Let's take a look at Cal Football for the upcoming season.
Best / Worst Case Record for :
Louisville | Virginia | Miami | Duke | Georgia Tech | SMU | Boston College | Pittsburgh | Florida State | Virginia Tech | NC State | Clemson | Syracuse | North Carolina | Stanford| Wake Forest
Cal
Cal’s first year in the ACC was an absolute roller coaster. They win at Auburn, then rule social media, and promptly lose to the worst team in the ACC, Florida State. They go from 3-0 to 3-4, win 3 out of 4, and lose their final 2 games to 6-7. Head Coach Justin Wilcox’s seat is on fire. That’s five straight losing seasons, and some of their best players ended up in the portal. Things look bleak at Cal and for Wilcox, but let’s see if we can find something for Cal fans to be optimistic about.
Will Go 8-4 (4-4) if:
Cal can start the year 4-0. Cal begins the year at Oregon State, Texas Southern, Minnesota, then at San Diego St. That’s not a cakewalk, but it isn’t overwhelming either. If the Bears can get through that stretch, then a schedule that avoids Clemson, Miami, and Georgia Tech would allow for a decent finish. The offense loses starting QB Fernando Mendoza and talented RB Jayden Ott, but even with them, the offense was a pedestrian 74th, and they were one of the worst running teams in college football. The schedule only has 3 true cross country trips, at Boston College, at Virginia Tech, and at Louisville. Travel really isn’t bad. If new OC Bryan Harsin can jump-start the offense, then maybe Cal has a shot to save Justin Wilcox’s job
Will Go 3-9 (2-6) if:
The Bears can’t pull a few upsets. Other than Texas Southern, is there anyone on Cal’s we are 100% confident in them beating? There is a ton of turnover in the starting 22, and question marks all over this team. Oh, and Justin Wilcox is probably coaching for his job. If Cal struggles out of the gate with a 0-4 or 1-3 start, the season could totally derail. I don’t trust the depth at Cal either, and that could mean a lot of lost games in the 4th quarter.
