California Selected for Hawai’i Bowl on December 24

California Athletics

Football
December 04, 2025

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (theACC.com) – ESPN Events and the Atlantic Coast Conference announced on Thursday, December 4, that the California Golden Bears will compete in the 2025 Sheraton Hawai’i Bowl on Wednesday, December 24, versus the University of Hawai’i. The game is slated for 8 p.m. ET on ESPN.
 
Wednesday, December 24 – Sheraton Hawai’i Bowl, Honolulu, Hawai’i
California (7-5, 4-4 ACC) vs. Hawai’i (8-4, 5-3 Mountain West)

• California makes its first-ever appearance in the Hawai’i Bowl, marking the program’s 27th bowl game.
• The Golden Bears are 12-13-1 all-time in bowl contests.
• Cal has now reached a bowl game in both seasons since joining the ACC.
• This year marks Cal’s third consecutive bowl berth, reinforcing the program’s consistency and positive trajectory.
• The matchup is the sixth all-time meeting between Cal and Hawai’i; the Golden Bears hold a 3-2 series lead.
• Cal starting quarterback Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele, from Ewa Beach, Hawai’i, returns home as the state’s all-time passing yards leader.
• Cal interim head coach Nick Rolovich previously served as Hawai’i’s head coach (2016–19), leading the Rainbow Warriors to three bowl appearances.

 
The ACC has 11 bowl-eligible teams this season, tied for the second-most among all FBS conferences. The remainder of the league’s bowl lineup will be announced on Sunday, December 8, following the games on championship weekend.