On Saturday, Cal Berkeley fell to the UCLA Bruins by a score of 45-24 at California Memorial Stadium in Berkeley, ending a home sellout streak that began in 2024 and putting the Bears at 0-1 to start the season.
Home Sellout Streak Ends
The Bears had enjoyed a run of packed stands at California Memorial Stadium, with every home game sold out since the 2024 season, a testament to the program’s recent resurgence under previous leadership.
UCLA, the high‑profile Big Ten team, imposed its will early, with sophomore quarterback Nico Iamaleava breaking free for a 71-yard touchdown run that knotted the game at 7-7 in the first quarter, and defensive back Ta'Shawn James turning two of his eight tackles into fourth-quarter interceptions, one of which was returned by Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele, sparking UCLA’s go‑ahead touchdown.
Cal answered with a 28-yard field goal from Towns McGough that gave the Bears a 10-7 lead before UCLA’s Anthony Woods responded with a 31-yard rushing touchdown, and wide receiver Wayne Knight added two more scores, contributing 71 yards on the ground and averaging 8.9 yards per carry.
Despite Adam Mohammed’s 108-yard effort, his second career 100‑yard game against UCLA, the Bears turned the ball over twice and failed to convert a crucial fourth‑down attempt, allowing UCLA to dominate the remaining minutes and finish with 461 total yards.
Coaching Debut and Team Outlook
The loss marked head coach Tosh Lupoi’s inaugural game in charge of Cal, a debut that highlighted both the promise of his offensive schemes and the defensive lapses that cost the team momentum.
Consequently, Cal’s bowl eligibility now sits at roughly 50%, while its chances of contending for the ACC title have slipped to just 15%, underscoring the urgency of the next contest.
Critical upcoming matchup
The Bears now travel to face Syracuse, a game that will determine whether they can rebound from the setback and keep their postseason hopes alive, as an 0-2 start would severely limit their margin for error.