ACC Bowl Picks: Can Cal Overcome Turmoil to Close With a Victory?

The departure of QB Fernando Mendoza is just the tip of the iceberg of chaos swirling around the Golden Bears

Cal linebacker Teddye Buchanan / Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images

Cal has made it to the finish line of the 2024 college football season. 

The Bears didn’t have the season they dreamed about and will have a decidedly different look on Wednesday night when they face UNLV at the LA Bowl at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood.

But they made it to a bowl game and linebacker Teddye Buchanan, in the video above, tells us the Bears are ready to go, even after transfer portal defections that begin with quarterback Fernando Mendoza.

Here’s a look at every ACC team playing in the postseason and our projections for how those games will go:

Last week: Jake 9-2, Jeff 7-4

Season: Jake 79-57, Jeff 74-62

All picks against the spread 

Wednesday, Dec. 18

LA BOWL

at Inglewood CA

— CAL (minus-1) vs. No. 24 UNLV, 6 p.m., ESPN

Jake: Without QB Fernando Mendoza, Cal is much weaker on offense.  The loss of head coach Barry Odom will hurt UNLV a little, but not a lot. Pick: UNLV

Jeff: The line on this game dropped after Fernando Mendoza bolted, but I’m still mystified how Cal — with all its chaos — is the favorite. Pick: Las Vegas

Saturday, Dec. 21

COLLEGE FOOTBALL PLAYOFF

First round

at University Park, PA

— No. 10 SMU (plus-8.5) vs. No. 4 PENN STATE  9 .a.m., TNT

Jake: The Mustangs will travel to Pennsylvania where it will be a lot colder than it is in Dallas. The Big Ten is not as strong as it claims, but playing at home after a long rest is helpful. Pick: Penn State

Jeff: The Mustangs were impressive against a toothless Cal team, but their experience at Happy Valley is more likely to be an unhappy one. Pick: Penn State

COLLEGE FOOTBALL PLAYOFF

First round

at Austin, TX

— No. 16 CLEMSON (plus-11.5) vs. No. 3 TEXAS

Jake: Everything went Clemson’s way the final few weeks to get tot this point.  Things won’t go the Tigers’ way in the Longhorns’ home stadium. Pick: Texas

Jeff: Too much air power for the Longhorns against a Clemson pass defense that has been fairly ordinary. Pick: Texas

Thursday, Dec. 26

GAME ABOVE SPORTS BOWL

at Detroit, MI

— PITTBURGH (minus-9.5) vs. TOLEDO, 11 a.m., ESPN

Jake: Pittsburgh is riding a five-game losing streak and it remains unclear whether Pitt QB Eli Holstein will play in the bowl game. His backup, Nate Yarnell, is in the transfer portal. Pick: Toledo

Jeff: The Panthers are “hoping” freshman quarterback Eli Holstein is healthy enough to play in the bowl game after a couple late-season injuries. But Pitt has lost five in a row and this point spread makes me uncomfortable. Pick: Toledo

Friday, Dec. 27

BIRMINGHAM BOWL

at Birmingham, AL

— GEORGIA TECH (minus-2.5) vs. Vanderbilt, 12:30 p.m., ESPN

Jake: Georgia Tech beat Miami and nearly beat Georgia, both late in the season. Vandy’s big win over Alabama came early in the season. Pick: Georgia Tech

Jeff: Vandy beat Alabama when the Tide was No. 1 and lost by just 3 points each to Texas and Missouri. But I’m learning toward Georgia Tech, which has wins over Miami and NC State and a two-point road loss to Georgia in its past three outings. Pick: Georgia Tech

HOLIDAY BOWL 

at San Diego, CA

— No. 21 SYRACUSE (minus-6.5) vs. WASHINGTON STATE, 5 p.m., FOX

Jake: Syracuse and QB Kyle McCord have been playing well lately, and McCord said he will play in the bowl game.  That’s good enough for us. Pick: Syracuse

Jeff: Wazzu limps into this game on a three-game skid. Syracuse is having a splendid season and has won its past three, including vs. Miami. Pick: Syracuse

Saturday, Dec. 28

FENWAY BOWL

at Boston MA

— UCONN (plus-3.5) vs. NORTH CAROLINA, 8 a.m., ESPN

Jake: Bill Belichick is waiting in the wings to take over at UNC, but Freddie Kitchens will serve as interim head coach for the Tar Heels in this game. Pick: North Carolina

Jeff: How much can just the anticipation of Bill Belichick’s arrival impact the Heels? Pick: North Carolina

BAD BOY MOWERS PINSTRIPE BOWL

at Bronx, NY

— BOSTON COLLEGE (plus-2.5) vs. NEBRASKA, 9 a.m., ABC

Jake: Boston College QB Thomas Castellanos is gone but he had lost his starting job late in the season. The Eagles are better with Grayson James at quarterback. Pick: Boston College

Jeff: The Cornhuskers are favored here despite losing five of six. I’ll take BC and the points. Pick: Boston College

POP TARTS BOWL

at Orlando, FL

— No. 18 IOWA STATE (plus-3.5) vs. No 13 MIAMI, 12:30 p.m., ABC

Jake: Somewhat surprisingly, Miami QB Cam Ward has said he plans to play in the bowl game. We’re counting on that. Pick: Miami

Jeff: Wide receiver Isaiah Horton, who had nine catches for 83 yards and a touchdown in Miami’s miracle comeback win at Cal, shocked the folks in Coral Gables when he entered the transfer portal earlier today. Pick: Iowa State

MILITARY BOWL 

at Annapolis, MD

— EAST CAROLINA (plus-5.5) vs. NORTH CAROLINA STATE, 2:45 p.m., ESPN

Jake: Even without big-play wide receiver Kevin Conception (transfer portal), the Wolfpack has enough. Pick: North Carolina State

Jeff: East Carolina has beaten no one of great consequence. Actually, the same could be said about NC State. Pick: North Carolina State

Tuesday, Dec. 31

SUN BOWL

at El Paso, TX

— LOUISVILLE (minus-5.5) vs. WASHINGTON, 11 a.m., CBS

Jake: Louisville has a lot of players in the transfer portal and Cardinals QB Tyler Shough has opted out of the bowl game. Demond Williams will be Washington starting QB in the bowl game. Pick: Washington

Jeff: Night and day in a year for the Huskies, who were all over the map in their first season in the Big Ten. But Louisville has lost a lot from what was a potent offense. Pick: Washington

Thursday, Jan. 2

GATOR BOWL

at Jacksonville, FL

— DUKE (plus-13.5) vs. No. 14 OLE MISS, 3:30 p.m., ESPN

Jake: Duke QB Maalik Murphy is gone, but Mississippi QB Jaxson Dart will play. That’s a big difference. Pick: Mississippi

Jeff: Ole Miss scores too many points for a Duke team without its No. 1 QB. Pick: Ole Miss

Friday, Jan 3.

DUKE’S MAYO BOWL

at Charlotte, NC

— MINNESOTA (minus-4.5) vs. VIRGINIA TECH, 4:30 p.m., ESPN

Jake: Tech QB Kyron Drones is staying with the Hokies after considering transferring, but the Hokies lost several starters in the transfer portal. Minnesota QB Max Brosmer is playing in this game. Pick: Minnesota

Jeff: The Hokies have been hit pretty hard by transfer portal defections. Cal fans know the feeling. Pick: Minnesota