No. 1 Freshman in College Football Predicted to Help Major Program Make Huge Leap

Just under six months separate the beginning of March from the first weekend of the 2026 college football season.

Many of the best programs from the 2025 season are hoping to sustain their dominance heading into 2026. However, a new season presents an opportunity for programs that were afterthoughts in the previous season to leap into the national spotlight.

One program looking to elevate both in its conference and nationally is California. The Golden Bears enter their second season with Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele as their starting quarterback

The 6-foot-3, 225-pounder ranked as the seventh-best quarterback prospect when he committed to Oregon's 2025 signing class.

However, he entered the NCAA transfer portal a week after enrolling at Oregon and found a quicker path to the field at California. Sagapolutele finished the 2025 season with 3,454 passing yards, 18 touchdowns and nine interceptions while guiding the Golden Bears to a seven-win season.

The Golden Bears were one of 34 FBS programs to undergo a coaching change in the 2026 offseason, parting ways with Justin Wilcox and bringing in Oregon defensive coordinator Tosh Lupoi. Sagapolutele opted to return to California despite the coaching change, a move that should help speed up the rebuild.

Cody Nagel of CBS Sports highlighted Sagapolutele and California in a list of seven Power Four programs poised to take a step forward in 2026.

"While obvious uncertainty comes with a first-time head coach, keeping Jaron-Keawe in the fold at quarterback was a key first step. The Golden Bears lost several other important pieces to the transfer portal but made quick work of filling those holes, bringing in what ranks as the second-best incoming transfer class in the ACC," Nagel wrote.

"It's been 20 years since California last won 10 games in a season, but with renewed excitement and a manageable schedule, reaching as many as eight wins isn't out of the realm of possibility in 2026."

Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele during California's 2025 game against SMU. — California Golden Bears quarterback Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele (3) gestures during the first quarter against SMU | Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images

California's place in the 2026 ACC title race

The gradual fall of Clemson and Florida State in the last seven seasons has opened the door for new programs to take over as a dominant force in the ACC. Miami went to the College Football Playoff National Championship in 2026, but the Hurricanes have yet to win an ACC Championship under Mario Cristobal.

Virginia is the only team on California's 2026 ACC schedule to win 10 or more games in 2025. The game is in Charlottesville, but the Cavaliers will pivot to Beau Pribula as their next quarterback if Chandler Morris is not granted his seventh season of eligibility.

Clemson, SMU, NC State and Pittsburgh are other bowl participants on California's conference schedule. Clemson will field a new quarterback in 2026, but Kevin Jennings, CJ Bailey and Mason Heintschel all return as starters to the latter three teams.

Syracuse, Stanford and Virginia Tech are the teams to finish 2025 with losing records on the Golden Bears' 2026 conference schedule. However, Syracuse brings back quarterback Steve Angeli from an Achilles tear while the latter two teams bring in new head coaches.