2017 was Cal's first year under Justin Wilcox, whose defensive-minded approach could be considered a polar opposite of Dykes. That year the Bears had a losing season; however, they were able to beat No. 8 Washington State 37–3. In 2018, the Bears went 7–6 with Wilcox's defense being ranked No. 15 in the nation in total yards allowed. The highlight of the season was defeating USC for the first time since 2003, when Wilcox was the Cal linebackers coach. In the 2019 season, the Bears improved to an 8–5 record that included a win at the Redbox Bowl. They achieved their highest ranking since 2009 when they were ranked No. 15 after a 4–0 start to the season and also defeated Stanford in the Big Game for the first time since 2009.