After last week's brawl and series of suspensions following the UCLA-Arizona game, Jeff Tedford is worried that it may be a distraction for his team.
"I told the team that has nothing to do with us," Tedford said. "We're not going to get caught up in that. I know there's going to be a lot made of it through the week, but I want us to stay away from that."
The Bruins won two of their first three Pac-12 games but were beaten every way imaginable by Arizona. Leading receiver Nelson Rosario (30 catches, 558 yards) is UCLA's only proven wideout available for Saturday's game. The next most productive receiver who will play is Josh Smith with six catches this season.
UCLA coach Rick Neuheisel, whose seat has never been hotter after this season's disappointing start, is considering burning the redshirt year of freshman receiver Devin Lucien to give the Bruins more depth.
"I'm sure they'll rally around the people that are playing," Tedford said. "I know how teams typically respond to something like that. There's a rallying cry. Really, anytime you see something like this happen, teams come out stronger than anything because of solidarity and the rallying cry it can bring out."
After the jump the Bears open as favorites over UCLA and Mike Montgomery returns to the office.
Football
- The Bears opened as five-point favorites over UCLA.
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Ted Miller has another round of bowl projections: the Bears head to El Paso for the Sun Bowl. Both Mark Schlabach and Brad Edwards predict Cal in the Sun Bowl against Miami and Georgia Tech, respectively.
- The Bears climb back into the top half of Ted Miller's Pac-12 Power Rankings.
- Wilner gives the Bears an A- in the win over Utah. He was pleased with the offense, particularly the playcalling.
- The UCLA game will be televised in the Bay Area on Comcast Sports Net Bay Area and in Southern California on Fox Sports West Prime Ticker.
- The Cal-Washington State game was not picked up for television coverage, though CSN Bay Area may pick it up next week.
- Keenan Allen still leads the nation in receiving yards per game.
- Rick Neuheisel held his weekly press conference on Monday. Bruins Nation breaks down the extended, 30-minute affair.
Basketball
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Monty will return to the office this week and hopes to coach a practice before heading to LA for Pac-12 Media Day.
- While the rest of the baseball world wonders "Who is Allen Craig?" longtime Cal baseball fans remember him as the Bears' shortstop in the mid-2000s.