Within the metropolis the place a horse named Donerail as soon as received the Kentucky Derby in opposition to 91-to-1 odds, the Cal soccer workforce doesn’t face fairly as steep a problem Saturday in opposition to Fifteenth-ranked Louisville.
Nonetheless, the Golden Bears will take the sphere as 19.5-point underdogs, essentially the most lopsided level unfold they’ve confronted all season.
One week after shedding to 14th-ranked Virginia 31-21 in a recreation they trailed by simply three factors within the remaining minute, the Bears (5-4, 2-3 ACC) shall be chasing what has eluded them most of this season: an entire recreation.
Requested what it would take to upset the Cardinals (7-1, 4-1), Cal coach Justin Wilcox supplied no magic system.
“Block and tackle. I know that’s going to seem like coach-talk and over-simplification but it’s true,” he mentioned. “We have to block and we have to tackle. Without that, we have no chance. I don’t care what scheme you have. You just have a dry-erase marker at that point.”
The Bears have demonstrated promise at instances this season, led by quarterback Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele, whose numbers outshine these of any Cal freshman on the place aside from Jared Goff.
However coming into its tenth recreation of the season, Cal continues to be struggling to search out somebody who can ship an correct shotgun snap to Sagapolutele. Inconsistency has plagued the Bears almost all over the place on the sphere at one time or one other.
Their offensive line has been a weak hyperlink once more this season and there could also be modifications there on Saturday. The protection, a staple underneath Wilcox for many of 9 seasons, can not cease the run and couldn’t get off the sphere on third down final week. Happily, junior linebacker Cade Uluave, the workforce’s greatest participant, is now listed as possible to play after leaving the Virginia recreation within the first quarter with an harm.
Having misplaced two in a row for the primary time this season, the Bears want yet one more victory simply to grow to be bowl eligible. They’ll have to overachieve to achieve seven or eight victories, which is extra consistent with what they envisioned for this season.
Cal has a bye subsequent week earlier than touring to Stanford for the Large Sport, then closing the common season at house in opposition to SMU.
Wilcox mentioned his workforce stays motivated. “Unfortunately, it takes more than effort,” he mentioned. “We’ve got to play better football.”
Senior cornerback Paco Austin, who had six go breakups in opposition to Virginia, agreed there is no such thing as a give up within the locker room.
“We’re pretty confident right now. We just have to tighten up some screws and start faster,” he mentioned, referring to the 10-0 first-quarter gap they confronted in opposition to Virginia. “If we play together as one team, we’re unstoppable.”
The Bears weren’t precisely unstoppable whereas profitable their first three video games, but it surely was an encouraging begin to the season. Since then, they’re 2-4 with victories over ACC backside feeders Boston School and North Carolina that weren’t secured till late defensive takeaways.
The losses have taken a toll however haven’t killed the Bears’ spirit, their coach mentioned.
“The mentality’s there,” Wilcox mentioned. “They’re disappointed, they’re frustrated, like everybody. That’s what happens when you don’t win games. But we had opportunities and didn’t get it done. How are we gonna fix that? That’s the attitude.”
Austin acknowledged a win over Louisville would imply rather a lot to the Bears.
“Every win, whether they’re 0-and-whatever or ranked, every win matters,” Austin mentioned. “I feel like everybody is in a good mood, nobody is dragging their feet like, ‘Oh, we just lost.’ Everybody is next-game mentality.”
