Ted Miller is breaking down Pac-12 teams' schedules. Up first are our sturdy Golden Bears, whose road schedule might be the toughest in the conference. If the Bears want to have a successful season, they'll need to take care of business at the new home away from home, AT&T Park. Putting together a three-game winning streak at any point in the conference slate would be quite an accomplishment.
Key stretch: Most teams are better at home than on the road, but California often takes that truism to another level. Of course, while the Memorial Stadium renovation is going on, Cal won't really play at home this season. So it will be interesting to see how well the Bears do from Oct. 13 to Nov. 12 when they play four of five at their home-away-from-home, AT&T Park. Further, the lone road game, at UCLA, is certainly winnable.
Trap game: Cal crushed Colorado 52-7 last year, so Bears players and fans might be expecting an easy trip to Boulder on Sept. 10. Here's some advice: don't. The Buffaloes didn't show up in Berkeley, but that performance isn't indicative of the talent on this team. And, Golden Bears, you do know a few things about laying eggs and looking overmatched on the road when the talent ledger suggests you are not.
Sure thing: Presbyterian is not only an FCS team, it is a bad FCS team. The Bears should be able to win 100-0 if they so wish.
Analysis: Five of nine conference games are on the road. Playing at Washington, Oregon, Stanford and Arizona State means the Bears might have the toughest road schedule in the conference. Further, the opening four conference games are brutal: at Washington, at Oregon, USC and Utah. That said, most would project a 3-0 start, which could help the Bears -- and new starting QB Zach Maynard -- gain confidence. If they could steal one at Washington, and manage a split with USC and Utah, then they'd be one win from bowl eligibility as the schedule softens a bit. Still, the last two games -- at Stanford and Arizona State, back-to-back -- is a rugged, potentially momentum-killing way to end a season.
After the jump Jana Juricova brings home the NCAA singles crown, the Pac-12 has a new conference championship game logo, and women's crew continues to honor the legacy of Jill Costello.
Football
- Ted Miller breaks down Cal's schedule this year. No matter how you look at it, the Bears play a tough schedule this year and they might have the conference's toughest road schedule.
- One of six quarterbacks at the B.C. Lions training camp, Kevin Riley will have his work cut out for him.
- Pac-12 fans selected the logo for the conference championship game. Turning that small font into something readable on a field may be tough.
- The women's team continues to honor Jill Costello who, only a month after helping the team finish second in the nation, passed away from lung cancer. Her story continues to raise awareness of lung cancer and money towards research that may offer a cure one day.
- Avenging last year's second-place finish, Jana Juricova brought home the NCAA singles national title.