California football will face SMU at 9 a.m. PT / Noon ET on Saturday, October 24 at Gerald J. Ford Stadium in Dallas, announced by the Atlantic Coast Conference office Monday morning. The game will be aired live on The CW.
The Golden Bears (3-3, 2-1 ACC) will make the trip to Texas to face the No. 24 Mustangs (4-1, 2-1 ACC) for the second time since both programs joined the ACC in 2024.
SMU holds the 2-1 all-time series advantage, but Cal pulled off an upset victory in the most recent matchup over then-No. 21 SMU last season in Berkeley. Trailing 35-31 with just over two minutes of play left, Cal quarterback Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele led the Bears in one of his most memorable drives to date, taking Cal 75 yards over seven plays down the field, which culminated in a game-clinching rushing touchdown by the Bears. Cal held off a final drive from the Mustangs in which they failed to convert a field goal, lifting the Bears to a 38-35 victory to close out the regular season.
