The California Golden Bears and BYU Cougars have canceled their future football series that was scheduled to kickoff in 2026, according to a report from KSL Sports on Wednesday.
California and BYU previously announced the contract for their home-and-home football series last year. The series was scheduled to begin at LaVell Edwards Stadium in Provo, Utah, on Sept. 12, 2026, before shifting to Cal Memorial Stadium in Berkeley, Calif., on Sept. 11, 2027.
Per the report from KSL Sports, California requested to cancel the series with BYU due to the ACC transitioning to a nine-game conference football schedule. Cal is one of 12 ACC members that will play nine league games next season, and the Golden Bears are also scheduled to host the UCLA Bruins to kickoff their 2026 slate.
California will not owe a cancellation fee for backing out of the series, however. According to the cancellation clause of the original contract, either team may cancel the games without penalty if there is “…a change to the number of nonconference games that either party’s conference allows.”
The 2026 matchup between the Golden Bears and Cougars would have marked only their sixth contest on the gridiron. In their most recent matchup in 2018 in Provo, Cal defeated BYU 21-18, but the Cougars still lead the series 3-2.
With the cancellation of BYU, California is now down to three non-conference opponents for the 2026 season. The Golden Bears are scheduled to open the season at home against UCLA on Sept. 5 before welcoming the Wagner Seahawks to Berkeley two weeks later on Sept. 19. Cal is also scheduled to visit the UNLV Rebels at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nevada, on Oct. 3.
In ACC action next season, Cal will host Clemson, Pitt, Stanford, Virginia Tech, and Wake Forest, and will trek to NC State, SMU, Syracuse, and Virginia.
BYU will now need to locate a power opponent for its 2026 slate, as their two other scheduled non-conference opponents are the Utah Tech Trailblazers at home on Sept. 5 and the Colorado State Rams on the road on Sept. 19.
BYU’s Big 12 opponents for 2026, which were previously announced, include Arizona, Arizona State, Baylor, Iowa State, and Cincinnati at home and Kansas, TCU, UCF, and Utah on the road.
Football Schedules
I rather see P4 vs P4 play in CFP than in regular season however speaking of regular season I would want P4 vs P4 play at a neutral site so fans can be treated fairly.
The regular season is what matters. Not the CFP. Which is obviously a bunch of invitational garbage rigged by ESPN to only get only big brands from the SEC and Big 10 teams. If it was a real playoff BYU would be in and way ahead of Miami and Notre Dame and Alabama.
What do you mean fans treated fairly? You say this dumb crap all the time but what evidence you have that says fans aren’t treated fairly? I’m mean if it’s a home and home series, both teams fans get an equal chance to go to a home game. How much more fairly do you need it?
@BYUfan – –
Taken fully from the heart
#beatdowntwicebyTexasTech
Any other P4 schools have an open slot for BYU next year?
https://fbschedules.com/fbs-college-football-teams-with-non-conference-openings-in-2026/
BC needs to cancel a 2026 game, likely one of it’s three currently scheduled P4 opponents (ND, Rutgers, @Cincin).
I suspect GT will also cancel one of its three scheduled P4 opponents (@Georgia, Colorado, Tenn).
Not P4 but USF and Memphis are still looking for a P4 opponent.
I’m confident ND will come to terms with both Stanford and USC.
BC is only playing eight ACC games in 2026, they don’t have to cancel anyone.
Thanks, Kevin!
So it looks like there are no more P4 schools with openings. Then again, this isn’t BYU’s fault. The ACC could consider a BYU game vs. WSU/ORSt. (or another MWC school or Boise) as “P4-like”.
Ole Miss played Washington State this season because of the USC cancellation.
The ACC/BYU could also consider UConn a “P4 equivalent”, which is a bit of a stretch, but heck, ND is, and they are an independent too.
I hate all of your suggestions.
BYUfan: Doesn’t really matter what you like. The alternative is another G5/FCS game for BYU. *shrug*
I got BC switched up with Syracuse, who will need to cancel an OOC game. But Syracuse won’t cancel their only P4 OOC opponent.
However, still not sure BC keeps three OOC P4’s on the schedule.
Four other B12 programs do not have a P4 on their OOC schedule. So BYU could so the same and play either Oregon St or San Diego St, both still need of an OOC opponent.
BC’s social media already confirmed that they are playing three P4 OOC games next season
Sad. Cancelling games is not good for college football. Dumbing down the sport we all love. Now the game is conference centric and cheats fans/players seeing playing against teams other than conference teams. Boring to see conference teams all the time!! Man up and play the games fans & players want to see!!!!!!!!!!
College Football needs choices on airwaves not ratings.
At least will have P4 vs P4 in CFP.
You can see plenty of high-stakes OOC games in the playoffs.
Agreeable Richard
If ND and USC cannot come to an agreement on a game next year, as appears increasingly unlikely, ND and BYU would be a good match up.
Good, let´s get someone respectable to come to LES.
You haven’t looked to see who still has openings in 2026, have you? Unless ND inexplicably can’t come to an agreement with USC and Stanford, the only dancing partners BYU will still have available in 2026 are G5 and FCS schools.
We have to get someone from a P4 conference. Let´s just hope it´s good.
You can say you “have to” until you’re blue in the face, but if there are no P4 programs with openings in 2026, there are no P4 programs with openings in 2026. I suppose BYU could try to financially entice a P4 school to schedule with them (breaking another contract), but BYU would have to pay up for that.
The Big 12 should allow BYU to schedule a higher level G5 like Boise State, Memphis, or Washington St, who all need games, since they are already allowing Texas Tech to count Oregon State as it’s P4 opponent.
My money would say this is the most likely outcome. P4s just aren’t very available less than a year out. The mystery is will it be a H/H to take Cal’s place–or are they going to want to get the G5 exception just for 2026 and try and fill a P4 H/H in 2027 with a future date for game 2?
I´d like Boise State. I´ve missed that game. It was becoming a really good rivalry.
Illininoles97 Bottom Line I rather have P4 vs P4 at neutral sites rather than visiting team takeover at campus stadiums.
Last thing I want to see in You being surrounded by Florida State Seminoles Fans at Champaign Memorial Stadium & I really care about you as an Illinois Fighting Illini Fan buddy.
Here’s a what-if scenario: BYU needs a P4 equivalent so is looking for the highest-level game it can find. What-if James Madison is dropped by Virginia Tech. With James Madison in the CFP, that would be a high-level game.
If that doesn’t work, I’d guess you go with San Diego State who is listed needing 2 non-conference games. Maybe BYU is that 2nd game assuming the conference does something to help with the number of teams needing 1 more game in the Pac-12.
UCONN could work–they appear to have had a decent year record-wise.
Then there would be the long-time previous game partners in Boise State and Utah State. It would be nice to get them back on the schedule in some form, but maybe the series cancelations from joining the Big 12 is still a problem for them.