1996 California Golden Bears football team

The 1996 California Golden Bears football team was an American football team that represented the University of California, Berkeley in the Pacific-10 Conference (Pac-10) during the 1996 NCAA Division I-A football season. In their first and only year under head coach Steve Mariucci, the Golden Bears compiled a 6–6 record (3–5 against Pac-10 opponents), finished in a tie for fifth place in the Pac-10, and were outscored by their opponents by a combined score of 407 to 382.

The team's statistical leaders included Pat Barnes with 3,499 passing yards, Brandon Willis with 701 rushing yards, and Bobby Shaw with 888 receiving yards.