Clemson travels to Berkeley to face California on Friday, September 25, with kickoff at 10:30 p.m. ET on ESPN. Both teams are 2-1 overall and 1-0 in ACC play.

The Tigers rallied past North Carolina 28-20 last week, while Cal beat Wagner 49-7. It is a short turnaround for Clemson before its first ACC road trip to the West Coast.

The quarterback matchup gives this game plenty of interest, but the running game is central to my Clemson vs Cal prediction. Here are my picks, the latest market prices and the TV schedule.

I’m backing Clemson to win by at least two points. I like its chance to establish the run and reduce the burden on freshman quarterback Tait Reynolds. On a cross-country trip, that looks like a more dependable approach than asking him to trade deep throws with Cal all night.

Reynolds threw for 215 yards in his first start against North Carolina. Running back Gideon Davidson added 105 rushing yards and a touchdown. Clemson still trailed 20-15 with 6:34 left before completing the comeback, so I am not treating that win as evidence the offense has solved everything. The game also featured a massive lightning delay while North Carolina was driving, throwing off any sense of momentum the Tar Heels had.

Cal’s passing game is the reason to keep the stake reasonable. Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele completed 27 of 33 passes for 413 yards and three touchdowns against Wagner. Clemson will need to limit those explosive gains; simply holding the ball longer will not be enough if Cal scores quickly. Rutgers transfer Ian Strong has 14 catches for 206 yards on the season, but even he has been inconsistent for the Golden Bears.

Polymarket US buy-screen percentages checked September 24 for Friday’s game. Winning contracts settle at $1 before fees. Eligible customers can claim the Polymarket sign-up bonus .

The win prices show how little separates these teams. My spread selection adds a condition to backing Clemson outright: the Tigers must win by two or more. A one-point victory would win the moneyline market but lose the spread pick.