Cal Football (3-1) returns from their bye with a tough matchup against the No. 8 ranked Miami Hurricanes (5-0) for their first-ever ACC home game. And.. it’s finally happened.
Cal is hosting College GameDay for the first time ever. It’s a shame the Jeff Tedford-led Cal teams never got to host one, but here we are. It’s fair to say that one of the main reasons why Cal is hosting GameDay is because of how good Miami is. That said, GameDay wouldn’t be coming to Cal if this team was bad.
Let’s dive into this exciting Week 6 ACC matchup.
Cal Football – Key Players
This is not going to be an easy task for this defense. Miami has playmakers everywhere and can hurt opposing teams in multiple ways. This is a huge opportunity for this defense, especially linebacker Cade Uluave.
Uluave played against Cam Ward last season when Ward was at Washington State. That was Uluave’s coming out party. In that game, he stripped Ward of the ball on a quarterback sneak and returned it for a touchdown. He also ended the game with an interception off Ward on a Hail Mary pass.
The familiarity certainly helps, but Ward has gotten better since he last played Cal, and the Miami team is a lot better than that Washington State team. The linebacker will need to play like a chicken with its head cut off if they want to slow the Miami quarterback down.
On offense, this has to be the Jaydn Ott game. The bye week came at a perfect time for Ott, who has been dealing with an injury to start the season. He started to come into his own against Florida State, where he ran for 73 yards on 16 carries. This is a game where the offense needs him desperately.
O-T-T-T-O-G-O
We've got Jaydn Ott to go!#Calgorithm #FightForCalGameday #H1M #WhyNotCal pic.twitter.com/8D68f8pnjH— The Liberal Calgorithm (@wokemobfootball) September 28, 2024
Miami is one of the top-ranked defenses in the nation when it comes to getting after the quarterback. In the past two weeks, the Bears have given up 13 sacks, totaling 16 on the season. To slow down this pass rush and give Fernando Mendoza time, this offense needs to run the ball effectively with Ott. If Mendoza can get rolling early, the offense will have a much easier time throwing the ball against this dominant Miami defense.
Miami Hurricanes – Key Players
The first key player for the Hurricanes is fairly obvious. Quarterback Cam Ward is a Heisman candidate leading an electric offense. Ward has been the most impressive quarterback in college football so far. So impressive, that he has the Hurricanes sitting as the eighth-best team in the FBS.
Right now, Ward has 1,78s yards passing, 18 touchdown passes, and a 92.7 QBR. All of those numbers are good for top three in the nation in each category. Cam Ward has brought life back to a Hurricane fanbase that’s been desperate for a winning culture again. Cal has to have their best defensive performance of the season if they want a chance at upsetting Ward and the Hurricanes.
Miami also has one of the best defensive lines in the country. They’re currently tied for third in the nation in team sacks, and now, Reuben Bain Jr. returns from injury. That’s not ideal for a Cal offensive line that’s struggled lately.
This is the second time he’ll get to play this season after getting injured on the first drive in the first week. As a freshman, Baine had 12.5 tackles for loss and seven and a half sacks. He was the ACC Defensive Rookie of the Year and named to many freshman All-American lists. Cal has to find a way to get him blocked up front.
It’s Time to Show the World
Berkeley is an incredibly special place filled with special people. Cal fans are a dedicated and passionate group that have endured a lot of hardship together, but still find a way to support this team.
This is going to be a very difficult game and Miami is a good team. That’s why Cal fans need to show up, and show out. This is the biggest national spotlight in the country and may be the one chance Cal has to make serious noise in college football.
There’s going to be plenty of new eyes on a program that’s on the come up. Being loud and filling the stadium can make this game just a tad bit harder for Miami. It’s time to show the world what Berkeley is about and why College GameDay made the right choice.
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.