Syracuse vs Cal: TV/streaming, time, odds, history & more

Syracuse vs Cal: TV/streaming, time, odds, history & more

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Syracuse vs Cal: TV/streaming, time, odds, history & more
SYRACUSE, NY – SEPTEMBER 05: Syracuse Orange Defensive Lineman Rashard Perry (92) is tackled by New Hampshire Wildcats Quarterback Brooks Bentley (7) after intercepting a pass during the first half of the College Football game between the New Hampshire Wildcats and the Syracuse Orange on September 5, 2026, at the JMA Wireless Dome in Syracuse, NY. (Photo by Gregory Fisher/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

Teams: Syracuse Orange (1-0, 0-0) vs. California Golden Bears (0-1, 0-0)

Day & Time: Saturday, September 12, 3:30 pm

Location: JMA Wireless Dome, Syracuse, NY

Line: Syracuse opened as an +1.5 underdog, but the line has swung in the Orange’s favor. Syracuse is getting -3.5 points according to Fanduel’s odds. 

TV/Streaming: ACCN, WatchESPN

Radio: Cuse.com, TK 99/105, WAER 88.3, SiriusXM 138 or 203

Rivalry: 2-1, Syracuse

Current Streak: 1, Syracuse

First Meeting: 1967 was Larry Csonka’s last year with Syracuse. It also featured the first meeting with Cal at Archbold Stadium. The Orange took a 20-14 win to move to 4-1 on the season at the time. Syracuse would finish 1967 with an 8-2 record.

Last Meeting: 2024 saw Syracuse travel to the west coast to play a Cal team that featured future Heisman winner and first overall pick Fernando Mendoza. However, the Orange got the better of Mendoza, picking him off twice and sacking him four times. Kyle McCord threw nearly 100 more yards than Mendoza did as Syracuse took a 33-25 victory away from Berkeley.

Head Coaches: Syracuse: Fran Brown (third year, 14-12) | Cal: Tosh Lupoi (first year, 0-1)

Coach Bio: Lupoi is a Cal alum. He was a defensive lineman for the Golden Bears from 2000 to 2005. Lupoi stayed with Cal as a graduate assistant, eventually earning his first full-time assistant coaching job with the Golden Bears as a defensive line coach in 2008. After a controversial stint at Washington, Lupoi made his name at Alabama, where he rose from a defensive analyst all the way to defensive coordinator in five years under Nick Saban. He won two National Championships with the Crimson Tide during his time there.

After three seasons in the NFL as a defensive line coach, Lupoi returned to college to become Oregon’s defensive coordinator in 2022. He stayed with the Ducks until 2025, when he left to become Cal’s head coach.

Last Year: After starting the season 6-5, Cal fired Justin Wilcox in his ninth season with the team. He had accrued a 48-55 record during his time with the Golden Bears. Cal did upset SMU in the final game of the season to reach bowl eligibility, but the Golden Bears lost in the Hawaii Bowl to Hawaii.

Last Game: After a rough start, Cal proved that it could get back in this game and entered the fourth quarter tied at 24 with UCLA. However, the Bruins scored 21 unanswered points in the final 15 minutes to cruise to a 45-24 victory over the Golden Bears.  

“Fear Me, I’ve Killed Hundreds of Timelords”: Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele, or JKS as he’s more commonly known, drives the Cal offense. He passed for 3,454 yards and 18 touchdowns last season for the Golden Bears. If Syracuse wants to say “Fear me, I’ve killed all of them,” the interception is its friend. JKS threw nine picks last year, and tossed two interceptions against UCLA last week. 

If Syracuse Wins: Road to the CFP is well on track.

If Syracuse Loses: I’m sorry, Calgorithm.

Fun Fact: Syracuse welcomes a team from California to Central New York for the fourth time in history. In addition to the matchup against the Golden Bears in 1967, the Orange hosted UCLA in 1964 and Stanford in 2024. 

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