Cal Inside Linebacker Cade Uluave Questionable for Saturday's Game

The Bears have two talented backups at the posiion if Uluave can't play against Syracuse

Cal linebacker Cade Uluave / Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images

Cal may be without standout inside linebacker Cade Uluave for Saturday afternoon’s home game against Syracuse (6-3, 3-3 ACC).

Nonetheless, Cal (5-4, 1-4 ACC) is relatively healthy considering we are nine games into the season.

Uluave reinjured his leg in the first half of Saturday’s 46-36 victory over Wake Forest and did not play the rest of the game.  On Tuesday, Cal head coach Justin Wilcox described Uluave’s status as “day-to-day” and that means he is questionable to play against the Orange.

Although Uluave was the Pac-12 defensive freshman of the year in 2023 and was a preseason second-team all-ACC selection by both Athlon and Phil Steele this season, Cal has some talented backups at the inside linebacker position.

Hunter Barth and Liam Johnson provided solid play for the Bears after Uluave was forced to the sidelines Saturday.  Barth had seven tackles, including two sacks, against Wake Forest, and he was the starter alongside Teddye Buchanan two weeks against Oregon State when Uluave was out with an injury.

Barth and Buchanan presumably would be the starting inside linebackers on Saturday if Uluave cannot play, but Johnson is expected to get significant playing time as well.

Johnson had perhaps the biggest play of the game on Saturday when he intercepted a Hank Bachmeier pass with 1:54 left in the game and Cal leading by three points.

Interior offensive lineman Rush Reimer missed last week’s game, but he is expected to play on Saturday, so the Bears should have nearly all their starting offensive linemen available.

Wide receiver Mavin Anderson has not played much recently, partly because of injuries, but he might be available against Syracuse.

Wilcox said wide receiver Mason Starling, who had nine receptions in the five games he played this season, will be out for the remainder of the season with a lower-body injury.

Tobias Merriweather and Kyion Grayes, who were projected to be Cal’s starting wide receivers this season, both made their Cal debuts on Saturday against Wake Forest after missing the first eight games with injuries. 

They were a bit rusty on Saturday, but should be a little sharper this weekend after another week of practice.

NOTE: The point spread for Saturday’s Cal-Syracuse game has changed slightly.  On Sunday, Cal was favored by 6.5 to 7 points, but on Tuesday the spread had increased to 8 to 8.5 points, depending on the betting site you choose.

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