What to watch this weekend now that there’s no Cal game

The California Golden Bears have canceled their game against Washington, originally set for November 7. Due to an outbreak of positive coronavirus tests, there is no telling whether or not Cal will even have what would be a ‘Week 2’ game on November 14, but at this rate, we’re staying optimistic.

With that in mind, the focus now shifts to what ELSE to watch this weekend now that the remaining 10 Pac-12 teams are still set for their 2020 season debuts.

We know how Cal’s schedule goes, and if we can get a Week 2 game in on November 14, the Arizona State Sun Devils are next up.

ASU kicks off the Pac-12 slate of games and it’s an early morning of watching games with coffee and perhaps a donut or two as they kick off at 9:00 am against USC. While Cal doesn’t have USC on their schedule and USC’s air-raid offense is far different from Cal’s, here are the important positions to watch for ASU as they go up against the Trojans.

Aashari Crosswell — ASU Safety

Crosswell is perhaps one of the nation’s best safeties in terms of overall play, and his play against USC’s aerial assault will go a long way in the deciding of this game.

Jayden Daniels — ASU QB

Daniels is a bit slight at 6’3, 175 pounds but has proven to be one of the more athletic quarterbacks in the entire country. He had a ton of help last year with RB Eno Benjamin and WR Brandon Aiyuk, and he’ll have to prove that he wasn’t a product of his future NFL skill players this year, proving he himself may be a viable NFL quarterback in the future.

Frank Darby — ASU WR

Darby steps into the feature role at wide receiver and replaces Aiyuk. He’s an incredibly talented receiver and will be the feature of their offense.

New-look offensive line

ASU replaces three starters from their offensive line. The battle in the trenches could favor Cal in Week 2 big time if they’re not a cohesive unit.

Jack Jones — ASU DB

Jones, the former USC player himself, goes up against his former school and has been susceptible to passes in his coverage. Since 2017 with USC and in 2019 with ASU, Jones has allowed 14 touchdowns in his coverage and could a big mismatch for a veteran receiving corps for Cal.

Also — keep an eye on the Oregon State Beavers as they could very well be Cal’s next-up opponent if they can’t get a Week 2 game in against Arizona State.