Cal suffered a crushing 14-10 loss to Auburn on Saturday in a game in which the Bears were 6 1/2-point underdogs. This game was yet another example of Cal going toe-to-toe as the underdog, only to come short due to a few mistakes. From going 1 for 4 in red zone trips to turning the ball over several times, the Bears indeed blew several crucial opportunities. We will delve into five takeaways from Cal's performance on Saturday night, and what they mean moving forward as the Bears regroup for the final game of nonconference play this week.
One-score games continue to haunt the Bears
Losing nail-biters is an all-too-familiar sight for Cal football fans in recent years. Indeed, the Bears last season lost one-score games against Washington, Colorado, UCLA, Notre Dame, and USC. This time around, the Bears' defense came into play, but the mishaps from the offense and special teams were too much to overcome.
Saturday's game was yet another example, as the Bears missed three field goals and failed to capitalize on scoring opportunities. If the Bears want to live up to their potential as a team that can have a close game as 6 1/2-point underdogs, they must fix their mishaps, perhaps starting with replacing their kicker.
