Week 3 Predictions
"What to watch for
California (2-0) is favored at Texas (1-1), according to Odds Shark, something that seemed unfathomable just two years ago when Sonny Dykes was going through a 1-11 season and the Longhorns were coming to the end of the Mack Brown era but were still rarely underdogs at home.
But the Golden Bears have been one of the most improved teams since then, while Texas has yet to regain its footing under new coach Charlie Strong, and his team's expected strength—the defense—has given up 989 yards and 66 points so far in 2015.
We can discount the numbers from the opening loss at Notre Dame, but last week, the Longhorns gave up 462 yards and 28 points to Rice. If not for three interceptions, a fumble-return touchdown by freshman Malik Jefferson and Daje Johnson's 85-yard punt-return score, Texas would have been in much worse trouble.
Cal's passing game is as good as it comes, with Jared Goff tallying 630 yards and six TDs on 73.2 percent passing. The junior will become the school's all-time leader with 16 more yards, passing Troy Taylor's 8,126 yards from 1986-89.
"Our hands are going to be full covering the back end," Strong said, via Ryan Gorcey of Scout.com. "We have to be ready to go play."
The Bears have also drastically improved their pass defense, going from dead last in 2014 at 367.2 yards per game to 171.5 per game so far this season with six picks. Neither Jerrod Heard nor Tyrone Swoopes has shown much passing acumen to this point, so Texas will struggle to exploit this area.
A home loss to Cal, despite what the oddsmakers say, would be a step in the wrong direction for Strong's program. He's 4-3 at home with all three losses by at least 21 points, and another setback (timed with the ouster of athletic director Steve Patterson, as reported by Brian Davis and Kirk Bohls of the Austin American-Statesman) wouldn't bode well for his long-term future.
Somehow, Texas will get it done.
Prediction: Texas 30, California 24"
That's right. After listing all the reasons why the Bears should win the game, they finish it with "Somehow, Texas will get it done."
That's quality analysis right there.
For the record, I have no problem with a prediction of Texas winning. You could easily argue why the Longhorns pull the upset. But, that's my point: easy to do so, and yet you only cite Strong's home win-loss record and some awkward reference to the ousting of their AD.
*Slow clap*
"What to watch for
California (2-0) is favored at Texas (1-1), according to Odds Shark, something that seemed unfathomable just two years ago when Sonny Dykes was going through a 1-11 season and the Longhorns were coming to the end of the Mack Brown era but were still rarely underdogs at home.
But the Golden Bears have been one of the most improved teams since then, while Texas has yet to regain its footing under new coach Charlie Strong, and his team's expected strength—the defense—has given up 989 yards and 66 points so far in 2015.
We can discount the numbers from the opening loss at Notre Dame, but last week, the Longhorns gave up 462 yards and 28 points to Rice. If not for three interceptions, a fumble-return touchdown by freshman Malik Jefferson and Daje Johnson's 85-yard punt-return score, Texas would have been in much worse trouble.
Cal's passing game is as good as it comes, with Jared Goff tallying 630 yards and six TDs on 73.2 percent passing. The junior will become the school's all-time leader with 16 more yards, passing Troy Taylor's 8,126 yards from 1986-89.
"Our hands are going to be full covering the back end," Strong said, via Ryan Gorcey of Scout.com. "We have to be ready to go play."
The Bears have also drastically improved their pass defense, going from dead last in 2014 at 367.2 yards per game to 171.5 per game so far this season with six picks. Neither Jerrod Heard nor Tyrone Swoopes has shown much passing acumen to this point, so Texas will struggle to exploit this area.
A home loss to Cal, despite what the oddsmakers say, would be a step in the wrong direction for Strong's program. He's 4-3 at home with all three losses by at least 21 points, and another setback (timed with the ouster of athletic director Steve Patterson, as reported by Brian Davis and Kirk Bohls of the Austin American-Statesman) wouldn't bode well for his long-term future.
Somehow, Texas will get it done.
Prediction: Texas 30, California 24"
That's right. After listing all the reasons why the Bears should win the game, they finish it with "Somehow, Texas will get it done."
That's quality analysis right there.
For the record, I have no problem with a prediction of Texas winning. You could easily argue why the Longhorns pull the upset. But, that's my point: easy to do so, and yet you only cite Strong's home win-loss record and some awkward reference to the ousting of their AD.
*Slow clap*
