The California Bears will start their season against the Northwestern Wildcats on August 30.
Since starting the 2011 season with a win over Fresno State, the Bears have not won a season opener. History shows that when they win their first game, they finish with a far better record than when they do not.
- 2008: Won First Game: Final Season Record: 9-4
- 2009: Won First Game: Final Season Record: 8-5
- 2010: Won First Game: Final Season Record: 5-7
- 2011: Won First Game: Final Season Record: 7-6
- 2012: Lost First Game: Final Season Record: 3-9
- 2013: Lost First Game: Final Season Record: 1-11
Beating the Northwestern Wildcats on the road won’t be easy. Even though the Wildcats went 5-7 in 2013 (and could easily have been .500; the loss to Nebraska was to a Hail Mary), add in all of the experience coming back and this should be a 7- or 8-win team this season. I can’t see them not being substantially better. Key running back Venric Mark is returning and he will be running behind an offensive line that returns 100 career starts. Chi Chi Ariguzo is arguably the best linebacker in the Big Ten.
That’s not to say, however, that the Golden Bears cannot win this game. Expectations are higher than usual for a 1-11 team, but note that last year’s record does not show how good the California Bears football team really is. Injury was the main cause of the disappointing 2013 season.
In last season’s opener, also against the Wildcats, Jared Goff went 38 for 63 for 445 yards and two touchdowns with three interceptions, two of them coming off of tipped passes. The Bears lost, but it was a reasonably close game (44-30).
With players like Goff, wide receiver Chris Harper, running back Khalfani Muhammad, linebacker Jalen Jefferson, and defensive back Avery Sebastian coming back, there is plenty to be optimistic about with the Cal Bears football team. They should run into the rest of the season with plenty of confidence if they can tackle the Wildcats.
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