Cal Football Game Thread: Bears Face San Diego State, Aim for 3-0

Golden Bears close out non-conference schedule before trekking to Florida State for ACC debut

Cal coach Justin Wilcox / John Reed-Imagn Images

Cal (2-0) will pursue its first 3-0 start to a season since 2019 tonight when the Bears take on San Diego State (1-1) at Memorial Stadium.

This is the Bears' final non-conference game before their debut a week from Saturdau in the Atlantic Coast Conference on the road vs. defending league champion Florida State. The Seminoles dropped to 0-3 after a 20-12 home defeat against Memphis.

The game matches a team that just left the Pac-12 (Cal) against a program (SDSU) preparing to join the Pac-12 in 2026.

Cal offensive coordinator Mike Bloesch provides an update on the Bears' injury-plagued offensive line in the video above. The Bears expect to play the third straight game without starting guard Sioape Vatikani and center Wll McDonald.

There are a couple of other key personnel issues entering today's game:

-- Will Cal running back Jaydn Ott, slowed the first two games by an ankle injury, see action or be held out altogether?

-- Is SDSU freshman quarterback Danny O'Neil (knee) healthy enough to play?

UPDATE: Word from SDSU media relations is that O'Neil, who started the Aztecs' first two games, will not play. In his place, SDSU will go with either redshirt freshman Javance Tupou'ata-Johnson or sophomore AJ Duffy. Neither has thrown a pass this season. Duffy is a transfer from Florida State, where he played in four games over the past two seasons, completing 2 of 7 passes for 26 yards and a touchdown.

Cal and San Diego State have split eight previous meetings, the home team winning every game.

We'll be back with personnel news and in-game updates.

In the meantime, here's some pregame reading:

-- Our thorough Cal-SDSU game preview

-- Our ACC game picks for the weekend

-- A San Diego State beat writer answers our 5 Questions about the Aztecs

-- How do the bowl experts view Cal's postseason prospects?

-- If his number is called, RB Jaivian "The Jet" Thomas is ready to go

-- Cal defense braces for SDSU's 4,000-yard running back

-- Coach Justin Wilcox made it clear this week that Fernando Mendoza is QB1

-- Three former Golden Bears voted into the California High School Football Hall of Fame