Scouting the Opponent: Different circumstances this time around vs. Arizona
With the handful of narrow losses last season, there are a number of games the Cal Golden Bears would have liked to have had back, games that could have flipped outcomes with a play here or there.
But perhaps the most frustrating one for the Bears on that 2021 slate was being the only team to lose to Arizona all season -- a 10-3 COVID-fueled setback in Tucson that handed head coach Jedd Fisch the lone victory of his first season at the helm.
As Cal fans surely remember, the Bears were missing more than two dozen players who tested positive that week, including starting QB Chase Garbers, three starting offensive linemen, several key defensive players, not to mention multiple assistant coaches.
The teams meet again Saturday, this time in Berkeley, and a lot has changed on both sides -- beyond the COVID circumstances.
Cal enters the weekend 2-1, perhaps still stinging from the 24-17 loss at Notre Dame that ended with a Hail Mary in and out of the hands. Arizona, meanwhile, is also 2-1 and looks like it's taken a step in its rebuild, beating San Diego State (38-20) and reigning FCS national champion North Dakota State (31-28) while losing 39-17 to Mississippi State.
Both teams have new starting quarterbacks this time around, as Washington State transfer Jayden de Laura has boosted the Wildcats offense while Purdue transfer Jack Plummer continues to settle in for the Bears.
Arizona has won the last six meetings in the series going back to 2010, so this is a big one for Cal as it looks to make a climb up the Pac-12 standings this year.
Cal, now 2-1, will take on it’s first Pac-12 opponent this week in Berkeley as the Arizona Wildcats will come to play at 2:30PM this Saturday. The Wildcats, also 2-1 in non-league play, will look to continue their streak of wins against the Bears.
Kickoff is set for 2:30 p.m. Saturday at California Memorial Stadium with the game televised on Pac-12 Network.
To set the stage for the conference opener, let's take a closer look at the matchup with the Wildcats.
Arizona Wildcats (2-1)
Location: Tucson, Ariz.
Coach: Jedd Fisch (2nd season, 3-12)
2021 Record: 1-11
Scoring Offense: 28.7 (82nd of 131)
Scoring Defense: 29.0 (88th of 131)
Total Offense: 390.3 YPG (83rd of 131)
Total Defense: 355.0 YAPG (63rd of 131)
What Arizona does well:
Arizona has a very creative and effective offense that could present some challenges for the Bears. Jedd Fisch, despite being horribly unproductive on that side of the ball last year, has done a fantastic job overhauling the roster as part of his rebuild. Having a middle of the pack offense through three games is a massive improvement over where this team was a year ago, so any and all improvements that fast have to be positive for the Wildcats.
They haven’t quite hit their stride yet, but the Wildcats are at the very least a very interesting offense to watch with all the different formations and misdirections they use to free up their playmakers to make things happen with the ball in their hands. They also do an excellent job of finding mismatches for some of their better players -- like transfer WR Jacob Cowing (more on him coming up) -- freeing them up down the field.
Where Arizona might be vulnerable:
On defense, specifically in the run game. So far the Wildcats are giving up 186.3 rushing yards per game at a 5.0 YPC rate. For Cal, this is a dramatic shift from the dominant front they had to face a week ago. If the Bears stay consistent and fight on the ground for most of this game (as North Dakota State did last week) they will find themselves in a position to win this game and keep their defense off the field. Panicking and going to the passing game too frequently with an offensive line that could use some help is going to get them in trouble, even if the Arizona front seven isn’t exactly Notre Dame. Cal is the most talented run game the Wildcats have seen so far (though NDSU might be more efficient), so leaning on that skill could result in a huge benefit for the Bears.
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