The long wait is finally over and college football is here. It’s Cal vs UC Davis to start their respective seasons, as UC Davis will travel almost two hours to UC Berkeley.
Cal vs UC Davis History
Despite the two schools being extremely close to one another, this marks just the fourth time these two schools have faced off since 2010.
Cal has won the previous three games including a 34-13 win in their last matchup. The game between both NorCal schools takes place at California Memorial Stadium with kickoff at 2 pm PST this Saturday.
Key Players – California Golden Bears
UC Davis is not a school that Cal can afford to take lightly. It’s best for everyone involved if they can put this one away early.
Establishing the run with Jaydn Ott will be key for the Cal offense. The Aggies defense gave up an average of 108.9 yards on the ground last season. Ott averaged that number by himself last season, with 109.6 yards per game. For Cal, tuning up Ott for the heart of the season is important, but it might be wise to limit his touches.
The offense has the advantage up front, meaning Ott should have a nice day for himself. Hopefully, Cal can jump out to a substantial lead and rest Ott for their second game against Auburn, where he will be much needed.
When playing these smaller schools, Cal has to be prepared for them to bring out all the tricks. This is a big game for the Aggies, who would love nothing more than to finally beat the Golden Bears. That’s where Cade Uluave comes in.
Uluave has the tough task of being asked to help turn this defense around. Last season, the Cal defense was consistently gashed on the ground while giving up big plays through the air. They gave up an average of 133.3 yards on the ground per game while surrendering an average of 280.7 yards passing per game.
UC Davis will more than likely try to establish the run early. It’s up to Uluave and the rest of the defense to shut it down quickly. Forcing them into third and long situations will hopefully lead to turnovers. Under Uluave’s lead, the defense has a chance to set the tone early for the season in this game.
Key Players – UC Davis Aggies
This game might be the battle of running backs. Cal fans are already familiar with their star running back, but the Aggies have a pretty special player of their own. In fact, senior running back Lan Larison is the former 2023 Big Sky Offensive Player of the Year.
Larison is a very impressive running back, and in two games last season, ran for over 250 yards. He finished his junior year with 1,101 rushing yards and 13 rushing touchdowns. The last time these two teams matched up in 2022, Larison didn’t get much playing time, yet UC Davis still had success running the ball. Look for the Aggies to try and feed him early and often.
Meanwhile in the secondary, Rex Connors is a fantastic player for the Aggies. Connors primarily lines up where a traditional safety would be, but he plays all over the field.
Connors is a real threat in both the run and pass game. The defensive back received a ton of accolades for his play last season, but this year, he has been named to the Buck Buchanan Preseason Watch List. That award goes to the best defensive player in the FCS. Whoever plays quarterback for Cal in the opener needs to pay attention to where this defensive back is at all times.
Cal vs UC Davis – Keys to the Game
It’s no secret why FBS schools schedule their first game against an FCS school. Like other schools, Cal wants to jump out early in the win column to start the season. The biggest key to the game for Cal is going to be controlling the line of scrimmage.
FCS schools have great athletes, but they tend to be a little smaller in the trenches. Being able to run the ball at will while consistently getting to the quarterback will be key for Cal’s offense and defense.
UC Davis is an excellent football school in the FCS. That’s why the next key to the game for Cal is to be confident, but not cocky. This team cannot afford to embarrass themselves with a loss to UC Davis. Crazy things happen all the time in college football and that’s why Cal just needs to focus on execution.
It’s all about the little things; if Cal can keep turnovers and penalties to a minimum while playing well within the last two minutes of each half, that would be a great start. It’s up to the players to execute smart and confident gameplay. They know that they’re the better team, but they need to not take their foot off the gas. If all goes well, Cal will handle business at home and start the season off right with a 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.