Cal (3-4, 2-2 ACC) plays at No. 23 SMU on Saturday, Oct. 24. Kickoff at Gerald J. Ford Stadium is 9 a.m. PT on The CW, and the radio call is on 810 AM.
Why it matters: It's the first of three straight conference road games for Cal, and its second straight game against a ranked team after facing No. 21 Wake Forest.
QB question
Coach Tosh Lupoi benched Sagapolutele for Jackson Brousseau in last week's 41-7 loss to Wake Forest and hasn't named a starter. "I'm gonna put the individual that I think is gonna be best for us," Lupoi said. SMU (5-1) allows just 164.8 passing yards a game. With Adam Mohammed and Carter Vargas out, Ashten Emory is expected to start at running back.
Last year
Cal beat then-No. 21 SMU in Berkeley last season. Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele threw for 330 yards and four TDs and ran in the winning touchdown late. SMU leads the all-time series 2-1.
Bears to watch
- DB Kingston Lopa leads the nation with five interceptions.
- WR Chase Hendricks has 415 yards and has passed 2,000 career receiving yards.
- Cal's passing offense averages 288.1 yards a game, sixth in the ACC.
- Sagapolutele has passed 4,500 career passing yards.
Next up for Cal: at NC State on Oct. 31. Also this weekend: Stanford vs. NC State.