Florida State Football vs. Cal

Florida State Football will be the first team to introduce the new members of the Atlantic Coast Conference over the next two weeks.

In Week 3 of the 2024 season, FSU will play California. The Golden Bears will travel more than 2,600 miles to Doak Campbell Stadium for their ACC debut.

Cal, Stanford and SMU are the new members of the ACC. The Seminoles play Cal and SMU in back-to-back weeks before facing Clemson.

If Cal were still in the Pac-12, it would have been the first time the Golden Bears had played an ACC team since 2018. That year, the Golden Bears opened the season against North Carolina, winning 24-17.

In his final year in the Pac-12, Cal won three of its last four games, but lost 34-14 to Texas Tech in the Radiance Technology Independence Bowl.

Who is the head coach of Cal

Justin Wilcox is entering his eighth season at Cal. Last season, Cal finished 6-7 (4-5 in conference).

Last FSU-Cal Meeting

This season marks the first-ever meeting between FSU and Cal.

The best players of Cal

Attack

QB Fernando Mendoza, 1,708 yards, 14 TDs, 10 INTs; RB Jaydn Ott, 1,315 yards, 12 TDs; RB Isaiah Ifanse, 365 yards, seven TDs; WR Trond Grizzel, 39 rec. 590 yards, 5 TDs; TE Jack Endries 35 rec., 408 yards, 2 TDs

Defense

DL Ricky Correia, 35 tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss, two sacks; LB Cade Uluave, 67 tackles, 2.5 sacks, two interceptions, two forced fumbles;

LB Davis Reese, 33 tackles, eight tackles for loss, 6.5 sacks, three passes defensed; DB Craig Woodson, 79 tackles, four passes defensed, two forced fumbles, one interception;

DB Nohl Williams, 53 tackles, six passes defended, two interceptions; P Lachlan Wilson, 44.45 net average

Cal’s Key Losses and Additions

To lose: WR Jeremiah Hunter, LB Myles Jernigan, LB Kaleb Elarms-Orr, Jackson Sirmon, CB Jeremiah Earby, S Patrick McMorris

Additions: QB Chandler Rogers, RB Kadarious Calloway, WR Tobias Meriweather, WR Jonathan Brady, TE Corey Dyches, OL Will McDonald, OL Rush Reimer, LB Cheikh Fall, LB Liam Johnson, CB Marcus Harris

Outlook on Cal

The Golden Bears had three consecutive losing seasons before going 6-7 last year. They went 16-25 in the previous four years. 2019 was the last time Cal had at least eight wins.

FSU is one of four teams Cal will travel to this season. Like FSU, the Golden Bears have been active in the transfer portal.

Despite losing several key players, Cal returns seven starting players on offense and eight on defense.

Ott could be a threat to FSU’s defense after leading the Pac-12 in rushing yardage. Cal could also face a QB battle between Mendoza and Rogers.

Rogers threw for 3,382 yards and 29 touchdowns in his final year at North Texas before hitting the transfer market.

Cal opens the season against UC Davis. It travels to Auburn in Week 2 and hosts San Diego State the following week before facing the Seminoles.

DJ Uiagalelei played his best game against Cal last season

FSU quarterback DJ Uiagalelei knows California all too well.

While at Oregon State, Uiagalelei had a great game against the Golden Bears last season.

On October 7, Uiagalelei threw for five touchdowns and 275 yards, the best of his career, to defeat Cal in a shootout 52–40.

The Beavers won five of their last six games to finish the season with an 8-5 record. Uiagalelei threw for 2,638 yards and 21 touchdowns, his career high.

Uiagalelei joined the Seminoles on January 1.