The Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) has released the list of football opponents for the 2026 season, outlining California’s conference schedule for next year.
According to the announcement, the California Golden Bears will play home games against Clemson, Pittsburgh, Stanford, Virginia Tech, and Wake Forest at California Memorial Stadium. The team’s away games will be against NC State, SMU, Syracuse, and Virginia.
In 2026, the ACC will introduce a nine-game conference model for its members. California is among twelve teams that will participate in this expanded schedule.
The full list of Cal’s 2026 ACC opponents includes both home and away matchups: Clemson, Pitt, Stanford, Virginia Tech, Wake Forest (home); NC State, SMU, Syracuse, and Virginia (away). Game dates and kickoff times have not yet been announced.
Key matchups on the schedule include contests against Clemson and Virginia Tech as well as the rivalry game with Stanford. There is also a non-conference game scheduled against UCLA. The university stated that “the only way to guarantee your spot is to renew or purchase your season tickets. Fans can click the link here for season ticket information.”
A summary of Cal’s 2026 ACC home opponents was provided:
Clemson
“The Golden Bears will face Dabo Swinney and the Clemson Tigers for the first time since the 1992 Citrus Bowl, where the Bears won 37-13. 2026 will mark the first time these two teams will face off in the regular season first appearance at California Memorial Stadium.”
Pittsburgh
“Cal will face the Panthers for the seventh time in program history. 2026 will be the first meeting in Berkeley since 1966, when the Bears won 30-15. The Panthers finished the 2025 regular season with an 8-4 record.”
Stanford
“In the 129th edition of the Big Game, the Bears will host rival Stanford in one of the oldest rivalries on the west coast. Cal has won the previous two Big Games at California Memorial Stadium.”
Virginia Tech
“The Hokies and new head coach James Franklin are set to travel to Strawberry Canyon for the first time in 2026. The first two matchups in the series history were in the high-scoring 2003 Insight Bowl and this past season’s matchup in Blacksburg.”
Wake Forest
“The Demon Deacons will travel to California Memorial Stadium for the first time in 2026. In the first-ever matchup in 2024, the Bears won 46-36 in Winston-Salem. Wake Forest finished the 2025 regular season with an 8-4 record.”
