Pinned
Link copied
After two games on the road, the California Golden Bears are heading back home. California and the Washington Huskies will face off in a Pac-12 battle at 10:30 p.m. ET on Saturday at FTX Field at California Memorial Stadium. Coming off of a loss in a game they were expected to win, the Golden Bears nows face the more daunting task of proving themselves against unfavorable odds.
California fought the good fight in their overtime game against the Colorado Buffaloes last week but wound up with a less-than-desirable result, falling 20-13. If the result catches you off guard, it should: California was far and away the favorite. One thing holding California back was the mediocre play of QB Jack Plummer, who did not have his best game: despite one touchdown, he threw one interception with only 4.75 yards per passing attempt.
Meanwhile, Washington was able to grind out a solid win over the Arizona Wildcats last week, winning 49-39. QB Michael Penix Jr. had a dynamite game for the Huskies; he passed for four TDs and 516 yards on 44 attempts in addition to punching in one rushing touchdown.
Washington's defense was a presence as well, as it got past Arizona's offensive line to sack the quarterback four times for a total loss of 27 yards. Leading the way was LB Jeremiah Martin and his two sacks. Martin now has four sacks this year.
California is now 3-3 while Washington sits at 5-2. A pair of numbers to keep in mind before kickoff: California ranks 31st in the nation when it comes to touchdowns allowed, with only 17 on the season. But the Huskies enter the matchup with 38 overall offensive touchdowns, good for fifth best in the nation. These opposing strengths should make for an exciting matchup.
