It looks like this weekend's game will be a close one. It's tough not to feel a sense of DOOOOM heading up to Husky Stadium to try to shut down a prolific UW offense. Let's browse this week's score predictions.
California 28, Washington 24: The Huskies defense is struggling and this is the best offensive line it will have faced. Cal QB Zach Maynard making his first start in a tough road venue is a concern, but not as much as Huskies QB Keith Price running around on a pair of sprained knees. And, Cal, I'm warning you ... don't make me wrong (again). You wouldn't like me when I'm wrong.
- Two of three Yahoo! writers predict a Washington victory, while 77% of their readers think UW will win.
- WhatIfSports ran a series of simulations for the Cal-UW game. UW won 50.5% of the time by an average score of 22.7 to 21.7. Check out the box score: each team is nearly identical in every category.
- UW has moved from a three-point favorite to a one-point favorite (or as low as 0 at some places). With the over/under at 58, it looks like Vegas is predicting a 29.5-28.5 UW victory.
- 69.8% of Pac-12 fans predicted a UW victory at the beginning of the season. Meanwhile, Cal fans predict a 57.5% chance of a Cal victory (up 3.4% from our summer predictions).
After the jump the Bears use last year's season-ending loss as extra motivation for this weekend's game and Blue Ribbon Yearbook previews the 2011-12 basketball season and ranks the Bears no. 21.
Football
- Larry Scott explains the decision not to expand.
- What's hot and what's not in the Pac-12 this week? Hot: Giorgio Tavecchio and his 9-for-9 PATs. Not: the UW defense which is 108th in total defense, 103rd in scoring defense, and 111th in tackles for loss.
- The Bears fall to 5th in Wilner's Pac-12 power ratings. This was a result of others improving their resumes instead of Cal underperforming.
- UW defensive coordinator Nick Holt may be on the hot seat if his defense does not improve.
- JO reports from Tuesday's practice. Despite the extra motivation to beat UW this year, Tedford and the team know how difficult it is to win there. Just look at the last two times Cal visited the Huskies.
- JO reports from Wednesday's practice. Maynard says he is ready to play in the hostile Husky Stadium. Bigelow, meanwhile, did not show any negative effects after playing against Presbyterian. He should be integrated into the gameplan this week, particularly as a kick returner.
- Zach Hoffpauir has committed to the Bears. The 22nd-ranked (Rivals)/32nd-ranked (Scout) safety plans to play both football and baseball at Cal.
- Once committed to Washington, Brendan Bigelow does not expect a warm welcome when he sees the field against the Huskies.
- Zach Maynard is a completely different quarterback from Mansion, the last Cal QB the Huskies faced. Sarkisian is well aware of this fact and hopes to find a way to contain Maynard.
- Tedford, Sean Cattouse, and D.J. Holt recall the long walk back to the locker room after losing to Washington to end last season.
- What to watch in this week's Cal-UW matchup? How does Maynard perform at Husky stadium and how will the UW defense handle the Cal offense?
- Blue Ribbon Yearbook rates Cal at #21 in its 2011-12 college basketball preview. Fellow Pac-12 teams Arizona and UCLA are rated 10th and 23rd, respectively.