California Golden Bears Athletics
Sep 5 (Sat)
7:30 PM
2026 Cal Football Theme Days
JOE ROTH HOME OPENER: Saturday, September 5 vs. UCLA (7:30 p.m. PT)
Cal's home opener doubles as the annual Joe Roth Memorial Game, celebrating the strength and perseverance of the former Golden Bears quarterback who led Cal to a share of the 1975 Pac-8 title and remains one of the most beloved figures in program history. Roth's "Don't Quit" spirit continues to define Cal Football nearly five decades later, and the Bears will honor his legacy in the throwback Joe Roth uniforms as Lupoi makes his debut on the Memorial Stadium sideline and a long-standing rivalry with former conference foe UCLA is renewed.
ROOTED IN THE BAY DAY: Saturday, September 19 vs. Wagner (12:30 p.m. PT)
Bay Area community and culture will be at the heart of CMS on “Rooted in the Bay Day” as the Bears pay tribute to their home region’s community members and its rich history of diversity, arts, music and food. Participants of this year’s summer reading challenge will be recognized and fans are invited to join in celebrating local educators in an “Educator Appreciation” acknowledgement.
FIAT LUX & AAPI APPRECIATION: Friday, September 25 vs. Clemson (7:30 p.m. PT)
The famous Cal Gold will light up the night sky for Cal’s Friday night ACC opener against Clemson, with the Bears inviting fans to wear crowd-sync bracelets in the stands to light up the night for “Fiat Lux" and join in a special recognition of Asian American and Pacific Islander culture.
HOMECOMING: Saturday, October 10 vs. Virginia Tech
Cal’s annual Homecoming celebration will welcome alumni back home to Berkeley to revel in the nostalgia of their time as students, while parents of current students are invited to get a taste of the Golden Bear lifestyle.
GRATEFUL BEARS: Saturday, October 17 vs. Wake Forest
Cal Football will be hosting its first ever Grateful Dead theme game to honor the iconic Bay Area band's deep local roots and historic connection to the UC Berkeley campus. The legendary group played more concerts on or near campus than at any other university in the United States, cementing Berkeley as a true home for their music.
129TH BIG GAME: Saturday, November 21 vs. Stanford
The longest and oldest college football rivalry on the West Coast will be renewed in the 129th rendition of the Big Game. The battle for The Axe will go down on the gridiron at CMS as Cal looks to take back the perennial trophy from the Cardinal.
HOMETOWN HEROES: Saturday, November 28 vs. Pitt
The Bears will honor the everyday heroes of their community, inviting fans to recognize first responders, military personnel, healthcare workers and other frontline community difference-makers across the Bay Area.
See you in Bear Territory!
