California: 2025 Week 16 recap

California sits at 80th overall with a 7–6 record after a 38–35 home win over SMU in Week 14. The victory showed resilience in a tight contest, though the narrow margin underscores the team's inconsistency this season. At a GIE rating of −3.2, Cal remains firmly in the lower tier of the Power Four, where execution lapses and marginal talent gaps compound quickly. The Bears have now played through most of their schedule and face limited runway to reshape their standing. Without a scheduled game listed for this week, focus shifts to closing-week positioning and what the final stretch demands.