowns in 3 years lol.
Anyways, good luck this season. Schedule looks easy enough on paper, but recruiting at the end of the year is going to be hard with 4 road games in a row
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Re: Bear Territory : California CF25
I think they dial down some of the reality, I think I had a decent chance of asking him to stay but I know he's really going to leave after this season. Quinn Ewers stuck around until his senior season, I think we all know that isn't going to happen.
I think they dial down some of the reality, I think I had a decent chance of asking him to stay but I know he's really going to leave after this season. Quinn Ewers stuck around until his senior season, I think we all know that isn't going to happen.
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Re: Bear Territory : California CF25
The ESPN 300 for college football's 2026 recruiting class has debuted, as our scouts have spent the past several months evaluating prospects at multiple camps, combines and workouts. While we prioritize our rankings off game tape, our supplemental spring evaluations are instrumental in showing physical and athletic development from the fall.
After ceding the spotlight to defense in 2024, it’s offense that dominates the Top 10. Three QB, three WR, and a HB crowd out a CB and DT for the cream of the crop. Once again it’s SEC country doing most of the damage with players from Florida, Texas, Georgia, and Mississippi making the headlines.
Top Prospects
QB Drew Orlosky
Ranking : No. 1 (QB No. 1)
Uncommitted
The Rabun Gap QB has been strongly linked to Michigan for some time now, Notre Dame and Clemson have been in the picture as well but everything points to him being a Wolverine. He’s a shade undersized coming out of highschool, at 6’2 207, but his speed and ability to extend plays have some scouts comparing him to Kyler Murray.
WR Chester Duff
Ranking : No. 2 (WR No. 1)
Uncommitted
The speedy Duff isn’t going far from the East Coast, hailing from Buffalo New York. Notre Dame are current favorites to sign him, but he’s also been linked with in-state Syracuse along with fellow ACC school NC State. Ohio State and Penn State are lurking, he would make a great addition to any offense.
WR Terrell Metzelaars
Ranking : No. 3 (WR No. 2)
Uncommitted
Another East Coast guy, this time it’s Ohio State and Penn State in the lead with Syracuse and NC State crossing their fingers. Metzelaars doesn’t have the speed of Duff, but he’s a silky smooth route runner that knows how to create separation and use his 6’2 frame to box out defenders.
QB Tavares Chanoine
Ranking : No. 4 (QB No. 2)
Uncommitted
Hailing from Brookhaven Mississippi, it’s no surprise that Lane Kiffen has made a point of becoming familiar with Chanoine. Ole Miss and LSU are reported to be the only schools in the running, he can be a nightmare for defenses as his off-platform throws are popular in social media. Kiffen is reported to liken him to Patrick Mahomes, but scouts are impressed with his ability to extend plays and find open receivers where others would end up on the wrong end of a coverage sack.
CB Darryl Carreon
Ranking : No. 5 (CB No. 1)
Uncommitted
Depending on who you ask, Carreon is the best prospect in the nation. He could be #1 if not for a QB / WR deep class, but he isn’t sweating his ranking. Ohio State and Florida State are in a dead heat to sign the Cocoa Florida native, the usual suspects in the Florida recruiting scene are also involved. Alabama, Georgia, and Clemson have all invested quite a bit of time into Carreon.
After ceding the spotlight to defense in 2024, it’s offense that dominates the Top 10. Three QB, three WR, and a HB crowd out a CB and DT for the cream of the crop. Once again it’s SEC country doing most of the damage with players from Florida, Texas, Georgia, and Mississippi making the headlines.
Top Prospects
QB Drew Orlosky
Ranking : No. 1 (QB No. 1)
Uncommitted
The Rabun Gap QB has been strongly linked to Michigan for some time now, Notre Dame and Clemson have been in the picture as well but everything points to him being a Wolverine. He’s a shade undersized coming out of highschool, at 6’2 207, but his speed and ability to extend plays have some scouts comparing him to Kyler Murray.
WR Chester Duff
Ranking : No. 2 (WR No. 1)
Uncommitted
The speedy Duff isn’t going far from the East Coast, hailing from Buffalo New York. Notre Dame are current favorites to sign him, but he’s also been linked with in-state Syracuse along with fellow ACC school NC State. Ohio State and Penn State are lurking, he would make a great addition to any offense.
WR Terrell Metzelaars
Ranking : No. 3 (WR No. 2)
Uncommitted
Another East Coast guy, this time it’s Ohio State and Penn State in the lead with Syracuse and NC State crossing their fingers. Metzelaars doesn’t have the speed of Duff, but he’s a silky smooth route runner that knows how to create separation and use his 6’2 frame to box out defenders.
QB Tavares Chanoine
Ranking : No. 4 (QB No. 2)
Uncommitted
Hailing from Brookhaven Mississippi, it’s no surprise that Lane Kiffen has made a point of becoming familiar with Chanoine. Ole Miss and LSU are reported to be the only schools in the running, he can be a nightmare for defenses as his off-platform throws are popular in social media. Kiffen is reported to liken him to Patrick Mahomes, but scouts are impressed with his ability to extend plays and find open receivers where others would end up on the wrong end of a coverage sack.
CB Darryl Carreon
Ranking : No. 5 (CB No. 1)
Uncommitted
Depending on who you ask, Carreon is the best prospect in the nation. He could be #1 if not for a QB / WR deep class, but he isn’t sweating his ranking. Ohio State and Florida State are in a dead heat to sign the Cocoa Florida native, the usual suspects in the Florida recruiting scene are also involved. Alabama, Georgia, and Clemson have all invested quite a bit of time into Carreon.
Comment
Re: Bear Territory : California CF25
ESPN 300 Commits : None
Top Offensive Prospect : None
Top Defensive Prospect : None
Previous Ranking : N/A
After pulling off a Top 25 class in 2024 that brought in 35 players, there aren’t any areas of desperate need in Berkeley. For once Justin Wilcox can just focus on bringing in a higher caliber of player, and the fact that he is getting so much traction with four star players points to potential success in this area. On top of that, an unfamiliar sight tops their list of targets; a five-star prospect. The last time Cal signed a five-star prospect in the ESPN 300 was never, going all the way back to 2007.
This will be an interesting class for Wilcox as the one position they would really like to improve on is WR. Mike Bloesch looks to be targeting faster wideouts after the success of Tobias Merriweather and Mikey Matthews, the transfer of Noah Short is further evidence of this. Players like Darryl Hawkinson and Andre Onwenu come up frequently when scouts are asked about Cal’s recruiting approach, they might not be five-star prospects but they could be very valuable to a Cal team looking for speed.
TOP TARGETS
ESPN 300 Commits : None
Top Offensive Prospect : None
Top Defensive Prospect : None
Previous Ranking : N/A
After pulling off a Top 25 class in 2024 that brought in 35 players, there aren’t any areas of desperate need in Berkeley. For once Justin Wilcox can just focus on bringing in a higher caliber of player, and the fact that he is getting so much traction with four star players points to potential success in this area. On top of that, an unfamiliar sight tops their list of targets; a five-star prospect. The last time Cal signed a five-star prospect in the ESPN 300 was never, going all the way back to 2007.
This will be an interesting class for Wilcox as the one position they would really like to improve on is WR. Mike Bloesch looks to be targeting faster wideouts after the success of Tobias Merriweather and Mikey Matthews, the transfer of Noah Short is further evidence of this. Players like Darryl Hawkinson and Andre Onwenu come up frequently when scouts are asked about Cal’s recruiting approach, they might not be five-star prospects but they could be very valuable to a Cal team looking for speed.
TOP TARGETS
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