ESPN Puts 3 Cal Games in Top 100 Games of 2025, But Bears Had Better Games

ESPN this week ranked the top 100 college football games of 2025, and three Cal games were included. In fact, the three Cal games on the list were all among the top 40 games of the year.

This would seem like a testament to Cal’s rising status in the college football landscape, except for one thing: Cal played three games that were better than the three ESPN chose for its list.

We will first present the three games ESPN put in its top 100 games of 2025. Then we will counter with the three Cal games we believe were better.

ESPN’s choices:

38. California 21, North Carolina 18 (Oct. 17)

The Bay Area's ACC teams gave us a pair of Saturday evening goal-line thrillers in Week 8. Cal was favored over North Carolina in Berkeley but couldn't shake Bill Belichick's Tar Heels. The Golden Bears led by 11 heading into the fourth quarter, but Davion Gause’s 's short TD (and a 2-point conversion) brought UNC to within 21-18, and the Heels drove to the Cal goal line late, too. But Brent Austin saved the day by forcing a Nathan Leacock fumble at the 1 and recovering it in the end zone.

24. Hawaii Bowl: Hawaii 35, California 31 (Dec. 24)

Hawaii opened the season by beating Stanford with a last-second Kansei Matsuzawa field goal and ended it with a last-second touchdown. Cal thundered to an early 21-0 lead, but you can't keep the Rainbow Warriors down. They tied it with a short Micah Alejado touchdown pass early in the fourth quarter, then took the lead with another TD connection (17 yards to Brandon White) with 7:19 left. Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele scored with 1:57 left to give Cal another advantage, but even with the Rainbow Warriors in Matsuzawa's field goal range and Alejado injured and out of the game, Hawaii went for the win and got it when Luke Weaver found Nick Cenacle from 22 yards out with 10 seconds remaining.

23. California 38, No. 21 SMU 35 (Nov. 29)

Cal wasn't amazing in 2025, but the Golden Bears had a flair for the dramatic. Needing a win to secure bowl eligibility following a shocking blowout loss to Stanford -- and to prevent SMU from clinching another spot in the ACC championship game -- they somehow got it. They led 24-7 midway through the third quarter, but SMU stormed back with 28 points in 17 minutes and took the lead with 2:22 left. Sagapolutele, however, completed five passes to set up Kendrick Raphael's short go-ahead touchdown. SMU got close enough to try a 52-yard field goal at the buzzer, but Sam Keltner knocked it wide right.

The Golden Bears’ games against Hawaii and SMU were certainly worthy of inclusion, although ESPN incorrectly stated that Cal needed the win over SMU to secure bowl eligibility. Cal had ensured bowl eligibility three weeks earlier, although the win over SMU assured Cal of its first winning season since 2019.

But let’s consider three other 2025 Cal games that were at least as good as the ones ESPN listed, with one that was clearly the best Cal game of 2025. We present them in reverse order of their “best game” status.

California 28, Boston College 24 (Sept. 27)

Cal got behind 14-0 on the road in its ACC opener, and rallied to take a 21-17 lead in the fourth quarter. Boston College answered with a touchdown drive to retake the lead before Jaron-Keawe directed an 88-yard scoring drive that ended with Sagapolutele scrambling and launching a perfect 51-yard touchdown pass to Mason Mini to put Cal ahead 28-24 with 1:30 left.

Boston College then marched to the Cal 5-yard line when the Eagles had a first down with 22 seconds left. After an incompletion on first down, Boston College quarterback Dylan Lonergan threw a pass that was intercepted by Cal linebacker Luke Ferrelli in the end zone with 15 seconds left, saving the Cal win.

Virginia Tech 42, Cal 34, 2 OTs (Oct. 24)

A riveting double-overtime contest. Cal led 20-10 at halftime, got behind 27-20 late in the fourth quarter and tied it up with 2:34 left on a 72-yard touchdown drive in which Sagapolutele completed all five of his pass attempts. Virginia Tech then drove to the Cal 29-yard line, but John Love missed a 45-yard field-goal attempt with 1:12 left. Cal subsequently got to the Hokies’ 31-yard line, but Chase Meyer missed a 49-yard field-goal attempt with one second left in the fourth quarter.

Cal scored a touchdown on its first overtime possession, but Virginia Tech matched it. The Hokies then scored a touchdown and two-point conversion on its possession in the second overtime before Sagapolutele threw four incompletions on the Bears’ ensuing possession, and Virginia Tech won.

California 29, Louisville 26, OT (Nov. 8)

By virtually any standard – drama, importance, surprising result – this was the best game in which Cal participated during the 2025 season. It’s hard to believe ESPN omitted this one.

Louisville was ranked 14th, was 7-1 overall, 4-1 in the ACC and in line to play in the ACC championship game and possibly in the College Football Playoff. The Cardinals had won three in a row, including a road win over Miami, and were 18.5-point favorites at home over Cal, which was 5-4. But Sagapolutele had an outstanding game and Cal stayed with the Cardinals, holding leads of 20-13 and 23-20 in the third quarter. Louisville tied it early in the fourth quarter, and neither team could do much the rest of regulation time.

Louisville kicked a 49-yard field goal in the first overtime to take a 26-23 lead, and Cal marched to the Louisville 8-yard line where its had a first down on its possession. But three runs netted just 5 yards, and Cal was looking at a fourth-and-goal from the 3-yard line. Faced with the choice of kicking a tying field goal or going for a winning touchdown, Cal coach Justin Wilcox opted to go for the touchdown. Sagapolutele threw a pass to Jacob De Jesus, who caught it at the 1-yard line and fell into the end zone for his 16th reception of the game and a Cal victory.

The result made Cal bowl eligible, and it all but ended Louisville’s hopes of a CFP berth.

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