California Love
The pre-season USA Today poll is showing some much deserved love to the Pac-10, and to the California Golden Bears.
Three Pac-10 teams in the top 20 (USC #3, Cal #12, Oregon #20) sounds about right for a conference that will be STACKED this year. Four more teams received votes (Arizona State #26, and UCLA, Arizona, and Oregon State also receiving votes). That sounds about right. The Pac 10 should be deep this year, with each team a threat to any opponent they face.
Even the teams left off of the poll are dangerous. Washington has had a little time to grow under Willingham, and they return an athletic QB with a great arm in Stanback. Washington State returns 14 starters, including QB Alex Brink, and should have a strong offense. Stanford returns one of the 10 best QB's in the nation, Trent Edwards...if they can protect him, Stanford could win 7 games this year.
A pre-season ranking of #12 for Cal says a lot about how much Jeff Tedford has done for the program. Cal had a disappointing season last year, largely because they lost their starting QB for the season in the opener and Ayoob was a disaster. This year, Nate Longshore will be ready, and assuming he can stay healthy, Cal has a legitimate shot at winning it all. No kidding.
Cal will feature a balanced attack this year for the first time in a very long time. The defense will stack up with anyone in the country. The offense features a running back who is arguably the best in college football, and the young talent at WR is now less young and more talented. A new offensive coordinator was brought in to add a taste of the spread offense, which will empty the box and allow Marshawn Lynch to run through, over, and around opposing defenses. Even without a legitimate passing threat last year, Lynch put up incredible numbers. This year, if they can't stack 8 or 9 in the box, they can't stop Lynch. DeSean Jackson is more than enough of a deep threat to keep defenses honest. Lynch and Jackson will give each other opportunities to make big plays.
Cal will get an early test at Tennessee, and another shortly thereafter against Minnesota...but neither of these teams will be in the top 3 opponents Cal will face this year. (Those will be USC, Oregon, and UCLA). Look for Cal to win at least two of those three games, take at least one out of the two of Tennessee and Minnesota, and finish their season in Pasadena this year...because 10-2 will be good enough to win a dog-eat-dog Pac-10 this year. If Cal can do a little better, 11-1 may be good enough for a shot at the title this year.
Three Pac-10 teams in the top 20 (USC #3, Cal #12, Oregon #20) sounds about right for a conference that will be STACKED this year. Four more teams received votes (Arizona State #26, and UCLA, Arizona, and Oregon State also receiving votes). That sounds about right. The Pac 10 should be deep this year, with each team a threat to any opponent they face.
Even the teams left off of the poll are dangerous. Washington has had a little time to grow under Willingham, and they return an athletic QB with a great arm in Stanback. Washington State returns 14 starters, including QB Alex Brink, and should have a strong offense. Stanford returns one of the 10 best QB's in the nation, Trent Edwards...if they can protect him, Stanford could win 7 games this year.
A pre-season ranking of #12 for Cal says a lot about how much Jeff Tedford has done for the program. Cal had a disappointing season last year, largely because they lost their starting QB for the season in the opener and Ayoob was a disaster. This year, Nate Longshore will be ready, and assuming he can stay healthy, Cal has a legitimate shot at winning it all. No kidding.
Cal will feature a balanced attack this year for the first time in a very long time. The defense will stack up with anyone in the country. The offense features a running back who is arguably the best in college football, and the young talent at WR is now less young and more talented. A new offensive coordinator was brought in to add a taste of the spread offense, which will empty the box and allow Marshawn Lynch to run through, over, and around opposing defenses. Even without a legitimate passing threat last year, Lynch put up incredible numbers. This year, if they can't stack 8 or 9 in the box, they can't stop Lynch. DeSean Jackson is more than enough of a deep threat to keep defenses honest. Lynch and Jackson will give each other opportunities to make big plays.
Cal will get an early test at Tennessee, and another shortly thereafter against Minnesota...but neither of these teams will be in the top 3 opponents Cal will face this year. (Those will be USC, Oregon, and UCLA). Look for Cal to win at least two of those three games, take at least one out of the two of Tennessee and Minnesota, and finish their season in Pasadena this year...because 10-2 will be good enough to win a dog-eat-dog Pac-10 this year. If Cal can do a little better, 11-1 may be good enough for a shot at the title this year.
posted by AdmiralLando at 12:18 AM
1 Comments:
I think Cal will expose Tennessee for the overrated team they are. Every year, sports analysts trip over their dicks to talk about how great Tennessee will be, and every year they fall short of expectations. This year, the expectations aren't that high...so what does that say about results?
Their tough rush defense will limit Marshawn Lynch to 5 yards per carry instead of 9. I can live with that. Cal will have a credible passing game this year, which will do wonders for the ground game. Meanwhile, Tennessee's offense doesn't scare me at all, and I wouldn't be surprised to see the Bears pitch a shutout, or at least hold Tennessee to 10 or less, assuming the offense doesn't turn the ball over more than once or twice.
The only concern I have is taking a young, inexperienced QB and throwing him into one of the biggest stages in college football in his first real game...but I have a lot of faith in this Longshore kid. I think he'll handle the Tennessee game with poise and confidence, and Cal will come out of there with a win...if they come ready to play. Whether that happens is up to Tedford.
You are probably right, however, that saying that an away game at Tennessee will be less of a challenge than UCLA. However, I only think that is true because it is a season opener on the road against a team with a lot of tradition.
UCLA probably won't be able to do much to stop Cal's offense, but they will be able to put points on the board this year, and may be able to come out on top if it becomes a shootout.
Nonetheless, you have me convinced. Tennessee will be Cal's third toughest opponent this year. USC will be second. Oregon will be the toughest.
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