Odds courtesy of TonyBet.
Clemson vs California Odds
There's essentially nothing separating these teams at football betting sportsbooks, with both Clemson and California sitting at -115 on the moneyline. The total is set at 50.5 points, with the Under slightly juiced at -117.
Friday will be just the second all-time meeting between Clemson and California. The Golden Bears won the previous matchup 37-13 in the 1992 Citrus Bowl.
Clemson vs California Analysis
Clemson's season got off to a nightmare start with a 51-10 loss to LSU, but Dabo Swinney's group has responded with back-to-back victories. The Tigers weren't overly convincing in a 22-7 win over Georgia Southern, but last weekend's performance against North Carolina showed some serious character. Clemson trailed 17-3 and didn't take its first lead until the final minutes, eventually scoring two late touchdowns to secure a 28-20 victory.
Freshman quarterback Tait Reynolds also took another step forward in his first career start, completing 20 of 29 passes for 215 yards, one touchdown, and one interception. The running game finally came alive as well, with Gideon Davidson rushing for a career-high 105 yards and a score. Clemson finished with a season-best 401 total yards, including 186 on the ground. The Tigers still have plenty to clean up offensively, but the improvement from Week 1 has been noticeable.
California will present a much different challenge, especially on the other side of the country. The Golden Bears are also 2-1 and enter Friday's contest with plenty of confidence after demolishing Wagner 49-7. Cal scored 29 points in the opening quarter and finished with a whopping 626 yards of total offense, its most in a single game since 2023. The Bears didn't punt once and scored on each of their first four possessions.
Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele was the star of the show, completing 27 of 33 passes for a career-high 413 yards and three touchdowns. The Cal signal-caller has thrown for 866 yards and seven scores through three games and has yet to throw an interception this season. Running back Adam Mohammed gives this offense another dangerous weapon, rushing for 285 yards through three contests while also contributing in the passing game.
The Bears have also made plays defensively. Defensive back Kingston Lopa leads the nation with five interceptions and has recorded at least one takeaway in every game this season. Cal's pass defense ranks 10th nationally in efficiency, which could make life difficult for a freshman quarterback making his first career road start. The Tigers certainly have the talent advantage in several areas, but a cross-country trip to Berkeley under the lights is no easy assignment.
Clemson vs California Picks
Clemson showed a lot of resilience against North Carolina, but I'm not completely sold on this offense just yet. The Tigers scored only 22 points against Georgia Southern and needed a fourth-quarter comeback to get past the Tar Heels. Reynolds has shown improvement, but this will be his first road start, and Cal's secondary has been excellent at forcing turnovers.
The Golden Bears have a dangerous quarterback of their own in Sagapolutele, and playing at home gives them another advantage in what the odds suggest should be an extremely close contest. I'll back Cal to grab its second ACC victory of the campaign on Friday night.
Pick: California ML (-115)/TonyBet
