The Minnesota Golden Gophers (2-0) hit the road to close out their non-conference slate with a matchup against the California Golden Bears (2-0) at 9:30 p.m. CST on Saturday, Sep. 13, at California Memorial Stadium.
Can Cal score on offense?
The story of Cal’s season so far has been the play of true freshman quarterback Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele. The former four-star prospect originally signed with Oregon before opting to transfer to Cal in the spring. He is 46-of-67 (68.7%) for 493 passing yards with three passing touchdowns
and one interception through the first two weeks, albeit against the likes of Oregon State and Texas Southern. Regardless of the level of competition, Sagapolutele has turned heads with his arm strength and surgical precision down the field.
A baker’s dozen different players have recorded at least one reception through the first two games for the Golden Bears, so look for new offensive coordinator Bryan Harsin to spread out and attack the Gopher defense. Trond Grizzell is the veteran of their receiving corps and the lone impact pass catcher to return from last season. Two names to watch out for are Mark Hamper and Jacob De Jesus. The former is an Idaho transfer with big-play ability who plays primarily in the slot but has the versatility to line up anywhere across the formation. The latter is a UNLV transfer who is a smaller receiver but was a first-team All-Mountain West selection as a special teams returner a year ago due to his quickness and open-field vision.
The offensive line has only allowed one sack through the first two weeks of the season.
The Golden Bears saw last season’s leading rushers Jaivian Thomas and Jaydn Ott transfer to UCLA and Oklahoma, respectively, so NC State transfer running back Kendrick Raphael has stepped into the starting role. He led the way in Cal’s Week 2 win over Texas Southern, rushing for 131 yards and a touchdown on 18 carries.
Please tell me the Gophers will be able to score
Cal is solid up front with three seniors on the defensive line, led by nose tackle Aidan Keanaaina, who finished last season with 45 total tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss, one sack, and one pass break-up.
Top linebacker Cade Uluave will miss the first half of the game Saturday after being assessed a targeting penalty in the second half of last week’s game against Texas Southern. Expect to see former BYU and Oregon transfer Harrison Taggart to step in for Uluave while he serves his suspension, working alongside Liberty transfer linebacker TJ Bush Jr. and redshirt freshman linebacker Luke Ferrelli.
The Golden Bears entered this season with five new starters in the secondary, including a pair of transfers at cornerback: Hezekiah Masses (Florida International) and Brent Austin (South Florida). Nickelback Cam Sidney is their most experienced returner. Free safety Aiden Manutai is a true freshman, and strong safety Isaiah Crosby is a former JUCO transfer who saw limited action last year in his first season at Cal.
It’s difficult to gauge how good this defense is due to the level of competition they’ve faced up to this point. Neither Oregon State nor Texas Southern found much running room, with the Golden Bears’ defense allowing an average of 58.5 rushing yards per game through the first two weeks. The Beavers did find some success through the air, throwing for 244 passing yards. But neither opponent recorded a passing touchdown.
But who will score more points on Saturday?
Under head coach Justin Wilcox, the Golden Bears are 6-3 against Power 4 non-conference opponents, and two of their three losses were on the road. Minnesota’s last trip to the West Coast came against UCLA a year ago and saw the Gophers look sluggish in the first half, having to rally from a 10-0 halftime deficit.
This will be a measuring stick game for both teams. It seems like a coin-flip game to me. With that in mind, I’m inclined to give the edge to the home team. Cal 21, Minnesota 17.
