The Cal Golden Bears (3-2) have another tough football matchup against the ranked Pitt Panthers (5-0). This is the first time these two schools have faced off since 1966. It’s another road game for Cal, where the team will play in the Eastern Time zone. That’s the new normal now, with the team being in the ACC. The game will be aired on ESPN, with kickoff being at 12:30 p.m. PST.
Key Players – Cal Golden Bears
Pitt loves to throw the football, and this Cal secondary is going up against a really good young quarterback. Golden Bears cornerback Marcus Harris will more than likely have a lot of passes thrown in his direction with how good Nohl Williams has been.
Harris, a redshirt senior who transferred from Idaho, has two interceptions and three pass breakups on the season. He’ll be asked to do a lot in this game, and that shouldn’t be surprising. So far, Harris has answered the call, but Cal needs him to step up in a big way this game.
Cal finally got tight end Jack Endries involved in a big way last game. The receiving core has been struggling with injuries, and what better way to help out Fernando Mendoza than throwing to a big body tight end like Endries? He made his presence felt in the game against Miami with three catches for 78 yards and a touchdown. If the receiving core can’t get going early, look for the offense to try and get Endries the ball. A tight end like Endries should provide a nice security blanket for Mendoza.
Key Players – Pitt Panthers
As for Pitt, the Panthers have a really good young quarterback in Eli Holstein. Holstein, a redshirt freshman, was originally on the Alabama roster last season. This quarterback is good, and has energized the Panthers fanbase with his stellar play so far.
Holstein has 1,564 passing yards for 15 touchdowns, and has completed 65.7 percent of his passes. Not only is he good at passing the football, but Holstein is also the Panthers second-leading rusher. He’s a true dual threat who has emerged as one of the better quarterbacks in college this season. If he has time to throw, he will make this defense pay.
Like Cal, one of Pitt’s defensive leaders is also one of their linebackers. Any time you put on the game film of Pitt’s defense, Kyle Louis is everywhere. The redshirt sophomore is finally getting his chance to shine this season after seeing limited action the year prior.
Louis is already at 42 tackles on the season with a pair of sacks. Not only is he good at stopping the run and getting to the quarterback, but he’s also pretty good in pass coverage with a pair of interceptions. His sideline-to-sideline speed allows him to shed blocks and still get to the tackle. Making sure he is blocked will be a huge priority for the Cal offense.
Cal vs. Pit: Final Thoughts
It’s going to take some time to get used to these long road trips that are now conference games. Every road game is tough, but the travel makes it that much tougher. Being able to run the ball on the road is important for any football team, and Cal has struggled to be consistent.
Quarterback Chandler Rogers might get more playing time in specific packages to try and get the run game established early. Still, Cal’s offense is better when it’s throwing the football; and Mendoza is looking more comfortable as the season progresses.
Playing in Pitt is not like playing in Auburn or Florida State, but those fans get loud. Limiting the lack of pre-snap penalties will be essential towards the offense success.
Containing Holstein could be the the ultimate deciding factor in this game. The Pitt offense is currently ranked top-10 in yard per game, and most of it comes from him. Not too mention, he’s undefeated as a starter.
This game is another challenge for Cal. They’re winless in the ACC and Pitt is ranked playing at home. The offense must sustain drives and put points on the board against a defense that’s struggled at times. Winning here would be a great way to get back on track and in the win column for the Golden Bears.
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.