Cal football heads into Saturday’s home clash against No. 21 Wake Forest with fresh confidence after a 25-20 victory over Virginia Tech last week, but the Bears face a formidable defensive challenge in the visiting Demon Deacons.
Backup quarterback Jackson Brousseau steered Cal’s offense effectively against Virginia Tech, throwing for 321 yards and a touchdown. Cal’s passing game coordinator Pat McCann praised the performance, calling it a successful outing. Brousseau filled in for star quarterback Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele, who is expected to return against Wake Forest but remains listed as questionable due to a concussion.
Head coach Tosh Lupoi highlighted the team’s resilience and adaptability after their recent win. “Can’t say enough how awesome it’s been to be part of the amount of new faces and guys that are being asked for challenges to step up,” Lupoi said. He also acknowledged the team’s injury situation but insisted there are “no excuses” and expressed pride in how the players have responded.
Wake Forest arrives in Berkeley with a 5-1 record and a defense known for its pass rush. The Demon Deacons have registered 17 sacks and 35 tackles for loss this season, producing a 14.9 percent havoc rate, a mark that will test Cal’s offensive line. The Bears have found more balance in their attack under McCann, with improvements in both the air and on the ground. Wide receiver Ian Strong emerged as a factor in last week’s game, hauling in five catches for 97 yards. Strong, a senior transfer from Rutgers, has been quiet so far this season but is gaining momentum.
“Ian Strong is the epitome of answering the challenges,” Lupoi said. “He’s a beast, and his confidence is rolling.”
On defense, Cal will face Wake Forest’s dual-threat quarterback Gio Lopez, who has been exceptional over the last three games, averaging 41.6 points per contest. Lopez ranks third nationally in expected points added (EPA) per dropback and 20th in pass success rate. Lupoi described Lopez as the best quarterback they have faced this season, emphasizing the challenge he presents both through the air and on the ground.
“If you’re guessing, pressuring this guy, he can make you pay. He’s intelligent. He’s lethally accurate. He’s producing at a high level for a reason,” Lupoi said. “Somebody’s going to take this guy a lot higher in the NFL draft. I’m going to tell you that right now.”
Cal’s defense ranks ninth nationally in limiting opponents’ EPA per dropback and 29th in pass success rate allowed. Defensive back Kingston Lopa, who missed last week with a concussion, is expected to return along with Aiden Manutai and Isaiah Crosby in the secondary. The Bears will need to contain Lopez’s top target, Carlos Hernandez, who leads the country with 49 receptions and ranks third with 720 receiving yards. Hernandez is listed as questionable for the game.
Cal’s run defense will face a stern test as well. Lopez averages nearly 34 rushing yards per game and gained 88 yards on the ground against Stanford earlier this month. Cal’s vulnerability against mobile quarterbacks was exposed when UNLV’s Jackson Arnold rushed for 110 yards just two weeks ago.
Penalties remain a concern for Cal, who lead college football in penalty yards per game with 90.6 and rank near the bottom in penalties per game with 9.8. Lupoi acknowledged the discipline issues and said the team is addressing them through additional drills and meetings.
Wake Forest’s offense also excels on early downs, ranking sixth nationally in EPA per play on those downs. Cal’s defense sits 26th in limiting early down EPA. Winning these early downs could set the tone for the Demon Deacons’ attack.
Injuries aside from Sagapolutele, Lopa, and Hernandez, Cal’s starting running back Adam Mohammed is also questionable due to an undisclosed injury. Defensive lineman Langston Hardy is questionable for Wake Forest.
The game kicks off Saturday at 7:30 p.m. in Berkeley, marking Cal’s toughest test to date against a nationally ranked opponent.
According to Yahoo Sports.
