Cal Football Countdown: 12 Days, The Last Time Cal Played Ole Miss
On this edition of the Cal Football Countdown, we're looking at the last time Cal played a non-conference opponent. Since the Bears have never played their week three opponent, North Texas, we're looking at the last time Cal played their week four opponent, Ole Miss.
2017 seems like an age ago for both Cal and Ole Miss. Both Justin Wilcox and Matt Luke were in their first years as head coach, Luke as the interim at Ole Miss after Hugh Freeze's firing. Ole Miss had Shea Patterson, and a full compliment of NFL receivers in AJ Brown, DK Metcalf, and Damarkus Lodge. Cal had Ross Bowers, Patrick Laird, Kanawai Noa, and Vic Wharton.
Both QBs from that game have since transfered. None of the starting wide receivers from either side are still on the roster (either to transfer or graduation). Devante Downs, who made the final, game-sealing sack, would tear his ACL four games after this, ending his senior season (he's in his second year in Minnesota, and just had an interception in a preseason game last night)
The guys who do return? Jaylinn Hawkins, who had an interception to set up Cal's first touchdown. Cam Bynum, who deflected two deep balls in the fourth quarter, and then told former Cal WR coach Jacob Peeler not to throw at him. Cam Goode, who dropped right under a slant on 3rd and 7, had the ball thrown right at him, then took it back to seal a game winning margin.
Five Things to Remember about this game
1. This was Patrick Laird's first start, a week after saving the Bears against Weber State, after Trey Watson tore his ACL. Laird ran for 78 yards and a score.
2. Both AJ Brown and K Gary Wunderlich got hurt in this one. Brown's absence was mitigated a bit by Metcalf, Lodge, and Van Jefferson, but Wunderlich's replacement, Luke Logan, absolutely shanked what would have been a go ahead field goal.
3. Bowers's TD pass could've easily had some targeting added on to the end. At the time, Justin Wilcox praised Bowers for his toughness, as the QB immediately flipped over so he could see Wharton make the catch.
4. This block by Malik McMorris
5. Cal hadn't played an SEC team since 2007 (a win over Tennessee), and it continued a streak of wins against non-conference P5 teams to five (starting from Northwestern in 2014).
Now, Cal will head down to SEC country for the first time since 2006, which was a season opening loss to Tennessee, with six players who started that game set to start again (Jake Curhan, Valentino Daltoso, Cam Bynum, Luc Bequette, Jaylinn Hawkins, Elijah Hicks). Ole Miss is radically different as well, with former Pac-12 coaches as coordinators (Rich Rodriguez on offense, Mike McIntyre on defense) and sophomore Matt Corral leading the offense.
Week four is still a ways away, in which time both teams could be drastically altered, but Cal's defense is at a different level than it was in game three of 2017, and that could be the difference.