Washington @ California preview
California Memorial Stadium
Last Meeting ( Oct 26, 2013 ) California 17, Washington 41
California enters its Pac-12 game against visiting Washington on Saturday atop the North Division, a spot that is likely a surprise to media members who picked the Golden Bears to finish last in a preseason poll. An unstoppable offense has the Bears off to their best start since 2008, but they will be tested by a stout Huskies' defense that had last week off after holding No. 22 Stanford in check in a 20-13 loss Sept. 27. Washington is tied for third in the nation with four sacks per game and is second nationally with 12 takeaways against one turnover.
California is second in the nation in scoring at 50 points per game and coming off a 60-59 victory over Washington State last week. The lowest scoring game the Bears have had is a 31-24 victory at Northwestern to open the season. Passing has been the ticket to the top of the North Division with Cal averaging 398.2 yards per game, third-best in the nation and second in the Pac-12 to Washington State (523).
TV: 6 p.m., ET, Pac-12 Network. LINE: California -3.5
ABOUT WASHINGTON (4-1, 0-1 Pac-12): The Huskies will try to slow the Cal passing game by pressuring the quarterback behind Danny Shelton and Hau’oli Kikaha, who are tied for third in the nation with seven sacks apiece. The offense may not be as prolific as Cal’s, but it’s efficient and is one of only five teams in the nation to have a 100-percent success rate in the red zone (14 touchdowns, five field goals in 19 tries). Lavon Coleman, a redshirt freshman, has 344 yards and a touchdown on 79 carries, and Cyler Miles is 63-of-100 for 623 yards and six touchdowns and no interceptions.
ABOUT CALIFORNIA (4-1, 2-1): Jared Goff set a school record for passing yards in a game with 527 (37-of-53, five touchdowns) against Washington State and is 117-of-181 for 1,875 yards and 22 scores against three interceptions for the season. Goff, who set several Cal passing records as a freshman last season, has spread the ball around with five players having double-figure catches led by Bryce Treggs (22 catches for 312 yards and five touchdowns) and Kenny Lawler (19 catches, 243 yards, five). Daniel Lasco is averaging 6.2 yards per carry and has rushed for 408 yards and three touchdowns.
EXTRA POINTS
1. Washington LB Shaq Thompson is tied for best in the nation with three forced fumbles and has scored three defensive touchdowns.
2. Cal’s Trevor Davis tied an FBS record when he returned back-to-back kickoffs - 100 and 98 yards, respectively - for touchdowns against Washington State.
3. Cal has score 164 points in its past three games, the most in a three-game span since rolling up 294 points in 1920 against the Mare Island Marines, St. Mary’s and Nevada.
PREDICTION: Washington 24, California 21