Golden Nuggets: Who Has a Cal “Upset” Saturday?

Football Videos

• Justin Wilcox began by talking about how the team looked while practicing for Colorado. Then he talks about the Colorado offense, specifically RB Phillip Lindsay. He does not think the shutout against WSU is indicative of what their offense can do. At the end, he points out that the team rotates players constantly, therefore he doesn’t believe the high altitude will be a problem.

• Tim DeRuyter begins by talking about what challenges the Colorado offense (who has a “chip on their shoulder”) will bring. He compares Phillip Lindsay to last year’s Cal killer Donnel Pumphrey of SDSU. To him, the task of “limiting explosive plays” is true regardless of who plays at QB. At the end, he talks about how Devante Downs is handling his rehab and new role as “mentor” to the young players.

• Beau answers what aspects of the Cal offense needs to be improved for the Colorado game? Near the 8 minute mark he talks about why Cal’s offense looked uncharacteristic in the road games in Eugene and Seattle and how they can do better in Boulder.

• Take a look behind the scenes to see how Cal Equipment handles the weekly grind making sure the Bears have everything they need on Gameday.

• The Pac-12 Network’s Football Preview. Click here to view it as I can’t embed it.

Football Articles

Picks!

• Both ESPN writers Kyle Bonagura and Edward Aschoff have Cal winning against Colorado. Also, nearly ²⁄₃ of Yahoo Fantasy players picked Cal when I checked at around 9:30am today. However, that is about it for Cal positivity. Jon Wilner has Colorado -3, and so does SB Nation.
• SF Chronicle does a spotlight article on Colorado’s Phillip Lindsay.

Already the record holder for Colorado running backs with 104 career receptions, Lindsay is trying to become the first player in school history to reach both 1,000 rushing and 1,000 receiving yards in his career.

On his way to that goal, Lindsay set school marks with 41 carries and 281 rushing yards Oct. 7 against Arizona.

“I really like how he plays,” Cal running back Patrick Laird said. “…Any back that can have that many carries is definitely a guy you’ve got to respect.”

The respect goes both ways.

“Cal is a physical defense,” Lindsay said. “They’re hungry. Last year, they were in a boat where they were struggling, and this year, they’re trying to make a name for themselves. They’re out there playing ball.”

• Trace Travers breaks down the Colorado roster and notable stats.

Misc.

• This was posted before the World Series began but slipped under my radar on Tuesday. The Athletic interviewed Cal alum Brandon Morrow (no paywall), who is appearing in his first WS (and looked pretty good in Game 1!)

Anthony Slater: How awesome is this? What's it like coming in at Dodger stadium, 50K in the building, you're coming in during the seventh, eighth inning?

Morrow: It's been awesome. I've actually been trying to not get myself too hyped up. It'd be easy to do that. Your heart can really get racing. That can affect you out there. My whole mindset has been just another game and it's been working out for me.

My last appearance I made, when it was Game 5 in Chicago, we were already up like 7-1, 9-1 at the time. Obviously, we were going to win that game, up 9-1 in the eighth inning about to go to the World Series. And if I'd faltered even a little, they would've brought Kenley in and he's definitely closing it out.

So I kind of relaxed a little bit and definitely looked around the stadium, which I normally wouldn't do, looked up in the Wrigley stands and tried to take it all in and enjoy it. Yeah, this is awesome. I've tried to blank all that out, but I was able to finally smile and look around.

AS: We both know what's going on up in Sonoma with the tragic fires. How much of that has been in your thoughts while you've been going through this?

Morrow: The first five, six days when it was threatening. I know the first couple days, Rohnert Park was on alert. Then we got buddies up there that had to get evacuated.

(My friends) Luke (Chaix) and Carter (Armstrong) had to get evacuated out of their house in Bennett Valley. I think Carter's brother's apartment building burned down. I have a group chat with all those guys, everyone is keeping each other informed.

It's hard to watch it happen, places you've been and seen, gone to as a kid, played baseball in high school, it's hard to watch it. You can see pictures and do all that, but when those guys go back to work — like (my friend) Josh (Tamba) works up in Santa Rosa, across the freeway from Coffey Park. He just said it's crazy. You can see for miles now where there used to be neighborhoods and homes and now it's just nothing.

• The Daily Cal’s preview of Friday’s Pac-12 Championships in Cross Country and how Cal is preparing.

Go Bears. Beat the Buffs.