No. 24 Bears looking for more
The last time Cal was ranked among the AP Top 25 was a three-week span of October 2015.
The Bears escaped with a six-point victory over Washington State before back-to-back losses at Utah and UCLA dropped them from the poll.
So, after Cal finally found its way back into the rankings this week at No. 24, what did head coach Justin Wilcox tell his squad?
“Nothing,” Wilcox said. “... It means we’ve won our first three games, which is a good thing, but we’re much more concerned with the postseason rankings than the in-season rankings.”
Cal is one of 21 remaining unbeaten FBS teams and a victory in Saturday night’s game against No. 19 Oregon (3-1, 0-1 Pac-12) would go a long way toward securing the school’s first AP postseason ranking since the 2006 squad went 10-3 and finished No. 14.
Most of the Bears’ players were in elementary school back then. In fact, only about a quarter of the team was on the ranked squad three years ago, but the players feel like they’re ready for the intensified spotlight.
“We’re focused,” senior inside linebacker Jordan Kunaszyk said. “We’re ready to take that next step, play a really good team and show ourselves that we’re ready for that jump. We’re ready to become the team we know we can be.”
Kunaszyk has two interceptions in two games against Oregon, including one that sealed Cal’s 52-49 double-overtime victory in 2016. That was the Bears’ only win over Oregon in the past nine meetings.
This game promises a different matchup than has unfolded for the better part of the past decade.
Cal’s defense is allowing 19.3 points per game, a 23.3-point improvement from the 42.6 the Bears allowed just two seasons ago. Cal ranks second in the nation in interceptions (seven), fifth in passing-efficiency defense (91.8) and 16th in total defense (302.3 yards per game) as it prepares for its stiffest test of the year.
Led by Justin Herbert, perhaps the country’s top quarterback prospect, Oregon is scoring 46.5 points per game. The Ducks have racked up 303.3 passing yards and 205 rushing yards per game and have converted on 50 percent of their third-down plays.
Herbert made his first Pac-12 road start in Berkeley in 2016, throwing five of his six touchdown passes in the second half and overtimes. On Saturday, he connected with Dillon Mitchell 14 times for 239 yards in a 38-31 overtime loss to Stanford.
“He’s phenomenal, man,” Kunaszyk said of Herbert. “I was watching some of his early games this year. Some of the throws he made, it was just crazy. He’s the real deal. He’s a great player. I met him at media day. He’s a really humble guy, a great guy. He’s going to have a successful football career. I’m really excited for the challenge.”
Briefly: Kanawai Noa, who missed the Week 3 game with an undisclosed injury, is expected to return against Oregon, according to Wilcox. In the junior receiver’s stead, Jeremiah Hawkins had three catches for 45 yards and a touchdown out of the slot against Idaho State . ... Cal’s game at Arizona on Oct. 6 is scheduled for a 7 p.m. kickoff. It will air on Fox Sports 1.