Cal nearing full strength for Big Game

BERKELEY >> Cal will be virtually at full strength for Saturday’s 124th Big Game at Stanford.

The Bears (3-6, 2-4 Pac12) released an updated depth chart Tuesday, and coach Justin Wilcox confirmed that players included there will be available to face the Cardinal (3-7, 2-6).

That includes quarterback

Chase Garbers, one of 24 players who tested positive for COVID-19 and did not make the trip to Arizona two weeks ago, where the Bears lost 10-3 to the Wildcats.

The only apparent exceptions are two starting offensive linemen, left tackle Will Craig, who remains sidelined with an ankle injury, and right guard McKade Mettauer, who was held out of the Arizona game and still is not available.

“There are still a few people out but we feel good about this group,” Wilcox said. “The majority of them will be at practice today.”

Since the outbreak surfaced, Cal reportedly had 47 or more players, coaches and staff test positive. Many of them already have returned to the stadium for regular activities.

Without enough players who were cleared to play last week, Cal worked with USC to reschedule their game to Dec. 4. The Bears and Trojans will play at Memorial Stadium at 8 p.m.

“Last week there was a limited number of available bodies so we weren’t able to have a traditional practice,”

Wilcox said. “We did what we could.”

Cal played perhaps its two best games prior to the outbreak, beating Colorado 26-3 and Oregon State 3925. Wilcox sounded like he expects the Bears to restore that momentum this week.

“We would expect to go out and play well,” he said.

The Bears need to win their three remaining games to become bowl eligible, and Wilcox said his players are excited as he’s ever seen them.

Center Matthew Cindric, who said he feels fine after getting past his 10 days of COVID isolation, believes the Bears are ready to pick up where they left off before the outbreak.

“Yesterday in practice, it almost felt like I never left,” he said. “Today, I think it’ll be back to where we were and hopefully keep that rhythm.”