How Cal's 2026 Opponents Fared This Week: NC State's Colossal Blunder

Three of Cal’s remaining nine opponents won their games this week, and that includes Clemson, which faces Cal in Berkeley on Friday night, won with a new quarterback.

However, the story that supersedes all results was the way North Carolina State gave away a victory to Vanderbilt.

North Carolina State had the ball and a 35-31 lead with six seconds left when it faced a fourth-and 3 play from its own 5-yard line.

All the Wolfpack quarterback CJ Bailey needed to do was take the snap and run around in the end zone, perhaps launch a long pass out of bounds after getting outside the tackle box or take a safety as time expired, and the game would be over and North Carolina State would walk away with a win. (If a team that is leading by more than two points gives up a safety on the final play, the score changes but the game is still over.)

Bailey is in his third year as the Wolfpack’s starting quarterback and was fourth in the preseason voting for ACC player of the year so surely he would know how to handle the situation.

Instead, this happened:

Here are the results of the 12 teams Cal plays in 2026:

UCLA (3-0) – Beat Cal 45-24 on September 5

Saturday result: UCLA 52, Purdue 38

The Bob Chesney era at UCLA is off to a flying start. UCLA was horrible on offense last year, when it averaged 18.2 points, worst in the Big Ten. After three games this season the Bruins are averaging 41.7 points and their 52 points on Saturday were their most against an FBS opponent since they beat USC 62-33 in 2021. Quarterback Nico Iamaleava threw three touchdown passes with no interceptions against Purdue and running back Wayne Knight rushed for 177 yards (9.8 yards per carry).

Syracuse (1-2, 0-2 ACC) – Lost to Cal 21-18 on September 12

Thursday result: Pitt 27, Syracuse 13

Syracuse quarterback Steve Angeli got benched after throwing two more interceptions, and coach Fran Brown has not decided whether Angeli or Amari Odom, who completed all seven of his passes after replacing Angeli, would start the next game against Connecticut. The Orange was hit with 94 yards in penalties after being penalized 110 yards the previous week against Cal, and Brown apologized after the game for comments he made to officials on Thursday.

“I spoke out of tone, which I shouldn’t have said,” Brown said, according to The Spun. “I just stated that, ‘I feel like you’re effing cheating us.’ I said that. I said, ‘You guys are effing cheating.’”

Wagner (1-3) – Lost to Cal 49-7 on September 19

Saturday result: Cal 49, Wagner 7

Cal quarterback Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele had a career-high 413 passing yards and the Bears rolled up 626 yards of offense against an FCS foe.

Clemson (2-1, 1-0 ACC) -- Faces Cal on Friday night, September 25 in Berkeley

Saturday result: Clemson 28, North Carolina 20

Clemson freshman quarterback Tait Reynolds made his first college start and helped the Tigers rally from a 17-3 deficit to get the win in Clemson’s ACC opener. He was 20-for-29 for 215 yads, one touchdown and one interception. In the second half he was 8-for-10 for 139 yards, one touchdown, and one interception.

UNLV (1-2) -- Faces Cal on Saturday, October 3 in Las Vegas

UNLV did not play this week. The Rebels face Akron on Saturday

Virginia Tech (3-0, 0-0 ACC) -- Faces Cal on Saturday, October 10 in Berkeley

Saturday result: Virginia Tech 35, Maryland 26

James Franklin improved to 3-0 as the Hokies’ head coach, thanks in large part to quarterback Ethan Grunkemeyer, who transferred from Penn State along with Franklin and threw for 314 yards and three touchdowns and no interceptions against Maryland.

Wake Forest (2-1, 0-1 ACC) -- Faces Cal on Saturday, October 13 in Berkeley

Friday result: Miami 33, Wake Forest 20

After falling behind 31-7, Wake Forest gave Miami a battle. Wake Forest got within 33-20 but failed to score again after getting inside the Miami 25-yard line two more times as well as having a long fourth-quarter punt return negated by a penalty that occurred away from the play. Wake quarterback Gio Lopez threw three touchdown passes despite being harried often, and Jack Foley had 118 receiving yards and a touchdown.

SMU (2-1, 1-1 ACC) -- Faces Cal on Saturday, October 24 in Dallas

Saturday result: Louisville 41, SMU 31

SMU running back Kendrick Raphael, who was Cal’s leading rusher last season, ran for 197 yards on Saturday, and his 12-yard touchdown run with 11:33 left in the fourth quarter put the Mustangs ahead 31-28. But Louisville scored touchdowns on its next two possessions, and SMU committed turnovers on its final two possessions, one on a fumble by quarterback Kevin Jennings and the other on an interception thrown by Jennings.

North Carolina State (1-2, 0-1 ACC) -- Hosts Cal on Saturday, October 31

Saturday result: Vanderbilt 35, North Carolina State 31

North Carolina State led 24-7 midway through the third quarter but let it slip away with the disastrous ending. Before his fumble that gave Vanderbilt the win on the last play, CJ Bailey was 25-for-37 for 275 Yards, three touchdowns and one interception.

Virginia (2-1, 1-0 ACC) -- Hosts Cal on Saturday, November 14

Saturday result: West Virginia 38, Virginia 27

Virginia had allowed only 11 points and 131 rushing yards in its first two games combined, but the Cavaliers gave up 247 rushing yards and 38 points to West Virginia. Two West Virgina players – quarterback Michael Hawkins Jr. and running back Cam Cook -- each rushed for 123 yards.

Stanford (1-2, 0-2 ACC) -- Faces Cal on Saturday, November 21 in Berkeley

Saturday result: Duke 35, Stanford 7

Stanford’s defense allowed 470 yards, including 268 yards on the ground, and the Cardinal offense was shut out in the second half. In its two ACC games, Stanford has given up 80 points.

Pitt (3-0, 1-0 ACC) -- Faces Cal on Saturday, November 8 in Berkeley

Thursday result: Pitt 27, Syracuse 13

Pitt quarterback Mason Heintschel had a tough day (10-for-23, 123 yards, no touchdowns, one interceptions), but the Panthers built a 17-0 lead midway through the second quarter and kept their nose in front the rest of the way.

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