Cal’s hunt for bowl eligibility gets a test
UCLA QB ThompsonRobinson leads top conference offense
After Cal’s 41-11 victory last weekend over Stanford in the 124th Big Game, the topic of conversation among Golden Bears fans turned to bowl eligibility.
With three wins in their past four games, the Bears (4-6, 3-4 in Pac-12) and need to beat UCLA (7-4, 5-3) on Saturday at the Rose Bowl and USC a week from now in Berkeley to reach the postseason.
How much is the subject discussed in Cal’s football offices?
“Everybody’s well aware that each game we play we need to win. The guys know it,” coach Justin Wilcox said. “We talk about it for about three seconds, and then we turn all of our focus on preparing to play UCLA.”
Wilcox said the approach now is the same as it was when the Bears began the season 1-5, with four of those defeats by seven points or fewer.
“It kind of speaks to the players we have here, really locking arms and staying together. Nobody ever wavered,” he said. “I think they recognized early in the year that we weren’t real far off. Unfortunately, we’re a play short too many times.
“Those aren’t excuses, they’re explanations and we (had) to find a way to improve. And we have improved.”
Here are three keys to the Bears beating the high-scoring Bruins: WIN THE QUARTERBACK DUEL >> Wilcox believes that seniors Chase Garbers of Cal and Dorian Thompson-Robinson are “well-deserving candidates” for All-Pac-12 honors at quarterback. Whichever one has a better game Saturday provides his team an edge.
“We’re preparing for Dorian — he’s a very talented player. He can run it, he can throw it. He buys time and can extend a play. And he’s done it for a long time,” Wilcox said.
“Chase is playing the best football of his career. Seniors who have played for four years, you
don’t always see the improvement you might see in a freshman. Chase continues to improve.”
Thompson-Robinson, who has thrown for 2,245 yards with 18 touchdowns, leads the Pac-12 in pass efficiency and is second in total offense. Garbers, with 2,225 passing yards and 16 TDs, leads the conference in total offense, is second in passing yards per game and fifth in efficiency.
Utah’s Cameron Rising and Washington State’s Jayden de Laura also will get strong consideration for all-conference honors. KEEP DEFENSE ROLLING >>
Defense has been the program’s backbone since Wilcox replaced Sonny Dykes in 2017, but the Bears struggled early this season, allowing an average of 29.3 points through four games.
Changes followed, some forced by injury, others by the emergence of mostly young players. Among four new starters since the opener is cornerback LuMagia Hearns, who earned Pac-12 freshman of the week honors after an interception and four pass breakups against Stanford.
The Bears are allowing an average of just 15.7 points over the past six games, and Wilcox believes they will be ready for a UCLA team leading the Pac-12 in scoring at 36 points per game.
“Our guys are excited for a challenge like that,” Wilcox said. “They’re a hungry group. They have a ton of respect for who we’re playing and understand it’ll be a great challenge.”
RUN THE BALL >> One way to limit the time Cal’s defense spends on the field is to keep the ball. Sparked by 131 yards from Christopher Brooks and 92 by Marcel Dancy, the Bears rushed for 352 yards against the Cardinal.
That was the most yards Cal has accumulated on the ground in a game since going for 431 yards in a 48-7 win over Washington on Dec. 6, 2008. Jahvid Best, now the coach at St. Mary’s High in Berkeley, had 311 yards and four touchdowns against the Huskies that day.*