Cal's 2023 football schedule released

As Cal heads into the seventh season under head coach Justin Wilcox, the Bears learned what the schedule will look like this fall after the Pac-12 unveiled its full conference slate Wednesday.

The Bears will have a balanced schedule in 2023 with six home games and six games away from Berkeley.

The season begins with three previously-announced nonconference games starting with a road matchup against North Texas (Sept. 2) on Labor Day weekend. That will be a return game for Cal after the Bears hosted UNT back in 2019 earning a 23-17 victory in the first meeting between the two teams.

North Texas will have a new head coach this season as former Washington State offensive coordinator Eric Morris was brought in this offseason to lead the Mean Green.

Then it will be time for another first-ever meeting with a team as the Bears return home Sept. 9 to face Auburn in its most notable nonconference game of the year.

Cal will wrap up its non-league schedule by squaring off with Idaho for the first time since 1934. The Bears have won all four previous matchups with the Vandals, all of which took place in the 1930s.

Pac-12 play will begin on the road for the Bears on Sept. 23 when Cal heads up to the Pacific Northwest to face Washington. The Huskies are coming off an 11-win season in their first season under head coach Kalen DeBoer and look poised to continue that success into 2023.

Cal has split its last four meetings with UW with its last win coming in 2019 on the road in Seattle.

The Bears will then get to spend some extended time at home over the ensuing two weeks with both Arizona State (Sept. 30) and Oregon State (Oct. 7) making their way to Berkeley.

The matchup with the Sun Devils will its first meeting with that team since 2019. ASU will be led by new head coach Kenny Dillingham, who came over from Oregon after serving as the Ducks' offensive coordinator in 2022.

Cal has lost three of its last four meetings against the Beavers but has won three of its last four against OSU in games at home.

The Bears will then hit the road to face defending conference champion Utah on Oct. 14 before getting an opportunity for its bye week.

When Cal returns from its bye, it will get another home game as USC makes its final trek to Berkeley as a member of the Pac-12 on Oct. 28. The Trojans will again be one of the favorites to win the conference before departing for the Big Ten.

After an extended losing streak, the Bears have split their last four meetings with the Trojans.

Cal will begin the final month of the season on the road against Oregon, which will be in its second season under Dan Lanning. The Bears dropped last season's meeting in Berkeley, 42-24.

Washington State will make its return to the Bay Area on Nov. 11 as Jake Dickert brings his team down from Pullman after a 28-9 win in 2022. The Bears have won three of their last four home meetings with the Cougars.

The 126th Big Game will take place Nov. 18 as the Bears hit the road looking to build on their two-game winning streak over their rival. Cal has not lost on the road in the matchup since 2017.

The regular season will wrap up Nov. 25 with the final meeting between Cal and UCLA at the Rose Bowl. The Bears have lost their last three meetings with the Bruins but the last victory in the series for Cal came in Pasadena back in 2019.

Home games in bold

Sept. 2 – at North Texas

Sept. 9 – Auburn

Sept. 16 – Idaho

Sept. 23 – at Washington

Sept. 30 – Arizona State

Oct. 7 – Oregon State

Oct. 14 – at Utah

Oct. 21 – BYE

Oct. 28 – USC

Nov. 4 – at Oregon

Nov. 11 – Washington State

Nov. 18 – at Stanford

Nov. 25 – at UCLA

Dec. 1 – Pac-12 Football Championship Game