Cal Football Preview 2025: Golden Bears Season Prediction, Win Total Projection, Top Players
The offensive front has to keep defenses out of the backfield.The front five has a ton of work to do to get the starting lineup together. But after allowing close to four sacks and 8.5 sacks per game, everything about the season revolves around letting the skill guys work, especially …
Cal Golden Bears Key Player
Devin Brown, QB Jr.Or Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele. Either way, the quarterback play has to be strong after losing the solid Fernando Mendoza. Brown was a super-recruit for Ohio State, but he never broke through.Worse yet, when Brown got his chance in the 2023 Cotton Bowl, he was hurt right away. The size and mobility are there. Now the promise and potential have to come through. - Cal Team Preview
Cal Golden Bears Top Transfer, Biggest Transfer Loss
Top Transfer In: Hezekiah Masses, CB Sr.While he might not get the attention of some of the other key Cal transfers, he should be the steadiest. A three-year producer at FIU, he left with 105 tackles, two picks, and 12 broken up passes from his corner spot.Top Transfer Out: Jayden Ott, RB Sr.A whole slew of top backs left, and QB Fernando Mendoza (Indiana) might be the biggest-name transfer, Ott was a heart-and-soul guy when he was rolling in 2023. He had a rough 2024, but when he was on over his first two years - over 2,200 yards and 20 scores - he was special. Now he's at Oklahoma.
Cal Golden Bears Key Game
Minnesota, Sept.13If Cal is merely okay, it should be able to get by Oregon State to start the season, and it shouldn't have a problem at San Diego State. Beating Minnesota in Berkeley would be a giant moment in a likely 4-0 start. With no sure-thing loss in ACC play, get going early, and all of a sudden Cal might be in play for something large.- 2025 Cal Golden Bears Schedule Breakdown
Cal Golden Bears Top 10 Players
1. Cade Uluave, LB Jr.2. Nate Burrell, DE, Sr.3. Aidan Keanaaina, DT Sr.4. Hezekiah Masses, CB Sr.5. Devin Brown, QB Jr.6. Kendrick Raphael, RB Jr.7. Jordan Spasojevic-Moko, OG Sr.8. Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele, QB Fr.9. Odera Okaka, EDGE Jr.10. Leon Bell, OT Jr.
Cal Golden Bears 2024 Fun Stats
- Opponent Points Allowed: 3rd Quarter: 32, 4th Quarter 101- Field Goals: Cal 25-of-37, Opponents 10-of-16- Fumbles: Opponents 14 (lost 5), Cal 11 (lost 4)
Cal Golden Bears 2025 Season Prediction, Win Total, What Will Happen
Can Cal be the SMU of the ACC?It's going through a total overhaul, the talent level is down from a team that went 5-7, but … the schedule.There's no Clemson or Miami - SMU missed those two last year, at least until playing the Tigers for the ACC Championship. There's no Florida State, NC State, Pitt or Syracuse, either.
SMU is a home game meaning the most dangerous games are at Virginia Tech, at Louisville, and at Boston College. Cal has GOT to take advantage of this slate. It has to catch fire, catch a few breaks, and it has to own Memorial Stadium.Nah, it's asking for too much to be as good as last year's SMU, but there's absolutely no excuse - again, even with the lack of proven playmakers and talent - to be any worse than a bowl team that wins more than six games for the first time in five years and the third time in 15.
Set The Cal Golden Bears Win Total At … 6.5Likely Wins: at San Diego State, Texas Southern50/50 Games: at Boston College, Duke, Minnesota, North Carolina, at Oregon State, SMU, at Stanford, Virginia, at Virginia TechLikely Losses: at Louisville- Cal Team Preview
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USA Today
21 hours ago
- USA Today
Fernando Mendoza: Preseason scouting report for the new Indiana QB
There's a Lot To Like, but Ball Security Needs Improvement in 2025 Mendoza is an exceptional passer when given time and space to operate, but his game has clear limitations thanks to mostly average tools. He has good size at 6'5', 225 pounds, but he will need to get stronger and quicker to avoid traffic in the pocket. As a passer, Mendoza is solidly above average. His arm strength is borderline excellent, and he can pick defenses apart when his protection holds up. He routinely delivers throws with plenty of zip and is at his best in the intermediate area, working off play-action. He's highly effective in rhythm and doesn't lose arm strength or accuracy on designed rollouts. He'll need better deep ball consistency, as deep shots tend to be underthrown or behind the target, and he also needs to work on his touch when layering throws. That said, Mendoza is still a highly accurate and effective passer. Check out my full Fernando Mendoza preseason report and grade on my Substack. His processing is borderline NFL-ready, but his anticipation and decision-making must improve. There were multiple awful interceptions on last year's film simply because he didn't recognize a linebacker sitting underneath the target. Mendoza is not a running threat, but is smart enough to take advantage of what the defense gives him. His average athleticism and speed show in space, so don't expect him to be part of the rushing attack at Indiana. Overall, Mendoza's passing ability is solid, and his average athletic tools are tolerable given his NFL-ready arm strength and accuracy. His processing and anticipation must be more consistent in 2025, but Mendoza has a chance to be high on NFL draft boards next spring.
Indianapolis Star
a day ago
- Indianapolis Star
Best arm talent in program history? What quarterback Fernando Mendoza can bring to Indiana football
The buzz around Indiana football changed from can it to will it get back to the College Football Playoff after it landed quarterback Fernando Mendoza out of the transfer portal. Of course, Mendoza's commitment came four days after the Hoosiers suffered a loss at Notre Dame, but that's how quickly a news cycle can change. Other factors, including retaining players and transfer portal additions, strengthened IU's case for a repeat trip. But Mendoza was rated the No. 4 quarterback and 12th prospect in the portal per On3's industry rankings. He has good size at 6 foot 5, 225 pounds and NFL draft scouts like his potential, and are curious how it will translate to a tough Big Ten schedule. IndyStar IU insider Zach Osterman and Herald-Times reporter Michael Niziolek huddled with IndyStar assistant sports editor Aaron Ferguson to discuss Mendoza's impact on IU football. Here is their conversation. Ferguson: How does the addition of Fernando Mendoza at quarterback change the IU offense? In terms of talent, has IU had a better QB? Osterman: On pure arm talent, Mendoza might rank among the best in program history. There are others with a say in that debate (Michael Penix chiefly among them), but it probably isn't unfair to expect Mendoza to arrive at something approaching an all-league level on talent alone. The question will be how it's marshaled. He struggled with sacks last year, and Curt Cignetti has suggested one of his next steps is trusting this protection more than what consistently failed him at Cal. He is, CFP debates notwithstanding, playing in a tougher conference now, albeit without the exhausting travel concerns. And there's expectation here — fair or not, he's traded in two 6-6 seasons at Cal for a program fresh off the best season in its history. How he handles that pressure is worth asking. This is probably overegging the pudding a bit, but it's not unfair to say he still has some things to prove here. Niziolek: The biggest surprise during spring camp was how much Mendoza's teammates talked about his mobility. According to Cignetti, the Hoosiers moved the pocket just .25% of the time last year. That makes sense given that we now know Kurtis Rourke was playing on a torn ACL, but that's where fans will see the most significant difference in the offense. Cignetti is going to move Mendoza's launch point around to put pressure on opposing defenses. Indiana's read-option plays will be more effective as well since Mendoza will be more of genuine threat to pull the ball down and run. As for his arm talent, he's getting draft buzz for a reason, but Rourke set a high bar. He had one of the best statistical seasons as a passer in program history and graded out at an elite level on attempts of 10-plus yards, per PFF. Don't overlook the fact that he had five years of experience (three as a starter) before arriving in Bloomington. Mendoza has a higher ceiling as a NFL prospect, but like Zach said, he still has to put it all together. Osterman: I'm interested in the mobility, and how IU uses it. I think Mike's point is a good one that mobility is more than just pulling the ball and running. It's also being able to shift the pocket and the point of delivery, which can disrupt a pass rush or confuse a secondary. Cignetti has shown a consistent ability to build a system that adapts to the quarterback, rather than the other way around. Obviously Mendoza has got to show a consistent ability to be accurate on the move, and his line needs to be able to block those schemes, but that's one of the potential wrinkles I'm curious to track through the first month of the season. Insider: Why Indiana football's offense may look different under quarterback Fernando Mendoza Ferguson: Longtime NFL draft analyst Steve Muench, co-host on the "Todd McShay Podcast," made a point last month that Curt Cignetti has done this time and again alongside offensive coordinator Mike Shanahan: bringing in a one-year quarterback and delivering results. Muench brought up how they did it at James Madison transitioning to Division I and had the Sun Belt Offensive Player of the Year two years in a row, and then Kurtis Rourke at IU last year. What is it about Cignetti and Shanahan being so successful? And where does Mendoza fit into this string of success as maybe the QB with the most cache they've landed? Osterman: Cignetti will tell you it goes further back, to include success he had with quarterbacks at Elon and beforehand. The undercurrent strength pumping through the whole thing is that the system is built to adapt. I got a chance to talk to Cignetti for a story that will come closer to the season (teaser!) about this, and one of his most fundamental approaches to offense was (as he described it), to "build around the quarterback." Let their strengths guide the way they're used. Don't make the player come to the system. Build the system to be able to accommodate the player. That's obviously easier said than done, and probably something plenty of coaches would love to do in theory. But Cignetti's track record and virtually every level of football has now proven it, and I think it's fair to give him benefit of the doubt again, especially with a 3,000-yard passer with some pretty obvious physical gifts and a Power Four track record. Niziolek: I think it speaks just as much to the work Cignetti and his offensive staff of identifying the quarterbacks they project will work in their system. Cignetti watches countless hours of film for a reason — I'm guessing he watched every one of Mendoza's throws from last season — to ensure the quarterbacks they bring in have shown they can make all the throws and run an offense, especially since they don't get a ton of time (in most cases) to develop those transfers. Cignetti has also surrounded his recent quarterbacks with a ton of talent on the offensive side of the ball to set them up for success. Mendoza will benefit from that as well with IU's experience on the offensive line and talent at the skill positions. Osterman: The line is the biggest piece of this equation outside the player himself, to me. We need to see it functioning in games, of course, but IU's work rebuilding its offensive front (and keeping a couple core pieces together too) this offseason immediately puts Mendoza in a better situation. It seems like the staff still sees him learning to trust that protection, but if you overlay his production plus potential onto these skill groups, and then give him more time/better protection, that's where I think the optimism really starts. Say it ain't so: Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza, top 2026 NFL Draft prospect, a 'wide receiver's dream' Ferguson: Is his relationship with his brother overplayed or properly played? As much as nobody will want to admit it, does Fernando's play translate into what's next for Alberto, whether at IU or elsewhere? Niziolek: I think their relationship certainly played at least a small role in Fernando landing up in Bloomington. Alberto vouched for the staff, and offered his brother insight into the offense from a trusted source. It worked the other way as well since Cignetti and his staff was more familiar with Fernando and already had a relationship with the family. Beyond that, I'm not sure how much his play will impact Alberto's future. Fernando could make the jump to the NFL after a successful season, but that doesn't necessarily pave the way for Alberto to get the job. His skill set will be evaluated on its own, and IU will always weigh its option in the portal if there's a talent that stands out. Osterman: Yeah, I don't think one affects the other terribly. Alberto is already clearly advancing within the system, given he appears in line to be IU's QB2 this season ahead of a more veteran competitor. It's worth pointing out, too, Alberto Mendoza was a target for this staff predating their time at Indiana, and he was committed with them at James Madison before flipping to the Hoosiers. I think Cignetti and his coaches have always liked Alberto on his own merits, and by outward appearance he's done nothing to change their minds since. 'Indiana was the best place for me.' How IU football landed one of transfer portal's top QBs Ferguson: Analysts like to bring up Fernando's sacks when he was at Cal, so I think Zach hit on a good point earlier. Which leads to this: Presuming he's healthy, what are realistic expectations for Mendoza this season? Is he the next record-breaker, can he get IU to the playoff, or even win a CFP game? Osterman: The number I can't get past is one I've cited before. He went from 24.3 pass attempts per interception as a redshirt freshman to 64.3 as a redshirt sophomore. That's despite the sacks and a significant increase in pass volume. That hints at a level of efficiency which, if plugged into an offense capable of some of what we saw from Indiana last season, could yield another season when we're reaching for record books to contextualize Mendoza's accomplishments. Another CFP push is going to require more than just good quarterback play but it's reasonable, I think, to believe Mendoza can deliver performances strong enough to put Indiana in that position again. Niziolek: I think 3,000 yards passing and 20 touchdowns are reasonable benchmarks for Mendoza given the fact that IU will face a tougher schedule with some really challenging road games. While it wouldn't break any records, there are only three other quarterbacks in program history who reached both milestones in the same season. It all comes down to wins and losses though, and that's harder to project. He has a 3-6 record in one-possession games (2-4 last year) and none of the victories were against teams with winning records. That's not all on him since Cal obviously had plenty of problems, but he's got to prove he can come through in big moments and that's mainly how fans will judge whether not he had a successful season.
Yahoo
a day ago
- Yahoo
Meet the USA TODAY Sports Network's preseason All-ACC football team for 2025
Will Clemson football add a 23rd ACC championship trophy to its collection in 2025? Our team of USA TODAY Sports Network experts who cover the league thinks so. The Tigers lead the ACC with nine selections to our preseason all-conference team. They also boast the preseason Coach and Player of the Year in Dabo Swinney and Cade Klubnik, respectively. Here's a look at the ACC's top offensive and defensive players entering 2025 — as well as our predicted order of finish: Offense Quarterback: Cade Klubnik, Clemson Running back: Isaac Brown, Louisville* Running back: Jamal Haynes, Georgia Tech Wide receiver: Antonio Williams, Clemson* Wide receiver (tie): Caullin Lacy, Louisville; Eric Rivers, Georgia Tech; Bryant Wesco Jr., Clemson Tight end: Justin Joly, N.C. State Offensive line: Keylan Rutledge, Georgia Tech* Offensive line: Francis Mauigoa, Miami Offensive line: Blake Miller, Clemson Offensive line: Pete Nygra, Louisville Offensive line: Brian Parker II, Duke Defense Defensive line: TJ Parker, Clemson* Defensive line: Peter Woods, Clemson* Defensive line: Rueben Bain Jr., Miami Defensive line: Jordan van den Berg, Georgia Tech Linebacker: Kyle Louis, Pittsburgh* Linebacker: Wade Woodaz, Clemson Linebacker: Sammy Brown, Clemson Defensive back: Avieon Terrell, Clemson* Defensive back: Chandler Rivers, Duke Defensive back: Terry Moore, Duke Defensive back: Isaiah Nwokobia, SMU Special teams Placekicker: Collin Rogers, SMU Punter: Jack Stonehouse, Syracuse All-purpose: Desmond Reid, Pittsburgh *Unanimous choice Preseason awards Coach of the Year: Dabo Swinney, Clemson Player of the Year: Cade Klubnik, Clemson Newcomer of the Year: Cade Klubnik, Clemson Predicted order of finish Clemson Miami SMU Louisville Georgia Tech Duke Florida State Pittsburgh Virginia Tech N.C. State Syracuse North Carolina Boston College Virginia Wake Forest California Stanford Poll participants: Rodd Baxley, Fayetteville Observer; Derrian Carter, Greenville News; Alexis Cubit, Louisville Courier Journal; Peter Holland Jr., Tallahassee Democrat; JD McCarthy, FSU Wire; Zack Pearson, Tar Heels Wire; Liam Rooney, Tallahassee Democrat; Anna Snyder, Fayetteville Observer; Alex Turri, Clemson Wire. Reach Louisville men's basketball reporter Brooks Holton at bholton@ and follow him on X at @brooksHolton. This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: All-ACC preseason football team 2025 from the USA TODAY Sports Network
