Cal Fires Coach Justin Wilcox After Loss to Stanford

BERKELEY, Calif. — California parted ways with head coach Justin Wilcox on Sunday, following a significant defeat to Stanford in a pivotal matchup.

This decision marks a notable move by first-year general manager Ron Rivera, who has the mission of transforming the Bears into a successful team.

“I want to express my gratitude to Justin for his contributions to our football program and university,” Rivera stated. “He always approached his role with class and professionalism. After thoughtful consideration, we believe it’s time for new leadership. We wish him well in his future endeavors.”

ESPN was the first to report on Wilcox’s dismissal.

Nick Rolovich, who previously coached at Hawaii and Washington State, will take charge as interim coach for the Bears’ final game against No. 25 SMU this Saturday.

Initially, Rivera had spoken about the potential for the team to achieve at least eight victories this season. There was a glimmer of hope when the Bears, under the impressive play of freshman quarterback Jaron-Keawe Sagaportele, secured a 29-26 overtime win against No. 14 Louisville—Cal’s first victory over a ranked opponent since 2020.

However, ahead of the crucial match against Stanford, Rivera declined to show public support for Wilcox during a press conference. The disheartening performance in the rivalry game was the final blow to any remaining optimism. Cal fumbled three times, with two of those returned for touchdowns, and committed 13 penalties, accumulating 123 yards, leading to a damaging 31-10 loss. This marked the Bears’ most decisive defeat since 2014.

After the game, Wilcox acknowledged the disappointment felt by fans, saying, “I get their pain. I understand the frustration. We’re putting in the effort to play our best, but clearly, we couldn’t achieve that tonight.”

Wilcox had completed his ninth season at California but struggled to establish the Bears as a consistent threat. His overall record stood at 48-55, with a conference record of 26-47 in the Pac-12 and ACC.

The loss to Stanford sealed Cal’s fate of not winning a conference game during Wilcox’s tenure. The Bears also haven’t surpassed six wins in a season since 2019, when they managed an 8-5 record after defeating Illinois in the Red Box Bowl, which marked their only bowl victory with Wilcox as head coach.