Clemson vs Cal Q&A with Write for California

For the first time since destroying Alabama 44-16 for a National Championship in 2019, Clemson is going back to Cali. The Tigers have a late Friday night game against one of the ACC's newest members, the Cal Bears. Jesse Miller-Gordon of WriteforCalifornia.com joins us to talk Cal football, what Tiger fans can expect in Berkley, and more! Before we dig in, remember to check out our friends at Section103.com. Section 103 is giving you some of the best Clemson gear that you won't find elsewhere. As I'm writing this, I am wearing my Section 103 Clemson Contrast Collar Performance Polo . The style gives the same vibes as what Dabo, Brent Venables, and the staff were rocking in 2012 , and the material and cut create one of the most comfortable polos you can find anywhere. I'm a golf polo snob, and my Section 103 polos are in heavy rotation in my wardrobe. Section 103 also has sweatshirts, t-shirts, hats, and more, and with men's sizes, women's sizes, and kids' sizes, your whole squad will be the talk of the tailgate. Use our code STS10 to get 10% off your first order and find your new favorite Clemson gear today!

Shakin' the Southland:We're in year 3 of the Cal Golden Bears playing in the ACC. How are fans enjoying it? Have the fans learned to embrace the new rivalries or is there a desire to find a way to go back to playing other West Coast schools?

Writing for California I think fans are glad to be somewhere and on the upswing. Things were looking pretty dire around the dissolving of the Pac 12. I think more regional play would be great but there's some hard feelings about being bailed on. I think it's been interesting to watch Stanford and Cal become more intertwined on a destiny level.

STS: Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele is the guy everyone is talking about in regards to Cal. Who else on this Bears team should Clemson fans be aware of going into Friday night?

WFC: Safety room is stacked, it's not just Lopa. The DB play hasn't fallen off since Wilcox's exit which is great to see. Nate Burrell has been making some plays. I like Cooper Perry as a receiver, he's going to get more work as things progress I think.

STS: How did fans react to the hire of Tosh Lupoi? Are fans pretty confident in him despite this being his first head coaching job?

WFC: He was the chosen son and the unifying name for a couple years before he was even hired. There's definitely lore about how he left that was brought up before the possibility was real, but once things got real thats who everyone wanted and thats who they got. In an insane turnover year where a lot of blue blood types were poaching I was more interested in finding a passionate coordinator who isn't confused by how to be successful here. I think this is a region where knowing it has and can work here is important and some coaches have never been able to picture what this place can be. I graduated from Berkeley High in 05 and this place was full and the team was good, it's all there for the taking.

STS: An under-discussed side of the Luke Ferrelli saga is him leaving Cal. How does Cal go about keeping their star players from hitting the portal, particularly with a guy like JKS? Has the portal era generally been good or bad for Cal?

WFC: This is where it's nice to have Tosh. Everyone's heard the story of him flying straight from his intro presser and going to JKS's parents living room. He really was wearing the exact same outfit. Knowing there's a maniac who thinks about it more than I do is cool. You don't worry about him "getting" the new era. He's built for this era I think. This portal cycle felt rich and cool but I think they're going to try to recruit and retain more in the future.

STSL For Tiger fans making the trip this week, what do you recommend they do in the Berkeley area? Any pregame spots that are a must?

WFC: Campus bars you've got Raleighs for adults and Kips or Henrys for the kids. If you're in town on Saturday and wanna watch games Kingfish on the Oakland stretch for Telegraph is the (blue and) gold standard. If you're just by the game and don't wanna think too hard, get Mexican food at Tacos Sinaloa, maybe grab a Sonoran dog from a vendor as you leave the game, they're bomb. If you wanna get fancier check out the "gourmet ghetto" in North Berkeley, stuff like Chez Panisse. The classic burger spot in Berkeley is Smokehouse but The Station is right in the shadow of the Claremont and while bougie is a nice neighborhood Cal spot. Pizza check out Rose or Pizza De Laura around Shattuck.

STS: A lot of people want to talk about this being a "culture clash" of two different fan bases. What are some misconceptions about Cal fans and what do you wish more people knew about the Cal football culture?

WFC: We're pretty fun, man. The faithful party more than you'd expect. We can take a joke, just be cool

WFC: Run the ball successfully, the line needs to give Mohammed a little more space so we can get more explosives, he's really talented. Obviously we'd love to see JKS get another second or two in the pocket and for the catching issues to resolve themselves. Curious if we'll see more Dorian Thomas looks.

STS: Where can the folks find your work?

WriteforCalifornia.com ! Also shout out to "Tell the Whole Damn World" pod, who have me on most Wednesdays this fall

Shout out to Jesse for taking his time to talk with us. For any Tigers fans in Berkley for the game, I'm sure his recommendations will come in handy!