Cal heads to the state of Alabama to take on the Auburn Tigers for their first road game of the college football season. These two schools faced off last year in their first-ever matchup, in which Auburn came away with a close victory. Now, Cal hopes to settle the score at Jordan-Hare Stadium.
Cal Football vs. Auburn Matchup History
These two schools were supposed to play one another years ago. The contract was signed in 2014 for a home-and-home series. However, due to schedule conflicts and COVID-19, the first game wasn’t played until last season.
Auburn would win the game at Cal with a narrow 14-10 victory. It was a close football game all the way through, and one Cal lost more than Auburn won. Cal missed three field goals and had a touchdown returned due to a blown whistle. If they want to win this game, they will have to play mistake-free.
Key Players – California Golden Bears
With starting wide receivers Tobias Merriweather and Kyion Grayes most likely out, expect Cal to call on Nyziah Hunter again. His impressive game last season is not lost on the coaches, either.
Someone will have to step up at the receiver position, and it’s very plausible that the offense goes back to Hunter. The redshirt freshman has great size and can line up anywhere. Being a reliable target goes a long way toward playing time, and Hunter has emerged as one early in the season.
The Tigers have a ton of outstanding talent on the offensive side of the ball. One key player for this Cal defense will be inside linebacker Teddye Buchanan. Buchanan, a transfer from UC Davis, had an impressive game against his former school last week. The defense will have to adjust to the speed and athleticism of the Auburn offense, making Buchanan a key player in this game. If he can be a factor in the run game and handle himself in pass coverage, that will be a major boost for this defense.
Key Players – Auburn Tigers
When it comes to SEC teams, their biggest advantage comes from the size of their players in the trenches. That’s why the expectation should be that Auburn will try to run the ball early in the game and lean on that offensive line.
Like Cal, Auburn has a good running back. Jarquez Hunter is their main running back, yet he only received limited touches in his last game. Still, he averaged 13.3 yards per carry including an impressive 34-yard touchdown run. Hunter has been named to the Maxwell Award watch list and is one player that this Cal defense must gameplan for.
It wouldn’t be an SEC team without having a few studs on defense. The defensive line for the Tigers is filled with talent and players who can rush the quarterback. They’re expected to have a heavy rotation up front, but one player that stands out is Jalen McLeod.
The outside linebacker has a nose for the football and puts constant pressure on the quarterback. He finished last week with a sack and two tackles for a loss. His presence is felt heavily when it comes to maintaining the edge. Cal might consider having a tight-end chip McLeod in passing situations to slow him down. Expect Auburn to rely on McLeod to generate constant pressure on this Cal offensive line.
Cal vs. Auburn – Keys to the Game
If Cal wants to have a chance to win this football game, they cannot start slow like they did against UC Davis.
Running back Jaydn Ott is listed as probable and is expected to play. That’s good news for this offense because they’re going to need their best player. Ott only received limited touches before he left last week’s game in the third quarter. Cal should give him the ball more and hope to get the ground game going. If they can do that, it will help suppress the pass rush and give Cal’s quarterback more time to throw the ball.
Even if Cal can run the ball, the size of the Auburn defensive line is still a lot to handle. One way for the Golden Bears to slow down that pass rush is to run plays out of heavy personnel formations.
Getting the tight ends involved in pass and run blocking will be key. The offense is going to need as many blockers as they can to give the quarterbacks time. Tight ends Jack Endires and Corey Dyches didn’t have much production last Saturday, but expect them to play a much more significant role against Auburn.
This will be the first time Cal will play an SEC team on the road since their 28-20 victory against Ole Miss in 2019.
SEC football is what you think of when it comes to college football. The pageantry and love of the game from their fans set the standard. It will be incredibly loud at Jordan-Hare Stadium and most likely pretty warm. The team has prepared for these situations by increasing crowd noise at practice and practicing in Sacramento for the heat. Still, it’s not the real thing and this team needs to be prepared mentally.
Auburn is the expected favorite in this matchup, but if Cal can play mistake-free football, it’s anybody’s game.
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.