The Cal Golden Bears (4-4) travel back east for their ACC matchup against the Wake Forest Demon Deacons (4-4) for a Friday night football showdown. It feels like there have been a lot of first-time matchups for California this season. This game is no different as these two schools have never played each other before. Cal, coming off of a bye, is still searching for their first ACC win, and the Demon Deacons seem ripe for the taking. The game will be played this Friday at 5 pm PST with network coverage on the CW station.
Cal Golden Bears – Key Players
One player for this Cal offense that has stepped up in a particularly huge way this season is tight end Jack Endries. Endries, a redshirt sophomore, has been stacking big games and breaking his career highs this season.
In the past four games, Endries has 353 yards receiving to go along with two touchdowns. With the receiving core banged up and transfer tight end Corey Dyches missing the past few games, Fernando Mendoza needed someone to step up and Endries has done just that. Look for him to stay red hot again this week as he poses as a matchup nightmare against a struggling Demon Deacons defense.
Sticking with the offensive side of the ball, how can we not talk about other performance of the offensive line against Oregon State? One player that deserves recognition is Frederick Williams III.
Cal did not give up any sacks in their last game, and Williams was an anchor for them over at right tackle. It was the redshirt freshman’s first-ever start, and he exceeded expectations.
Every Cal fan knows about the struggles the offensive line has had. However, Williams looked good in his first start and could provide some stability at the tackle position as we inch towards the end of the season. If he can continue to play well, that means the offensive line is in a much better spot going forward.
Wake Forest Demon Deacons – Key Players
A very underrated player on this Demon Deacon defense is defensive lineman Kevin Pointer. The redshirt senior has played in every game but one this season. His production has been off the charts, with seven tackles for loss and three and a half sacks. The big man also has an interception under his belt.
Pointer can dominate in more ways than one, and keeping him blocked is incredibly important for Cal. If he’s is living in the backfield this game, Pointer can throw off an entire offensive game plan.
Veteran quarterbacks in college always present difficult challenges for a defense. Hank Bachmeier has been playing college football since 2019 and is with his third team. He’s done quite well in his first season with the Demon Deacons and has made their offense respectable.
On the season, Bachmeier has 12 touchdown passes and six interceptions. He has thrown for 1,958 yards this season while completing 62.7 percent of his passes. Bachmeier has played a lot of football and there probably aren’t too many defenses he hasn’t seen. Cal will need to put pressure on him early to make sure he doesn’t get into any kind of rhythm.
Can Cal Football Get Their First ACC Victory?
This is a great chance for Cal to get consecutive wins and their first-ever win in the ACC. The Demon Deacons are better this year than in years past, but there’s a reason why Cal is the favorite on the road in this football game.
Having the bye week to prepare for this game could be a major factor in the outcome. Cal is well-rested for a cross-country trip and expects to get some players back on both sides of the ball. With how the season has gone thus far, Cal fans should expect the players to play well down the final stretch.
The Golden Bears need to do everything they can to avoid being in a tight game down the stretch. If the offensive line can play like they did against the Bears, Cal should win this one comfortably and get their first conference win.
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.