Gophers-California preview: Players to know, pivotal matchups and a prediction

Minnesota officially enters the meat and potatoes of its schedule in Week 3 on the road against California. The Golden Bears have gotten off to a 2-0 start with wins at Oregon State and against Texas Southern at home. They appear to be an underrated team in the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC). Let's take a closer look at how the Gophers match up in their first real test of the season.

What you need to know about California

The Golden Bears are in their second season as a member of the ACC. Yes, you read that right. They joined rival Stanford and SMU as additions to the conference before the 2024 season. Berkeley, California, isn't necessarily a hotbed for college football, but the Calgorithm has generated a bit of momentum with two straight bowl appearances.

Subscribe: Sign up to receive the free Gophers On SI newsletter

Head coach: Justin Wilcox

Currently in year nine at Cal, Wilcox is one of the most underrated head coaches in college football. His 44-50 overall record doesn't emphasize the job he has done leading a program into a ridiculous conference change. He's still only 48 years old, and he now has help from former NFL head coach Ron Rivera, who began as the general manager of his alma mater this season.

Ravaged by the transfer portal

Cal was one of the best early-season stories in college football last season, and it even hosted ESPN's College Gameday before a meeting with Miami (FL). The Golden Bears blew a late lead in that game, and an impressive 3-1 start ended 6-7 on the season.

Oct 5, 2024; Berkeley, California, USA; California Golden Bears quarterback Fernando Mendoza (15) passes against the Miami Hurricanes during the first quarter at California Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images | Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images

Things only got worse when talented QB Fernando Mendoza, star running back Jadyn Ott, future NFL tight end Jack Endries and talented receivers Nyziah Hunter and Mikey Matthews all went to the transfer portal and left for bigger programs. You could make a real argument that no power conference program was hit harder than Cal.

Players to watch

The player who has stolen all the headlines this season is true freshman signal caller Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele. The former four-star high school prospect beat out Ohio State transfer Devin Brown for the starting spot in preseason camp, and he has been one of the most exciting players in college football through two weeks. He has completed 68.7% of his passes for 493 yards and four total touchdowns.

Sagapolutele's top weapon is wide receiver Trond Grizzell, who is a veteran of the program and leads the team with seven catches for 115 yards and one touchdown. NC State transfer Kendrick Raphael has gotten off to a great start as well with 27 carries for 168 yards and one touchdown.

Cal's offense will get the headlines, but its front seven is where its bread is buttered. Junior linebacker Cade Uluave was second on the team with 71 total tackles last season, and he's joined by redshirt freshman Luke Ferelli, who leads the team with 16 tackles through two weeks this season.

The Golden Bears' defensive line is led by edge rushers Ryan McCullough and Liberty transfer TJ Bush Jr., who've combined for 2.5 sacks through two weeks. Veteran defensive tackles T.J. Bollers and Aidan Keanaaina round out an impressive group. FIU transfer cornerback Hezekiah Masses was arguably their most significant addition from the portal in the offseason.

Keys to the game

Minnesota immediately faces a huge scheduling disadvantage traveling across the country for a 9:30 p.m. CT start. Cal has gotten off to an impressive start, and it looks like a team that will be competing for another bowl game in 2025, so the Gophers certainly have their hands full.

The Golden Bears completely changed their program in the last 12 months. With a true freshman QB, first-year offensive coordinator Bryan Harsin, new defensive coordinators, and GM Ron Rivera, Minnesota's stability could be an advantage.

The Gophers had a similar situation last season at UCLA in a late-night game in L.A., which could help them prepare for this one. I fully expect a close game, but Minnesota makes a late play to steal one on the road.