After putting together a 6-6 regular season, Cal football is headed to a bowl game for the first time since facing Illinois in the 2019 Redbox bowl. Given that there are a number of Pac-12 teams that are bowl eligible — eight, to be exact — there are a few different bowl games that the Bears could end up appearing in.
The schedule for all games will be released on Selection Day, slated to begin at 12 p.m. on Dec. 3, with 82 teams participating in a bowl game alongside the College Football Playoff.
As rumors, projections and assumptions are flying around following the end to the regular season, here is a breakdown of what the Bears’ bowl game scenario might look like.
Radiance Technologies Independence Bowl (Shreveport, Louisiana)
Date: Dec. 16, 2023
Time: 6:15 p.m. PT
Location: Independence Stadium
Out of the six bowl games that are affiliated with the Pac-12, the Independence bowl is the last to select. Given that, out of the teams that finished with six wins and above in the Pac-12 conference, Cal technically ranks last, which makes the Independence bowl a very real possibility for the Bears.
Though Cal and UCLA both finished 4-5 in the conference, the Bruins have a better record with 7-5 compared to the Bears’ 6-6. However, given that Cal decisively beat UCLA 33-7 in the last week of the regular season, the Bears may have earned themselves a higher-tier bowl game.
But, should Cal indeed head to Louisiana for its final game of the year, it would face a lower-ranked team in the Big 12. As things currently stand, this could be Texas Tech, Kansas or UCF.
LA Bowl Hosted by Gronk (Inglewood, California)
Date: Dec. 16, 2023
Time: 4:30 p.m. PT
Location: SoFi Stadium (home of the Los Angeles Rams an Los Angeles Chargers)
The LA Bowl is another potential destination for the Bears, one step above the Independence bowl in the selection process. Set to be held at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles, the bowl game would feature a Pac-12 team and a Mountain West team. The winner of the Mountain West championship game, Boise State or UNLV, would head to Los Angeles to face what is likely either UCLA or Cal.
The LA bowl is also scheduled for Dec. 16 and is set to be hosted by Rob Gronkowski after previously having late-night TV host Jimmy Kimmel as its sponsor.
While this might be a less appealing matchup in terms of name recognition, the LA Bowl would be a more sought after destination for the Bears, given its location in Southern California. With a potentially easier matchup at stake, as well, the LA bowl could give the Bears a chance to end the season above .500.
As would be the case with the Independence Bowl, the downside would be the timing of it with Cal having fewer opportunities to practice, something coaching staffs value this time of year, than with some of the other options.
Tony the Tiger Sun Bowl (El Paso, Texas)
Date: Dec. 29, 2023
Time: 11 a.m. PT
Location: Sun Bowl
Another possible destination for the Bears this postseason could be the Tony the Tiger Sun Bowl.
The game is set to have a Pac-12 team going up against an ACC opponent, which could give a chance for the Bears to play one of their future rivals for the first time before officially joining the ACC next season.
According to the Sun Bowl’s website, the Sun Bowl Stadium could see one of Clemson, North Carolina, Duke or Miami going up against a Pac-12 team. Fox Sports also projects Cal facing Georgia Tech in this year’s Sun Bowl.
While the website says that the potential teams for the Pac-12 side are Oregon State, Utah and USC.
Other possible bowl options
Although this outcome is less likely, the Bears could end up in one of the three bowl games owned by ESPN. These are the First Responder Bowl, the Armed Forces Bowl and the Gasparilla Bowl.
247Sports projects Cal for the First Responder bowl, officially the SERVPRO First Responder Bowl. Scheduled for the day after Christmas on Dec. 26 at 4:30 p.m. CT at SMU’s stadium in Dallas, Texas. The Bears may end up here should one of the tie-in conferences not field enough bowl-eligible teams. The same is true for the two other bowls.
The Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl is scheduled for Dec. 23 at 2:30 p.m. CT in Fort Worth, Texas, whereas the Union Home Mortgage Gasparilla Bowl is scheduled for Dec. 22 at 6:30 p.m. ET in Tampa Bay, Florida.
Current notable bowl projections
CBS: Cal vs. Texas Tech (Independence Bowl)
USA Today: Cal vs. Texas Tech (Independence Bowl)
FOX Sports: Cal vs. Georgia Tech (Sun Bowl)
ESPN: Cal vs. Texas Tech/UCF (Independence Bowl)
Sporting News: Cal vs. UNLV (LA Bowl)
