Preview: Louisville Cardinals vs. Cal Golden Bears

California Golden Bears (5-4, 2-3 ACC) at No. 15 Louisville Cardinals (7-1, 4-1 ACC)

- Kickoff: Saturday, November 8 at 7:00 p.m. EST
- Location: L&N Stadium in Louisville, Ky.
- Weather Conditions: Cloudy during the evening. Low 43F. Winds SW at 5 to 10 mph.
- How To Watch: ESPN2
- How To Listen: 93.9 FM
- Betting Favorite: Louisville -20.5
- All-Time Series: First Meeting
- Last Meeting: First Meeting

Game Notes

Louisville

Louisville improved to 7-1 overall and 4-1 in the ACC with a 28-16 victory over Virginia Tech — the fourth come-from-behind win this season. The Cardinals trailed 16-7 at the half before out-scoring the Hokies 21-0 in the second half. Louisville has won its last 49 straight games when shutting out its opponent in the second half, last losing such a game in 1996.
The Cardinals are looking for their third 5-1 start in ACC play and the second under head coach Jeff Brohm. Louisville went 5-1 in 2023 during Brohm’s first season, and also had a 5-1 beginning under Bobby Petrino in 2016.
Louisville’s defense is allowing just 280.6 yards of total offense this season after holding Virginia Tech to 240 yards of total offense — the fourth opponent to be held under 250 yards of offense in a game. The Cardinals held the Hokies to 99 yards in the second half.
Running back Isaac Brown rushed a season high 16 times for 126 yards and a TD. It was Brown’s fifth 100-yard rushing game this season and the 10th of his career, moving into a tie for seventh most in school history. He’s rushed for 782 yards and five touchdowns, while averaging 8.6 yards per carry. Brown ran for a 52-yard TD to take his career total to eight runs of 50 yards or longer.
Caullin Lacy recorded 193 all-purpose yards in the win over Virginia Tech, the fifth game of over 100 all-purpose yards in a game. He caught six passes for 53 yards and registered 106 punt return yards — tying his total vs. Bowling Green as the eighth most punt return yards in a game in program history
Chris Bell has five games this season where he’s caught five or more passes after catching eight for 56 yards against Virginia Tech.
QB Miller Moss has accounted for 14 touchdowns (5 rushing and nine passing) over the last five contests.
Louisville holds the nation’s longest streak of scoring 24 or more points in a game with 22 consecutive contests
The Cards have scored 22 touchdowns in five home games this season. Louisville is averaging 36.8 ppg, at home this season.
The Cardinals are 0-2-2 against teams from the state of California.
The Cardinals improved to 7-1 and 4-1 in the Atlantic Coast Conference with the 28-16 win over Virginia Tech last Saturday. Louisville is looking to finish 7-1 in the ACC for just the third time in school history (2016 and 2023).
Since taking over the program in 2023, head coach Jeff Brohm has enjoyed tremendous success in the Atlantic Coast Conference. Brohm’s teams are an impressive 16-5 in league play since he took over the reins of the Louisville program.
The Cardinals have been one of the most consistent offensive teams in the nation over the last 25 seasons. Since 2000, the Cardinals are only one of eight programs to score in every game spanning 322 contests.
Since falling by two touchdowns in the 2023 Holiday Bowl to USC, the Cardinals have avoided losing by seven or more points in 20-straight contests. Since the start of the 2024 season, the Cardinals have played 10 one-possession games, with the Cardinals going 5-5 in those contests after the 24-21 win at Miami on Oct. 17.

Cal

Cal is looking to become bowl eligible for the third straight year for the first time since going to seven consecutive bowl game appearances from 2003-09.
Cal has recorded two or more rushing touchdowns in each of the last five games.
Cal has registered at least one sack in 21 consecutive games dating back to last season.
Cal has a passing defense that ranks third in the ACC, averaging 199.1 yards allowed through the air per game. The Bears are tied with Wake Forest for fewest passing touchdowns allowed by opponents this season (7). Cal ranks fourth in the conference in defensive efficiency (120.5).
RB Kendrick Raphael matched his career-high three touchdowns against Virginia after setting the personal best at Virginia Tech the week prior. Raphael had a pair of rushing touchdowns and his lone receiving touchdown of his career against the Cavaliers. Raphael now has 11 touchdowns for the season - which is tied for second in the ACC and leads the Bears. He has at least one rushing touchdown in each of Cal's last five games and a total of nine over the past five contests.
Two Cal DBs - Hezekiah Masses and Brent "Paco" Austin - lead the ACC in passes defended in 2025. The 20 combined pass breakups by Masses (10) and Austin (10) mark the first time two Cal players have had double-figure pass breakups in a season since 2011 when defensive backs Marc Anthony (12) and Steve Williams (11) combined for 23.
WR Jacob De Jesus' 57 catches this season rank second in the ACC and ties for fifth most nationally. His 8.33 receptions per game rank fourth in the conference and 13th in the NCAA.
QB Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele is the only Power 4 and second true freshman in FBS history to pass for 200 or more yards in each of the first nine games of his college career, and one of only three in FBS history with seven or more. Houston's David Piland began his career with 14-straight 200+ passing yard games spanning the 2010-12 seasons.
Sagapolutele ranks fourth in the ACC in average passing yards per game (243.9) and ranks fourth in total passing yards (2,195). His 317 passing attempts are tied with SMU's Kevin Jennings for most in the conference.
Aidan Keanaaina and T.J. Bollers have been anchors on the defensive line, starting every game this season together. Keanaaina (39 tackles) and Bollers (34 tackles) have combined for 73 tackles and are seven away from becoming the first Cal defensive lineman duo to combine for 80 since Luc Bequette (52) and Zeandae Johnson (29) had 81 in 2019. They are 17 away from becoming the first with 90 or more since Bequette (49) and Tevin Paul (43) registered 92 in 2018.
ILB Cade Uluave ranks second in the ACC in both tackles per game (9.0) and total tackles (81). He ties for 18th in the nation in tackles per game and shares an 11th-place ranking in total tackles in the NCAA. Uluave led the conference in tackles and tackles per game entering last week's game, but dropped to the second-place spot after Cal's game versus Virginia in which he exited the contest early in the first quarter with injury.

Depth Charts

Here are the depth charts for both teams ahead of their matchup: Louisville vs. Cal

Comparison

See how the Cardinals stack up against the Golden Bears, and who the statistical models favor: Tale of the Tape, Predictions: Louisville vs. Cal

Uniform Report

Louisville will be wearing red helmets (with Cards script) and jerseys with white pants, while Cal has yet to announce their uniform combination.

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How we'll suit up against Cal#GoCards pic.twitter.com/qAYfdVOa5H
— Louisville Football (@LouisvilleFB) November 6, 2025