Cal Sports Report

Cal-Pitt Game Thread: Without Jaydn Ott, Face Red-Hot Pitt on the Road

Bears reportedly will play the nation's No. 22 team without star running back, shelved by injury.

Jeff Faraudo

Pitt quarterback Eli Holstein
Pitt quarterback Eli Holstein / Barry Reeger-Imagn Images
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Cal faces one of the nation’s most surprising teams in Pitt this afternoon and reportedly will play without star running back Jaydn Ott.

Pete Thamel reported that Ott, who aggravated a season-long ankle injury last week against Miami, made the trip to Pittsburgh but did not dress. Expect sophomore Jaivian Thomas to start in his place.

Cal is facing one of the nation's hottest quarterbacks and at least one college football writer is convinced Pitt redshirt freshman Eli Holstein will feast on the Bears’ defense.

"The former Alabama five-star recruit ranks eighth in passing yards per game (313.4) and the No. 22 Panthers face the same Cal pass defense that just surrendered over 400 yards through the air to (Miami’s Cam) Ward,” Manny Navarro of The Athletic wrote. Holstein “has thrown for 300-plus yards in four of the Panthers’ five games. He goes for 400-plus Saturday with four scores and leads Pitt to its first 6-0 mark since 1982.”

Certainly Holstein and the Panthers (5-0,1-0 ACC) will present a challenge for the Bears (3-2, 0-2), who are coming off a painful 39-38 defeat to Miami. Cal defensive coordinator Peter Sirmon talks in the video above about what has made Holstein so effective.

The Bears counter with a defense that got lit up in the fourth quarter against Miami but entered the week leading the nation with 11 interceptions.

Kickoff is at 12:30 p.m. PT at Pittsburgh on ESPN and we’ll follow the action throughout. Check back for updates and statistical breakdowns.

PERSONNEL UPDATE: According to Cal's pre-game radio show, tight end Corey Dyches will not play for the Bears today. Dyches has caugh 11 passes, tied for second-best on the team, for 139 yards with one touchdown.

Outside linebacker Ryan McCulloch is also out.

COIN TOSS: Pitt won the toss and elected to recieve the opening kickoff.

8:56 1st Q: Jaivian Thomas scores on a 21-yard dash around left end, capping a 10-play, 75-yard drive. Fernando Mendoza made two big third-down conversion passes -- hitting Jonathan Brady for 23 and 10 yards. The latter got the Bears to the 21. Cal tried a trick play for two points and punter Lachlan Wilson (the holder on PATs) threw incomplete to David Bird, the long snapper. Cal 6, Pitt 0.

5:07 1st: Des Reid scores on a 5-yard burst up the middle, capping an 11-play, 75-yard drive. The drive's big play was a 19-yard completion from Eli Holstein to Reid on a fourth-and-5 play, giving the Panthers a first down at the Cal 32. Pitt 7, Cal 6

END OF 1ST Q: Cal leads 116 yards to 73; passing hards 73-48 and rush yards 47-25. Cal has 6 first downs to 4 for Pitt and has converted 3 of 4 third downs to 0 for 3 for the Panthers. The one area where the Bears have faltered: 5 penalties for 45 yards, Pitt zero penalties. Pitt 7, Cal 6.

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PRE-GAME READING:

-- Our thorough game preview with everything you need to know about the Bears and Panthers

-- In the wake of the Miami collapse, we rank the most devastating defeats in Cal history. See if you agree or have a few of your own.

-- Cal TE Jack Endries' 57-yard TD catch vs. the Hurricanes in a special category

-- The next mayor of Oakland? Or were Marshawn Lynch and Gov. Gavin Newsom just fooling around?

-- Our bold (or is that foolish?) predictions for this week's ACC games

-- A Pitt beat writer answers our 5 Questions about the surprising Panthers

-- Will backup QB Chandler Rogers be a part of the Cal game plan going forward?

-- Cal keeps its complaints to itself about last week's targeting non-call

-- Cal's early injury report heading into the Pitt game

-- At the root of Cal's loss to Miami: A running game that did not produce

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Jeff Faraudo
JEFF FARAUDO

Jeff Faraudo was a sports writer for Bay Area daily newspapers since he was 17 years old, and was the Oakland Tribune's Cal beat writer for 24 years. He covered eight Final Fours, four NBA Finals and four Summer Olympics. 

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