Golden Nuggets: Is anyone picking Cal in the Big Game?

It's the Big Game, which means anything can happen and 31.5-point underdogs can pull off the upset, right? Not according to the experts...

Gemmell: The Bears are a Big Game-record 31½-point underdogs. Stanford is angry and bitter about letting the division slip away. Cal fans should be embracing the mantra that anything can happen in a rivalry game because it can. But it won't. Stanford 38, California 17

Miller: The good news, Cal fans, is the schedule gives you a much-needed bye next week. That way you can rest up and get healthy and refocused for ... Oh. Well, it might even be better news that the season will be over. Stanford 40, California 13

Athlon Sports calls this the "least appealing contest" in the Pac-12 this weekend, with predictions for Cal's score as high as 13 points and as low as one measly field goal.

Cal Athletics

• If you're heading to one of Cal's games this weekend (AND WHY WOULDN'T YOU), be prepared for road closures
• Another look at the academic struggles of some Cal programs, featuring quotes from AD Sandy Barbour and some of the classes the coaches may be afraid of
• Cal's Taylor James (Lacrosse) and Jeffrey Langenstein (Men's Gymnastics) discuss their philanthropic endeavors with the Pac-12 Student-Athlete Advisory Council
• How the Cal band keeps marching despite a limited budget

Men's Soccer

• Eight Golden Bears earned all-conference honors
• On top of that, nine players from Cal earned All-Academic honors

Women's Soccer

• Vote for Alex Morgan as U.S. Soccer's Female Athlete of the Year!
• A whopping 17 Golden Bears earned All-Academic honors

Women's Crew

• Let's welcome 19 new Bears to the family!

Men's Basketball

• Highlights from Cal's win over Southern Utah

Volleyball

• Adrienne Gehan discusses the Oregon games and playing Mafia with the team
• The no. 23 Golden Bears will play no. 3 Washington and Washington State in their last home games of the year, looking to earn Coach Feller's 600th career win
• Two of the top high school players are Cal-bound!

Baseball

• There are six recruits ready to play ball in Berkeley!

Football

• ESPN celebrated the greatest moment in college football history

— ESPN (@espn) November 20, 2013

• The marching band has a busy schedule thanks to Big Game week, but they love it and their relationship with Dykes
• More on WR Erik Brown's commitment to Cal and his thoughts on the team's losing record and his mother's input in the decision
• A look at the Bear Raid offense, which has disappointed--what a tease!
• Our buddy Uncle Ted talks about how awful we are
• Taking a look Beyond the Gridiron with two seniors and childhood friends, DL Dan Camporeale and WR Jackson Bouza, who are finishing their Cal careers

• We're at an all-time low in Deadspin's all-team rankings, performing so badly we warranted a written blurb from them about how far we've fallen

Week	Cal's rank
Preseason	88
1	65
2	74
3	79
4	76
5	81
6	77
7	86
8	92
9	93
10	100
11	95
13	102

• Get updated on all the Bears in the NFL
  

  I HATE standfurd

  — Jahvid Best (@J4hvidbest) November 21, 2013

  Can't even stand seeing them on my tv

  — Jahvid Best (@J4hvidbest) November 21, 2013

• In much sadder news, QB Nate Longshore's brother, Nick, passed away this week, as Nick and his wife were approaching the one-year anniversary of their stillborn child. Donations to cover medical and funeral costs and assist his pregnant wife, Caroline, are being collected. The California Golden Blogs team would like to send our thoughts and condolences to the Longshore family.

More from California Golden Blogs:

• Cal sports academics: A response to the Chronicle's article on athletics admissions
• Know Your Enemy: Previewing the Stanford Cardinal Offense
• Idrissa Diallo commits to Cal men's basketball, signs LOI
• Zach Kline doesn't use word "transfer", but ponders "opportunity"
• Scouting Stanford 2013 - Rest of the Pac Breakdown