SATURDAY’S GAME WHEN CAL HAS THE BALL
Who: Cal (5-6, 3-5 Pac-12) at UCLA (7-4, 4-4)
When: 7:30 p.m.
Where: Rose Bowl
TV/Radio: ESPN/810Story line: Teams coming off wins in rivalry games last Saturday meet for the last time for the foreseeable future. The Bears handled Stanford 27-15, and the Bruins dusted USC 38-20. The two teams first played each other in 1933 in a game that ended in a 0-0 tie. But with UCLA headed to the Big Ten and Cal to the ACC next season, Saturday’s matchup will be the last in the Bears-Bruins Pac-12 series. Cal needs a win to become bowl-eligible for the first time since 2019. A UCLA win would put the Bruins in a tie for fourth or fifth in the conference.
• The Bruins entered the weekend leading the nation in fewest rushing yards allowed per game (64.6) and lowest yards per carry (2.2), so the Bears very well could need a big night from QB Fernando Mendoza. In his sixth career start, Mendoza set personal highs with 294 passing yards and three TD passes in the Big Game.
• The Bears would love to see walk-on sophomore wide receiver Trond Grizzell have a similar game to those he had against Cal’s other two in-state opponents: six receptions for 91 yards and a TD against USC, and seven catches for 136 yards and two scores at Stanford. “The kid’s playing at a high level. He’s very confident,” Cal offensive coordinator Jake Spavital said. “I just love that kid and I love how he operates.”
• UCLA linebacker Oluwafemi Oladejo, a transfer from Cal, ranks fourth on the Bruins in tackles with 43. He had 17 tackles for the Bears in UCLA’s 35-28 win at Memorial Stadium last year.
WHEN UCLA HAS THE BALL
• The Bruins have had three starting quarterbacks this season: Ethan Garbers, Collin Schlee and freshman Dante Moore. Garbers, the younger brother of former Cal QB Chase Garbers, threw three TD passes against the Trojans. Would Cal head coach Justin Wilcox ask Chase for intel on Ethan? “We won’t put Chase in that position,” Wilcox said with a laugh. “I won’t be asking him to get in the middle of this.”
• Wide receiver J.Michael Sturdivant, who transferred to UCLA from Cal, has not had nearly the production with the Bruins this season (29 receptions, 438 yards, 3 TDs) as he did with the Bears in 2022 (65, 755, 7).
• Cal defensive coordinator Peter Sirmon called freshman linebacker Cade Uluave and junior defensive back Nohl Williams his unit’s two most improved players since the outset of the season. Uluave sat out the second half against the Cardinal with an injury but is expected to play against the Bruins. Williams, a transfer from UNLV, played a key role limiting Stanford wide receiver Elic Ayomanor to three catches for 43 yards.