Cal Football Preview: Bears Host Arizona State Saturday
Cal hopes to rebound from last week's 59-32 loss to Washington when it hosts Arizona State on Saturday afternoon.
This will be the Bears’ first game against Arizona State since 2019 and might be their final meeting in a long time, with Cal going to the ACC next year and the Sun Devils moving to the Big 12.
The facts on the game:
CAL (2-2, 0-1 Pac-12) vs. ARIZONA STATE (1-3, 0-1 Pac-12)
SITE: Cal’s Memorial Stadium, Berkeley, Calif.
WHEN: Saturday, noon.
TV: Pac-12 Network: J.B. Long (play-by-play), Shane Vereen (analyst)
RADIO: 810 AM -- Justin Allegri (play-by-play), Mike Pawlawski (analyst), Kevin Danna (sideline reporter)
BETTING LINE: Cal is favored by 12.5 points. Over/under is 47.5 points.
WEATHER FORECAST: Saturday afternoon will be partly cloudy with a high of 68 degrees and the slight chance of a rain shower.
CAL-ARIZONA STATE HISTORY: The Bears lead the alltime series 18-17, but the teams have not met since 2019, and that 2019 game was their only meeting since 2016. Cal lost to the Sun Devils 24-17 in Berkeley in their most recent meeting in 2019, and also lost to ASU in 2016, a 51-41 Sun Devils victory in Tempe, Arizona. Cal’s last win over Arizona State was in 2015, a 48-46 Bears triumph in Berkeley.
CAL STORYLINES:
--The Bears are coming off a 59-32 loss to Washington in which the Huskies scored 14 more points than any opponent had scored against Cal since Justin Wilcox became the Bears’ head coach prior to the 2017 season.
--Wilcox has not announced whether Sam Jackson V or Ben Finley will be the Bears’ starting quarterback against Arizona State. The best guess is that Jackson will be the starter because he played better than Finley against Washington. Finley was the started last week, but he threw three interceptions in the first half. Finley and Jackson have started two games apiece this season. Cal ranks 10th in the Pac-12 in passer rating.
--Cal is favored in this game and desperately needs to beat Arizona State to maintain hopes of a winning season and a bowl berth.
--The Bears have forced 11 turnovers, which ranks second in the country. Only Liberty, with 12, has more. Cal has committed eight turnovers.
--Cal will use a different place-kicker for this game. Michael Luckhurst was the Bears' kicker in the first four games, but he was just 3-for-9 on field goals and missed three extra points (one blocked). Cal's place-kicker this week will be freshman Mateen Bhaghani, who successfully kicked the final extra point against Washington for his only kick of the season.
--Cal running back Jaydn Ott rushed for just 40 yards last week against Washington, but he still ranks second in the Pac-12 in rushing, averaging 102.7 yards per game and 5.7 yards per carry. Isaiah Ifanse ranks fifth in the conference in rushing, averaging 59 yards per game and 5.6 yards per attempt.
--Cal wide receiver Taj Davis, who had five catches for 60 yards and a touchdown last week against Washington, is questionable for Saturday’s game with an undisclosed injury.
ARIZONA STATE STORYLINES:
--Freshman quarterback Jaden Rashada, who started the first two games for Arizona State, and quarterback Drew Pyne, who started last week’s game against USC, are both out with injuries, so Trenton Bourguet will be Arizona State’s quarterback against Cal. He started five games last season and started the third game this year before leaving that game with a leg injury.
--Kenny Dillingham, who was Oregon’s offensive coordinator last season, is the Sun Devils’ head coach. He is just 33 years old and had not been a head coach at any level before this year.
--ASU offensive coordinator Beau Baldwin, who had been Cal’s offensive coordinator for three years (2017-2019), called the offensive plays for the Sun Devils for the first three games, when they averaged 13.0 points per game, including a 29-0 loss to Fresno State. Following the loss to Fresno State, Dillingham took over the play-calling duties for the game against USC, resulting in the Sun Devils’ best offensive effort. Dillingham will continue to call plays against Cal.
--Arizona State played its best game of the season in its 42-28 loss to USC last week. The Sun Devils trailed just 27-21 entering the fourth quarter, and they had the ball in USC territory before the Trojans took control. Even with their 28 points against USC, the Sun Devils are still last in the Pac-12 and 124th of 130 FBS in scoring offense, averaging 16.8 points through four games.
--The Sun Devils have yet to beat an FBS team this season, their only win coming against FCS team Southern Utah in its opener.
--Arizona State ranks last in the country in turnover margin at -10 (11 turnovers, 1 takeaway). None of the other 129 FBS schools has a turnover margin worse than -7.
--Arizona State running back Cam Skattero proved to be an all-around weapon in the game against USC. In that game, he rushed for 111 yards, completed two of the three passes he attempted for 42 yards, caught four passes for 79 yards, punted once for 53 yards and scored two touchdowns.
---Arizona State beat writer Hod Rabino answers five questions about the Sun Devils---
CAL PLAYERS TO WATCH: QB Sam Jackson V or QB Ben Finley (passing game depends on one of them being productive); RB Jaydn Ott (306 yards in 3 games); WR Jeremiah Hunter (21 catches, 3 TDs); WR Trond Grizzell (12 catches, 2 TDs); ILB Kaleb Elarms-Orr (32 tackles, 1 interception, 1 forced fumble); ILB Jackson Sirmon (29 tackles, 1 interception, 1 forced fumble, 1 fumble recovery)
Arizona State coach Kenny Dillingham compares Cal’s defense to Floyd Mayweather jabs in this Wednesday video:
ARIZONA STATE PLAYERS TO WATCH: QB Trenton Bourguet (6-for-8 passing this season, 5 starts last year); RB Cam Skattebo (versatile player forced 24 missed tackles this season); WR Elijah Badger (18 catches, 2 TDs this season; 70 catches, 7 TDs last year); TE Jalin Conyers (11 catches in 3 games); DE B.J. Green (3 sacks, 6 QB hurries); CB Ro Torrence (2 sacks)
CAL STATISTICS: Click here
CAL NOTES, DEPTH CHART: Click Here
ARIZONA STATE STATISTICS: Click here
ARIZONA STATE GAME NOTES, DEPTH CHART: Click here
JAKE'S PICK: Cal 28, Arizona State 17
JEFF'S PICK: Cal 31, Arizona State 17
HOD RABINO’S PICK (Devils Digest): Arizona State 26, Cal 20
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Cover photo of Cam Skattebo by Rob Schumacher, The Republic, USA TODAY Network
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