Cal Nearly a Two-Touchdown Underdog to Miami

Golden Bears have some things going for them in this week's home game against the No. 8-ranked team, but betting sites still make the Hurricanes heavy favorites

Cal's David Reese (7) strips the ball from Washington State quarterback Cam Ward (1) last year / Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images

Despite Cal having a week off to prepare for Miami, and despite Miami’s close, controversial victory over Virginia Tech, and despite Cal having the home field for Saturday’s night’s game against the Hurricanes, and despite the excitement of having ESPN’s GameDay come to Berkeley this week . . . despite all that, Cal is nearly a two-touchdown underdog to No.8-ranked Miami.

Virtually every betting site of significance is making Miami a 12.5-point favorite for Saturday night’s 7:30 p.m. game against the Golden Bears in Berkeley. Whether that point spread increases or decreases in the days leading up to the game will be worth watching.

Perhaps Cal fans can take heart in the fact that Miami (5-0) was a 19.5-point favorite in its home game against Virginia Tech on Friday, and the Hurricanes won by just four points, 38-34, and they came within a disputed video review of the final play of losing that game.

Cal (3-1) had a bye this past weekend after its disappointing 14-9, road loss to Florida State, a game the Bears dominated statistically but failed to score any touchdowns in their five red-zone opportunities. The Golden Bears were 2.5-point underdogs in that game.

Presumably Cal running back Jaydn Ott will be back to near 100% efficiency after being slowed by an ankle problem the past few weeks.

The Bears are familiar with Miami’s standout quarterback, Cam Ward, a Heisman Trophy candidate who faced Cal last year in Berkeley when he was a member of the Washington State squad.  Cal won that game 42-39 with the help two defensive touchdowns, but Ward had a big day completing 34-of-59 passes for 354 yards, three touchdowns and one interception.  And that interception came on a Hail Mary pass from the Cougars’ 47-yard line on the final play of the game.

Cal is also familiar with Miami’s leading rusher, Damien Martinez, who rushed for 89 yards and a touchdown for Oregon State last year when the Beavers beat Cal 52-40 in Fernando Mendoza’s first start as Cal’s quarterback.

Whether Mendoza has time to throw against Miami may determine whether the Bears have a chance against the Hurricanes.

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