Cal Football's 2015 Schedule Could Make For Uphill Climb To Postseason
The third season of the Sonny Dykes era at California is about to get underway, and the expectations are building. After going 6-18 in his first two years in Berkeley, optimism is starting to spread around the Cal program for Dykes and company. A bowl trip could be awaiting Cal at the end of this season after just missing out on bowl eligibility in 2014. Getting there will be a bit of an uphill battle, but a good start is not impossible to come by in September for the Golden Bears.
Here is a walk through of Cal's 2015 college football schedule, with some quick thoughts on each opponent and a brief opinion on the outlook for the game. Do you see six wins on this schedule?
(*Denotes a Pac-12 Conference game)
Sep. 5: Grambling State
The season kicks off at home against Grambling State, an FCS program that is a few years removed from being the SWAC power it once was. Times have been tough for the program, and making the trip out to California is no easy voyage. The Bears should have a good opportunity fine tune some kicks on offense and get off on the right foot without much of a threat of losing the game. The big key will be avoiding injuries, and look for Cal to get as much playing time for as many players as possible in the opener.
Outlook: Win, no question. 1-0.
Sep. 12: San Diego State
Things get tougher the following week with a decent San Diego State team coming to Berkeley. Cal may still hold the upper hand in this one, but the Aztecs will bring a solid running game that must be contained. San Diego State could play for the Mountain West Conference championship at the end of the season, and perhaps compete for a New Years Six bowl spot if things go their way. A win over a Pac-12 school would help boost San Diego State's profile.
Outlook: Not an automatic win, and could end up being a loss if not careful.
Sep. 19: @Texas
In Week 3, Cal will hit the road to take on a rebuilding Texas program. The Longhorns have some depth concerns to sort through, and may have an unstable offense trying to figure things out, but Charlie Strong's team should be a tough defensive unit that will test Cal's offense.
Outlook: A chance to go 3-0 is a realistic possibility, but it will not come easily. Avoiding turnovers is key.
Sep. 26: @Washington*
Pac-12 play gets underway on the road for the Bears against division foe Washington. Chris Petersen's Huskies figure to fall back a little this season as the roster turns over. Washington won last year's meeting 31-7. This year should be a bit closer as Cal improves and Washington returns just four starters from last year's talented defense.
Outlook: Washington is vulnerable, but Cal must play better than they did a year ago to come home with a win.
Oct. 3: Washington State*
After two games on the road, Cal returns home for what should be another offensive seesaw battle with Washington State. Washington State returns seven starters on offense from a team that lost a 60-59 game against Cal last season. Mike Leach at Washington State and Sonny Dykes at Cal should once again have their teams going up and down the field on each other this season.
Outlook: Likely win, with plenty of scoring. Bet the over, all day long.
Oct. 10: @Utah*
Before heading into a bye week, Cal's offense will be put to the test against what could be the best defense in the Pac-12. Coming off a game against what may be the conference's worst defense, Cal will have to adjust mindsets quickly. Utah's running game will be dependable and sturdy while the defense should be capable of making plays happen. Cal must protect the football to get out of Salt Lake City with the upset.
Outlook: Probable loss on the road.
Oct. 22 (Thur): @UCLA*
Cal will get a week off after playing on the road at Utah to prepare for its next road test at UCLA. One of three in-state rivalry games for the Bears, UCLA could be a tough opponent with plenty of talent returning this season and few holes to plug. By this point in the season, freshman quarterback Josh Rosen could be in a groove while the defense should be adjusting well under a new defensive coordinator. UCLA escaped Berkeley with a 36-34 win last season, and Cal could give UCLA another scare.
Outlook: Probably a loss, but depends on what UCLA turns out to be.
Oct. 31: USC*
After UCLA, it's another in-state rivalry against a team from Los Angeles. USC pays Cal a visit on Halloween and the Bears hope to send the Pac-12 favorite Trojans home with a rock. USC has become a trendy pick this offseason, with potential Heisman candidate quarterback Cody Kessler looking forward to a solid season. USC has plenty of talent, but can they put it all together to match the hype? USC defeated Cal last season 38-30.
Outlook: Put this one on upset alert, at least until USC proves worthy of preseason hype.
Nov. 7: @Oregon*
Cal's brutal run continues on the road against the defending Pac-12 champions, Oregon. The Ducks will once again be equipped to put up big numbers this season and should be ready for another back-and-forth type of game with Cal. The Ducks won last year's divisional meeting, 59-41 in Santa Clara. Cal can put up some numbers against Oregon, but the defense will have to come up with some big plays.
Outlook: A likely loss, but Cal can make things entertaining.
Nov. 14: Oregon State*
After a tough three-game stretch out of the bye week, Cal can probably look forward to settling things down a bit with a home game against Oregon State. The Beavers have a new head coach in former Wisconsin and BYU head coach Gary Andersen, but a defense that returns just two starters from last season. Oregon State also has youth at quarterback, so things could get rocky for the Beavers.
Outlook: Consider this a likely win for the Bears.
Nov. 21: @Stanford*
The Big Game with Stanford is always a highlight of the regular season schedule. The Bears face another tough match-up against the defensively sound Cardinal, which means the Cal offense will be put to the test. Stanford has a nice little winning streak going for it against Cal, but could this be the year Cal brings the Stanford Axe back to Berkeley? It's not at all out of the question.
Outlook: Given recent history, Stanford is the pick here, but put it in pencil.
Nov. 28: Arizona State*
The 2015 season wraps up at home against a dangerous Arizona State Sun Devils squad. Todd Graham's program could be poised for a spot in the Pac-12 Championship Game out of a tough Pac-12 South, and if a division title is on the line, that could be trouble for Cal. Arizona State may not excel in any one category on the field, but quarterback Mike Bercovici has a solid offensive line protecting him in the middle and the Sun Devils should be capable of putting up points and making plays on defense.
Outlook: Not great for Cal, especially if a Pac-12 South division crown is on the line for the Sun Devils. But the game is at home...
Kevin McGuire is a Philadelphia area sports writer covering the Philadelphia Eagles and college football. McGuire is a member of the FWAA and National Football Foundation. Follow McGuire on Twitter @KevinOnCFB. His work can be found on Examiner.com.
