California travels to Notre Dame for the first matchup between the Golden Bears and Fighting Irish in 55 years on Saturday, Sept. 17 at 11:30 am PT inside Notre Dame Stadium. The Bears (2-0) are coming off two straight home games to open the 2022 season, defeating UC Davis 34-13 in the opener before a 20-14 win over UNLV in week two.
SATURDAY LINEUP
Venue: Notre Dame Stadium
Time: 11:30 a.m. PT
Television (NBC): Jac Collinsworth (play-by-play), Jason Garrett (analyst), Zora Stephenson (sideline)
Cal Bears Sports Network Powered By Learfield: KGO 810 AM
Joe Starkey (play-by-play), Mike Pawlawski (analyst), Todd McKim (sideline reporter);
SiriusXM Ch. 132 or 197 / SXM App 959, The Varsity App
ABOUT THE SERIES
— This will be the fifth all-time meeting between California and Notre Dame, but first since 1967.
— It will be the first game in 55 years between the two programs with the Fighting Irish having won all four of the previous matchups in 1959, 1960, 1965 and 1967.
BEARS ON NBC
— Former Cal greats from both the field and hardwood will be a part of Saturday's broadcast with Shane Vereen (pregame, halftime and post) and Jason Kidd (interview) featured on the NBC telecast.
OTT-STANT IMPACT
— Freshman running back Jaydn Ott has immediately made his presence known in the first two games of the season, rushing for 156 yards on 17 carries while adding five receptions for 42 yards and his first career touchdown. Ott was named Pac-12 Freshman of the Week for the second consecutive time on Monday, the first Bear to earn the honor in back-to-back weeks since its inception in 2019. Lu-Magia Hearns III is the only other Cal player to pick up the honor after the Golden Bears' 2021 Big Game victory at Stanford.
— Ott has proven to be a threat both running the ball and receiving out of the backfield, currently ranking eighth in the Pac-12 in all purpose yards through the first two weeks of the season. The Chino, California native is averaging 99 yards per game with 156 rushing and 42 receiving yards in two games. Ott is the only freshman to rank in the Top 10 of the conference in all purpose yards.
— With 156 yards rushing in the first two games of the season, Ott ranks fourth in the Pac-12 Conference. Ott is the top freshman rusher in the Pac-12 and sixth overall in the conference.
EASTERN TIME, NO PROBLEM
— Cal has played a pair of games in the eastern time zone under current head coach Justin Wilcox and has returned to the west coast victorious both times. The Bears opened the 2017 season with a 35-30 triumph at North Carolina in Wilcox's first game as head coach and won 28-20 at Ole Miss in 2019.
ROAD OPENERS
— The Bears have a 3-2 record in road openers under head coach Justin Wilcox.
— Cal won 35-30 at North Carolina in 2017, 21-18 at BYU in 2018 and earned a 20-19 victory at No. 12 Washington in 2019.
— The last two road openers have been defeats to UCLA in 2020 (34-10) and a back-and-forth loss at TCU to open last season (34-32).
DEFENSIVE MINDED
— California's defense has been strong in several areas through the first two games of the season, ranking third in the Pac-12 and No. 23 nationally in scoring defense. The Bears have held six of their last eight opponents to 14 points or less dating back to last season.
— The Bears are tied for second in the Pac-12 and tied for seventh in the country with one defensive touchdown.
— Cal is second in the Pac-12 and No. 18 in the nation with three interceptions through the first two weeks. Craig Woodson, Jeremiah Earby and Isaiah Young have each grabbed a pick, with Young's sealing the week two win over UNLV.
— Woodson returned from an injury that cost him the entire 2021 season and took an interception back 39 yards for a touchdown, the first score of his career in Cal's season-opening 34-13 win over UC Davis.
— Cal's starting inside linebacker duo of Jackson Sirmon (17) and Oluwafemi Oladejo (16) have been all over the field for the Bears, leading the team in tackles.
