UNC Schedule Breakdown: Cal Golden Bears

North Carolina will play its sixth game of the season with a cross-country trip to the Bay Area to take on the California Golden Bears on Oct. 17, coming off a bye week.

It will be the third meeting between the programs after a home-and-home series in 2017 and 2018, both won by the Bears. Their last matchup came in the 2018 season opener, when Cal beat the Tar Heels 24-17 in Berkeley, California.

Outlook

Jul 22, 2025; Charlotte, NC, USA; California head coach Justin Wilcox answers questions from the media during ACC Media Days at Hilton Charlotte Uptown. | Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images

Like North Carolina, Cal has more than 50 new players on its roster. But unlike the Tar Heels, 37 Bears departed on their own, including several key starters.

Quarterback Fernando Mendoza transferred to 2024 College Football Playoff participant Indiana. The entire running back room hit the portal, most notably leading rushers Jadyn Ott (Oklahoma) and Jaivion Thomas (UCLA). Five of the team’s seven wide receivers left, and top pass-catcher Jack Endries transferred to Texas.

The quarterback competition features former Ohio State backup Devin Brown and incoming four-star recruit Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele. At running back, Cal added NC State transfer Kendrick Raphael and UTSA transfer [name needed] to provide production and experience, with redshirt freshman Jamaal Wiley also in the mix.

The Bears retooled an offensive line that was one of only two in the nation to allow 50 or more sacks last season.

Defensively, Cal boasts one of the ACC’s better front sevens, anchored by defensive tackles Nate Burrell (29 tackles, 5.0 TFLs, 2.5 sacks) and Aidan Keanaaina (45 tackles, 2.5 TFLs, 1 sack), Colorado State transfer Buom Jack (100 tackles, 1 forced fumble, 1 interception) and star linebacker Cade Uluave (71 tackles, 3 TFLs, 0.5 sack).

Big Dawg

Jul 22, 2025; Charlotte, NC, USA; California linebacker Cade Uluave, Jr. answers questions from the media during ACC Media Days at Hilton Charlotte Uptown. | Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images

Linebacker Cade Uluave is Cal’s unquestioned leader. The former Pac-12 Freshman Defensive Player of the Year enters his third season as one of the conference’s top linebackers.

In two seasons, Uluave has posted 137 tackles, 9.5 tackles for loss, three sacks, three interceptions, eight pass breakups and two forced fumbles. Despite playing in only nine games last year, he recorded 71 tackles and earned All-ACC honorable mention honors.

Synopsis

Despite Cal’s rebuilding status, this has all the makings of a trap game — largely because of the travel.

The trip from Chapel Hill to Berkeley is more than 2,800 miles. Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m. local time, which will feel like 10:30 p.m. for the Tar Heels. How Bill Belichick prepares his team for the time difference will be worth watching.

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