(RB Jaydn Ott – 247Sports)
Key Players Returning:
QB Fernando Mendoza, RB Jaydn Ott, WR Trond Grizzell, TE Jack Endries, OG Sioape Vatikani, OT TJ Session, DE Ethan Saunders, NT Ricky Correia, LB Xavier Carlton, LB David Reese, LB Cade Uluave, CB/KR Lu-Magia Hears III, CB Nohl Williams, NB Matthew Littlejohn, FS Craig Woodson, and PT Lachlan Wilson.
Key Players Departing:
WR Taj Davis, WR/PR Jeremiah Hunter, WR Monroe Young, OC Matthew Cindric, OC Brian Driscoll, OT Barrett Miller, LB Kaleb Elarms-Orr (TCU transfer), LB Myles Jernigan (Louisville transfer), LB Jackson Sirmon, CB Jeremiah Earby, SS Patrick McNorris (Dolphins R6), and PK Mateen Bhaghani.
(CB Marcus Harris – USA Today Sports)
Top 10 Recruits:
4 Star Recruits: CB Marcus Harris (Idaho transfer), WR Mikey Matthews (Utah transfer), RB Kadarius Calloway (Old Dominion transfer), and WR Tobias Merriweather (Notre Dame transfer).
3 Star Recruits: WR Kylon Grayes (Ohio State transfer),CB Jasiah Wagoner (Oklahoma transfer), QB Chandler Rogers (North Texas transfer), LB Teddye Buchanan (UC-Davis transfer), ATH BJ Canady (Topeka, Kansas), and QB EJ Caminong (Seattle, Washington).
2023 Results:
G01 @ North Texas W 58-21
G02 AUBURN L 10-14
G03 IDAHO W 31-17
G04 @ #8 Washington L 32-59
G05 ARIZONA STATE W 24-21
G06 #15 OREGON STATE L 40-52
G07 @ #16 Utah L 14-34
G08 #24 USC L 49-50
G09 @ #6 Oregon L 19-63
G10 WASHINGTON STATE W 42-39
G11 @ Stanford W 27-15
G12 @ UCLA W 33-7
BOWL vs. Texas Tech L 14-34
Team Info:
2023 Overall: 6-7 (7th in PAC-12)
Home: 3-3
Away: 3-3
Neutral: 0-1
P12: 4-5
Non-P12: 2-2
Head Coach: Justin Wilcox
California: 36-43
Career: 36-43
Bowls: 1-2
(WR Trond Grizzell – Bay Area News Group)
Returning Statistical Leaders:
Passing: Fernando Mendoza (153-243, 1728 yards, 63.0%, 6.4 avg., 14 TD 10 INT)
Rushing: Jaydn Ott (246 car., 1314 yards, 5.3 avg., 12 TD)
Receiving: Trond Grizzell (39 rec., 590 yards, 15.1 avg., 5 TD)
TD’s Scored: Jaydn Ott (12)
Sacks: David Reese (6.5)
Tackles: Craig Woodson (81)
Interceptions: Lu-Magia Hearns III/Cade Uluave/Nohl Williams (2)
Pass Deflections: Lu-Magia Hearns III/Nohl Williams (6)
Tackles For Loss: David Reese (8)
Forced Fumbles: David Reese (3)
Kick Returns: Lu-Magia Hearns III (8 ret., 118 yards, 14.8 avg., 0 TD)
Punt Returns: None
Kicking: Michael Luckhurst (3-9 fg/fga., 33%, 11-14 xp/xpa., 20 pts.)
Punting: Lachlan Wilson (52 punts, 2315 yards, 44.5 avg., 15 in20)
Projected Offensive Starters:
QB: 15 Fernando Mendoza (RS SO)
RB: 1 Jordyn Ott (JR/TR)
WR: 5 Tobias Merriweather (JR/TR)
WR: 83 Trond Grizzell (RS JR)
WR: 8 Mikey Matthews (SO/TR)
TE: 87 Jack Endries (RS SO)
LT: 52 Nick Morrow (RS FR)
LG: 66 Will McDonald (RS SR/TR)
OC: 74 Matthew Wykoff (RS JR/TR)
RG: 71 Sioape Vatikani (JR)
RT: 72 TJ Session (RS SR/TR)
KR: 8 Mikey Matthews (SO/TR)
PK: 40 Ryan Coe (RS SR/TR)
Projected Defensive Starters:
DE: 98 Nate Burrell (JR)
NT: 91 Ricky Correia (SR)
DE: 99 Ethan Saunders (RS JR)
LB: 44 Xavier Carlton (SR/TR)
LB: 10 Teddye Buchanan (SR/TR)
LB: 0 Cade Uluave (SO)
LB: 7 David Reese (RS SR/TR)
CB: 21 Lu-Magia Hearns III (SR)
CB: 3 Nohl Williams (SR/TR)
FS: 2 Craig Woodson (RS SR)
SS: 4 Miles Williams (RS SR)
PR: 6 Jonathan Brady (JR/TR)
PT: 37 Lachlan Wilson (RS SR/TR)
(LB David Reese – USA Today Sports)
Team Grades:
Offense
Quarterbacks: B
Running Backs: A
Wide Receivers: C
Offensive Line: B
Defensive
Defensive Line: C
Linebackers: B
Secondary: C
Special Teams
Kick Returns: C
Punt Returns: B
Kickers: C
Punters: A
Schedule:
08/31 UC-DAVIS AGGIES | Cal leads the series 11-0. The Golden Bears won (34-13) the last meeting between schools in 2022.
09/07 @ Auburn Tigers | Last season’s 10-14 loss was the first meeting between schools.
09/14 SAN DIEGO STATE AZTECS | The series is tied 4-4. The Golden Bears lost (40-45) the last meeting between schools in 2016.
09/21 @ FSU Seminoles | First meeting between schools.
10/05 MIAMI (FL) HURRICANES | The series is tied 2-2. The Golden Bears won (24-17) the last meeting between schools in 2008.
10/12 @ PITT Panthers | Cal trails the series 2-3. The Golden Bears won (30-15) the last meeting between schools in 1966.
10/19 NC STATE WOLFPACK | First meeting between schools.
10/26 OREGON STATE BEAVERS | Cal leads the series 39-37. The Golden Bears are 6-4 since 2014, and their last series win (39-25) was in 2021.
11/08 @ Wake Forest Demon Deacons | First meeting between schools.
11/16 SYRACUSE ORANGE | The series is tied 1-1. The Golden Bears won (43-0) the last meeting between schools in 1968.
11/23 STANFORD CARDINAL | Cal trails the series 47-60-10. The Golden Bears are 4-6 since 2014, and their last series loss (23-24) was in 2020.
11/30 @ SMU Mustangs | Cal lost (6-13) the only prior meeting between schools in 1957.
Predictions:
Home: 5-2
Away: 2-3
Neutral: 0-0
ACC: 4-4
Non-ACC: 3-1
Overall: 7-5 (10th in ACC)
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