Cal football on Saturday
Who: Cal (4-3, 1-3 Pac-12) at No. 12 Utah (6-1, 3-1) When: 7 p.m. Where: Salt Lake City TV/Radio: FS1/810 Story line: Lugging a three-game losing streak, Cal heads to Salt
Lake City to face a Utah team that has won three in a row. Each team has a question mark at quarterback because of injuries. Each team has a highly regarded defense, Utah’s especially so.
WHEN CAL HAS THE BALL
An undisclosed injury forced second-string QB Devon Modster to leave the game in the fourth quarter of Cal’s 21-17 loss to Oregon State last Saturday. Freshman Spencer Brasch played the final two series and completed 2 of 6 passes for 24 yards with an interception. If Modster can’t go against the Utes, Brasch will get his first collegiate start.
And that would rate among the toughest ways to make a debut start. In a 21-3 win last Saturday, Utah harassed Arizona State freshman QB Jayden Daniels into a 4-for-18, 25-yard passing day. Led by defensive defensive end Bradlee Anae (seven sacks this season), Utah’s defense ranks second in the nation in rushing yards per game (61.1), fourth in total yards per game (252.1) and sixth in points per game (11.7).
Figuring the Bears will have a tough time sustaining drives, they likely will need a big play or two to pull off an upset. That big play could come from receiver Jordan Duncan, who had a 33-yard TD catch against the Beavers and a 36-yard reception in Cal’s previous game at Oregon.
WHEN UTAH HAS THE BALL
Senior QB Tyler Huntley twice left a win over ASU because of an undisclosed leg injury. He has said he’ll be ready to face the Bears, but if he’s not, either sophomore Jason Shelley — who started five games last season — or junior Drew Lisk will get the call. Shelley and Lisk each played in reserve roles last Saturday.
The Utes rely on senior running back Zack Moss, who’s averaging 6.6 yards per carry and 102.2 per game. He became the school’s career rushing leader (3,264 yards) last Saturday. The Bears do have a fond memory regarding Moss: They stopped him at the 1-yard line on the game’s final play to beat Utah 28-23 in 2016, the teams’ most recent meeting.
Cal ranks 20th in the nation in scoring defense (18.7 points per game) and has not allowed more than 24 points in 14 straight games. Evan Weaver (NCAA-best 15 tackles per game) deservedly has received the bulk of the attention, but fellow linebacker Cameron Goode also is thriving. Entering Friday, Goode was tied for second in the Pac-12 in tackles for loss (8.5) and was third in sacks (4.5).