Cal has their toughest contest remaining up next, as they head to Salt Lake City to face the stingiest defense in the Pac-12 in Utah. The Utes have allowed just a shade over 250 yards per game total. Left end Bradley Anae is second in the conference in sacks with 7. Utah allows 61.1 yards per game on the ground, and 4.5 yards per play, which ranks among the tops in the country.
Cal is coming into this one dinged up and on a losing streak, as the after-effects of Chase Garbers' injury keep coming. The Bears have dropped three straight, including a 21-17 loss to Oregon State a week prior, with center Mike Saffell out and Devon Modster going out with an injury in the fourth quarter.
Now the Bears have a gargantuan task against the top team in the Pac-12 South, Utah coming in ranked 12th in the country, on the Utes home turf.
Quick Facts
When: October 26th, 2019
Where: Rice-Eccles Stadium, Salt Lake City, UT
Time: 7:00 PM Pacific (8:00 PM Local Time)
TV: Fox Sports One
Radio: Cal Bears Sports Network (KGO 810 AM locally), TuneIn Channel, KALX 90.7 FM
Line: Utah -21.5 (O/U 38.5)
Series: Cal leads 6-5
The Last Time These Teams Played
Cal beat Utah 28-23 in 2016, as Utah's final goal line play was stopped short, as RB Zach Moss was corralled by DL James Looney. Davis Webb threw for four touchdowns, two to Demetris Robertson and Chad Hansen a piece, as the Bears had a massive play and time of possession disparity to the Utes in the win (49 plays to 97 and 17:59 vs. 42:01).
Other Notes
- Justin Wilcox coached against Utah in Cal colors in 2003, a 31-24 Utah win that saw Aaron Rodgers taking his first major action in blue and gold
- Utah offensive coordinator Andy Ludwig held the same position at Cal from 2009-10
- Cal does not currently have a player or coach from the state of Utah on their roster, the only time in 2019 that has happened with an opposing team
- Cal's Zeandae Johnson and Utah's Jaylon Johnson had some overlap at Central (Fresno), playing together in Zeandae's final year (2014).
- Utah RG Nick Ford has a Cal legacy, his father Michael played for Cal from 1986-1989.
Utah Depth Chart
Players to Watch
RB Zach Moss - 93 carries for 613 yards and 8 touchdowns; 5 receptions for 85 yards
Moss is probably the best running back in the conference at the moment, difficult to tackle with one man, and has breakaway speed. Tim DeRuyter compared him to Cal RB Chris Brown in stature, but in running style Moss is more elusive.
DL Bradley Anae - 17 tackles, 8 TFLs, 7 sacks
A destructive force coming off the left edge, Anae is someone who the Bears are going to keep an eye one, whether it's through chipping off the edge or keeping an extra TE to block in max protection situations.
QB Tyler Huntley - 111-150 (74% completion), 1564 yards, 9 touchdowns, 1 INT
Huntley is accurate, did get hurt a week ago, but will play against the Bears. His lowest completion percentage in a game (just a shade over 63%) came a week ago.
CB Jaylon Johnson - 21 tackles, 1 TFL, 1 INT, 8 pass breakups
Possibly a first round CB if he enters the draft after this season. Rangy, tough in man coverage, only really beaten by USC's trio of generational receiver talent this year.
Cal Wins If...
1. They can find a way to protect the quarterback
Cal gave up nine sacks to an Oregon State defense. Utah's defense is much better than Oregon State's. The Bears have to find a way to produce on offense, and it starts with getting something out of the offensive line group
2. They score off three turnovers
Cal's going to need to play the upset playbook to the best of their abilities, and that comes from forcing multiple turnovers and turning them into short fields and points. Cal has scored only 13 points off turnovers in 2019. With an offense likely to struggle moving the ball, the defense has to take it up a level to keep the Bears in the game.
3. Be the Boss of Moss
While Cal's rushing defense hasn't been the strength, the Bears have quietly been getting more consistent in the run game than at the beginning of the year. They have Moss and a tough Utah run game to deal with. If there were a week for the likes of Brett Johnson to break out, this would be it.
A Prediction
Cal plays better on the road than at home. This one is going to be tough for the Bears to pull out, especially with Spencer Brasch as the likely starter and Mike Saffell likely out again. Utah's defense is the real deal, and until Cal's offense proves they can be good against someone, there's plenty of reason for doubt.
Utah 24, Cal 10