Cal vs. SMU Thread: Golden Bears Begin 3-Game ACC Road Stretch

Cal will chase a result today that no ACC team has achieved since SMU joined the conference in 2024: Defeat the Mustangs in Dallas.

The 23rd-ranked Mustangs (6-1, 3-1 ACC) are 10-0 at home in ACC games over the past three seasons and are 18.5-point favorites against the Bears (3-4, 2-2).

Kickoff is 9 a.m. this morning.

Today's game kicks off a three-game road stretch over four Saturdays. Cal plays a week from now at NC State, then has a bye before traveling to Virginia. The schedule winds up with home games against Stanford and Pitt.

The Bears need to win three of their final five games to earn bowl eligibility. Only two of the 27 Cal teams that have played in a bowl game began the season with a record of 3-4 or worse.

Check back throughout today's game for updates:

STARTERS: Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele, as expected, will start. Also, C Bastian Swinney, G Sioape Vatikani, WR Ian Strong and DT Jericho Johnson all are announced as starters.

COIN TOSS: SMU wins the coin flip and has elected to receive.

Some pre-game reading:

-- Cal-SMU game preview

-- We talked with an SMU beart writer and asked 5 Questions about the Mustangs

-- Can Pat McCann help unlock the best of JKS

-- Golden Bears get some good news Friday night on the injury front

-- Nick Rolovich relishes his son's college QB debut

-- Tosh Lupoi declines to share his QB plans

-- Ten things to know about No. 23 SMU

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