No. 21 Wake Forest and the efficient Gio Lopez visit Cal, where Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele is probable to return at quarterback
BERKELEY, Calif. — Wake Forest has won four of five and climbed into the rankings. Cal is hoping its quarterback is back.
No. 21 Wake Forest (5-1, 3-1 ACC) visits California (3-3, 2-1) at 10:30 p.m. ET on ESPN2. Cal quarterback Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele is probable after missing last week with a concussion. Jackson Brousseau started in his place and led a 25-20 win over Virginia Tech.
Sagapolutele has completed 107 of 164 passes for 1,180 yards, with eight touchdowns and five interceptions. Ian Strong leads the receivers with 396 yards. Running back Adam Mohammed, who has 336 rushing yards, is a game-time decision. AJ Tuitele has three sacks, and Isaiah Crosby has 34 tackles. Tosh Lupoi is in his first season as head coach.
Wake Forest, in Jake Dickert's second season, has one of the most efficient passers in the country. Gio Lopez has completed 124 of 184 passes for 1,680 yards, with 13 touchdowns and one interception. Carlos Hernandez has 49 catches for 720 yards. Langston Hardy has 4.5 sacks, and Vincent Firenze has 44 tackles. ESPN's Football Power Index ranks Wake's offense 20th in efficiency, against a Cal defense ranked 85th. Wake's defense ranks 35th.
The Deacons are 3-0 on the road, including a double-overtime win at Purdue and a 38-14 win at NC State last week. Their only loss came 33-20 to Miami. Wake is missing several players up front, which gives Cal a chance.
The only previous meeting was a 46-36 Cal win at Wake Forest on Nov. 8, 2024.
Cal's history includes national titles claimed for 1920 through 1923 and 1937, and Jeff Tedford's modern revival. Wake Forest won ACC titles in 1970 and 2006, and Dave Clawson spent a decade building the program.
The weather should be calm and 71 degrees.
Wake Forest gets an open week before hosting Virginia on Oct. 31. Cal visits No. 24 SMU.
Our score assumes Sagapolutele plays, since he is listed probable. With him, we see Wake Forest 33, California 21. If Brousseau starts again, it would be Wake Forest 34, California 19.
Wake's efficient offense against a struggling Cal defense is the difference.
Our call: Wake Forest 33, California 21.