It finally happened. Cal got its first ACC win last week against Wake Forest. The Golden Bears (5-4) have won their last two games and are looking for their third straight when Kyle McCord and the Orange (6-3) come into town this weekend. The last time these two teams played one another, Lyndon Johnson was still president, and the U.S. was fighting in the Vietnam War. This football game presents an all-time jersey matchup with two iconic mascots. The game takes place this Saturday at noon and the game will be televised on the CW Network.
Key Players – Cal Golden Bears
There aren’t too many quarterbacks right now that are playing as well as Fernando Mendoza. His play last weekend earned him the honors of ACC Quarterback of the Week and the Manning Award Quarterback of the Week. He has earned both of those honors twice this football season. It’s no coincidence that when the offensive line started to pass-protect better, Mendoza saw a major uptick in production. As it stands right now, Fernando is currently ranked number 12 in the nation for completion percentage and number 15 for pass yards per game. To put it shortly, he’s balling right now. If the offensive line can once again buy him some time this weekend, Mendoza should put up big numbers against this Orange defense.
Xavier Carlton has been a menace rushing the quarterback this season. The defense for the Bears has been solid for the most part all season and one of the reasons why is the pressure they’re able to get on the quarterback, and Carlton has been a major driving factor for those pressures. Before this season, Xavier had just 10 sacks in his career. In just this season alone, Carlton already has nine sacks with three more games left. His performance last week against Wake Forest where he had two sacks and five total tackles earned him ACC Defensive Lineman Player of the Week. Kyle McCord is a quarterback who can hurt you in more ways than one, and one way to take pressure off the secondary is to get pressure on him. Hopefully, Carlton and the rest of the defensive line are up for the task.
Key Players – Syracuse Orange
Syracuse quarterback Kyle McCord took a lot of heat for how the Ohio State season played out last season. So much so, that he left the program in search of greener pastures. Since arriving at Syracuse to be their starting quarterback, McCord has had some games where he’s looked good, and some games where you can understand the frustration Buckeye fans had last season. That being said, his play has brought some much-needed life to the Orange fanbase. McCord has thrown for 23 touchdowns this season and 12 interceptions. His completion percentage isn’t that great, but he does throw for a ton of yards. He’s always looking to strike downfield and that’s why Cal must get pressure on him early and often.
Linebacker Justin Barron has had quite an interesting career for Syracuse. Originally brought in as a wide receiver, he made the position switch to cornerback back in 2020. After two games into the season, he once again switched positions to linebacker. Barron was a very productive cornerback before the switch happened, but Syracuse thought it would be better for the team if they could get his tackle production between the tackles instead of on the boundaries. That plan has worked out perfectly for the Orange as Barron currently leads the team in tackles while adding on two sacks and one interception. He’s a little undersized compared to traditional linebackers, but he makes up for it with his sideline-to-sideline speed. He’s one defensive player that Cal needs to keep on his heels.
Can Cal Football Win its 2nd ACC Game?
Both of these schools probably feel like they should have better records than what they currently have. On paper, Syracuse doesn’t appear to be as good as Cal. It’s been a rollercoaster of a football season for both programs up to this point, but this game is pivotal for both teams. Cal needs this win to secure a bowl game while Syracuse is fighting for their best record in years. This game will more than likely come down to quarterback play and who wins the turnover battle. Cal has still been struggling to run the ball, but this matchup could be a get-right game for the rushing attack as Syracuse is ranked 79 in the nation regarding run defense. Cal is once again the favorite this week and has the opportunity to win their third straight. It’s another crucial conference matchup that this team needs to win. Hopefully, it’s another week that the Syracuse head coach refuses to take a shower afterward.
Cody Henderson
I root for teams that only let me down. Talking all things Las Vegas Raiders and Cal Bears football. Follow me on X where I post my dramatic takes.