Gameday: Football vs. California • Sept. 25 • 10:30 p.m. • ESPN

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Clemson will make its first trip to the West Coast since the ACC's westward expansion when the Tigers face the Cal Golden Bears on Friday, Sept. 25. Kickoff at California Memorial Stadium in Berkeley, Calif. is set for 10:30 p.m. ET on ESPN.

Friday's game will represent Clemson's fourth game all-time in the state of California. Clemson's first game in the Golden State came in 1951 in a matchup of Top 20 teams, as Frank Howard's 16th-ranked Tigers fell to No. 20 Pacific, 21-7. The Tigers returned in 1966 but were shut out by fifth-ranked USC at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.

Clemson's most recent game in California, though, stands as one of the program's most memorable. On Jan. 7, 2019, Clemson defeated Alabama, 44-16, in Santa Clara to bring home its third national championship. Friday's contest will kick off at 7:30 p.m. local, which translates to a 10:30 p.m. start back in Clemson's home time zone. 

It will be the program’s latest kickoff according to its home time zone since Nov. 28, 1982, when the Tigers defeated Wake Forest at National Stadium in Tokyo, Japan. The 1 p.m. local kickoff time for that game equated to 11 p.m. ET.

WHAT TO WATCH FOR THIS WEEK

• Clemson and Cal meeting for the second time in series history, joining New Year’s Day in 1992 when Clemson closed its 1991 season with a Citrus Bowl appearance against the Golden Bears.
• Clemson attempting to even its all-time series with Cal at 1-1. At 1-0, Cal is presently one of only three ACC teams with a winning record against Clemson alltime (Cal, Florida State and Georgia Tech).
• Clemson playing a conference game on the West Coast for the first time in program history.
• Clemson playing its fourth all-time contest in the Golden State, joining road games at Pacific in 1951 and USC in 1966 and Clemson’s victory over Alabama in Santa Clara to secure the national championship for the 2018 season.
• Clemson attempting to earn its first regular-season victory in the state of California in school history and even its overall record in the state at 2-2.