2017 California Golden Bears football team

The 2017 California Golden Bears football team represented the University of California, Berkeley in the 2017 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Bears were led by first-year head coach Justin Wilcox and played their home games at California Memorial Stadium. UC Berkeley was a member of the Pac-12 Conference in the North Division. They finished the season 5–7, 2–7 in Pac-12 play to finish in fifth place in the North Division. The highlight of the season was Bears' 37–3 defeat of No. 8 ranked Washington State. It was the first time Cal beat a top ten opponent since they defeated No. 3 ranked USC in 2003.

Previous season
Fourth-year head coach Sonny Dykes led the Golden Bears to a record of 5–7 (3–6 Pac-12) in 2016 to finish in a tie for fourth place in the North Division. On January 8, 2017, Dykes was fired. He finished at Cal with a four-year record of 19–30.

On January 14, 2017, Justin Wilcox was hired as the new head coach for the Golden Bears, following the dismissal of Dykes.

Recruits
The Golden Bears signed a total of 14 recruits.

Schedule
Source:

Washington State

 * The game marked Cal's first win against a top ten opponent since 2003.
 * The three points allowed by the Bears defense are the fewest since holding UC Davis to three points in 2010.
 * In the fourth quarter, quarterback Ross Bowers executed a flip into the end zone to put the Bears up 27-3.

Oregon State

 * The game was the sixth time in program history that Cal had zero punts in a game. It was the first time that Cal had zero punts in a game since playing USC in 2004.
 * Matt Anderson broke the Cal record for career scoring, reaching 297 points after kicking three field goals and four extra points in the game. He broke the previous record of 288 points held by Doug Brien since 1993. Anderson would finish the season with an all-time record of 316 points.
 * Patrick Laird's 214 yards rushing ranks tenth in program history for rushing yards in a single game.

at UCLA

 * Matt Anderson broke the Cal record for career field goals, reaching 60 after kicking four field goals in the game. He broke the previous record of 56 field goals held by Doug Brien since 1993.
 * Ross Bowers reached 3,000 passing yards for the season and became the seventh player in Cal history to reach the milestone.
 * Patrick Laird reached 1,000 rushing yards for the season and became the sixteenth player in Cal history to reach the milestone.

Coaches

 * Tim DeRuyter (Defensive Coordinator)
 * Athlon Sports' National Defensive Coordinator of the Week, vs. Washington State

Offense

 * Ross Bowers (QB)
 * Manning Award Stars of the Week, vs. North Carolina


 * Patrick Laird (RB)
 * Burlsworth Trophy semifinalist
 * First-team Pac-12 All-Academic
 * All-Pac-12 Honorable Mention
 * CoSIDA Academic All-District Team


 * Malik McMorris (FB)
 * SB Nation Piesman Trophy finalist


 * Kanawai Noa (WR)
 * Polynesian College Football Player of the Year Award watchlist


 * Vic Wharton III (WR)
 * Biletnikoff Award watchlist


 * Jake Curhan (OL)
 * Second-team Pac-12 All-Academic


 * Patrick Mekari (OL)
 * All-Pac-12 Honorable Mention


 * Tony Mekari (G)
 * Second-team Pac-12 All-Academic

Defense

 * James Looney (DL)
 * All-Pac-12 Honorable Mention


 * Devante Downs (LB)
 * Chuck Bednarik Award watchlist
 * Lott IMPACT Trophy watchlist
 * All-Pac-12 Honorable Mention
 * Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Week, at North Carolina
 * Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Week(2), vs. Ole Miss
 * College Sports Madness National Defensive Player of the Week, vs. Ole Miss
 * College Sports Madness Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Week, vs. Ole Miss


 * Jordan Kunaszyk (LB)
 * Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Week, vs. Washington State
 * Rose Bowl: Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Week, vs. Washington State
 * Walter Camp National Defensive Player of the Week, vs. Washington State
 * College Sports Madness Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Week, vs. Washington State


 * Luke Rubenzer (S)
 * First-team Pac-12 All-Academic

Special teams

 * Matt Anderson (PK)
 * Pac-12 Football Scholar-Athlete of the Year
 * Campbell Trophy semifinalist
 * Lou Groza Award pre-season watchlist
 * Senior CLASS Award candidate
 * Second-team Pac-12 All-Academic
 * CoSIDA Academic All-District Team