I'm tempted to second this but it's just so tough to go unbeaten these days. Maybe we'll stumble in one of our road games. Frankly I'd settle for 14-1.
Anything less than 8 wins last season should have been considered a failure and need for a change in leadership. Wilcox was returning most of his offense with senior leadership everywhere against the weakest competition the Pac 12 has ever compiled. Instead, Wilcox was rewarded with an extended contract. We won't see regime change no matter what happens this season.
Priorities: I really want to see us win our first Big Game in Memorial Stadium since 2008. That's way too long a wait. I'm desperate to see us beat U of A. It seems not only possible but probable but then again there does seem to be a curse. Beating both LA schools would be wonderful but one knows better than to hold their breath. I'm tired of the 5-7/7-5 tango, which does not mean I'd be happy with 6-6.
I get 7.05 wins, with sure shots of UCD and UNLV and Furd. Lowest chances of 20% for Notre Dame and SC. Toss ups at WSU, CO, OSU (who has our number in Corvallis and is an awesome place to see a game if you haven't), and UCLA. Good chance against UW, AZ.
I'm worried about the AZ game after ND. Beat up and bummed, the Bears could be angry or could be too wiped out to take care of business. We've been owning the Huskies well enough, so that will be fun again since they are so pompous. Chip has owned Wilcox so that's a bummer.
A defense that will be very strong. An offense that has potential. So much depends upon a new QB, glazed with new receivers, beside the offensive line.
I did a double header UCLA/OSU and Cal/Oregon back in 2015. A HS friend that went to UCLA has a brother that was one of the assistant ADs at OSU. She and her family came up and asked if I wanted to drive down from Portland. I said since the Oregon game was at night, I'd do both.
I should've skipped the Oregon game. I hung out with her family after the OSU game and left for Oregon. Missed both Cal TDs and saw Oregon hang like 45-straight. If I weren't meeting my college roommate and his family there, I would've been tempted to just skip the Oregon game.
I went to maybe that same game at Autzen when it was Ed Dickson for another touchdown 37 times. It was so painful to watch it quickly reached the point of absurdity. We were in stubhub seats in an Oregon section and they just took pity on us and laughed. I'll never forget it.
Almost exactly identical (7.02 wins). Hardest game is Notre Dame followed by SC. I've got our odds against Arizona lower because we're absolutely cursed but higher at Colorado.
Hate to say it, but if history is any indication, the City of Berkeley is going to throw yet another COVID disruption at the Bears…hopefully it does not affect one of the more winnable games that becomes an L and costs the program a bowl game, like last year…
Maybe the team is more aware of protocols and avoids Halloween parties!!
In all fairness, Wilcox should have been able to beat Arizona. Arizona was terrible last season and with just slightly below average QB play, as opposed to completely incompetent QB play, we win that game.
Yup. You and I have been in complete agreement ever since that fateful day in November.
Musgrave’s inability to do anything v. THAT Arizona team is the single greatest source of consternation I have re: the O this upcoming season. Sure, maybe his scheme could be successful with the Clemson or Alabama skill-position athletes…but this is Cal, and maybe he is THAT bad…
Exactly. Even with the COVID absences, you’d like to think an HC in his 5th season at a Power 5 program would at least have a competent backup QB to throw out there, in case the starter got hurt. Glover looked unprepared…like he didn’t belong on the football field. While some of that may be on Musgrave and play selection etc, the buck stops with Wilcox.
If it’s basically the Wilcox-status quo on O, and they continue to flounder, he’ll be gone by 1/1/25…hopefully he’s right and the skill position players can make big plays…would LOVE it.
Agree. Hence I am conservative in my guesses, particularly road games. I also am leery of betting real Bears against baby Bears. At least I come up with 6.2 which would qualify for a bowl of cereal.
Just completed and I came out with around 7 wins, unscientifically. A lot of the games are toss-ups where a play or two that was executed will decide the outcome. I guessed ND at 25 and USC at 35. Those were my lowest scores.
That sounds a lot like my results: 7.04 wins with tough games against ND and USC, winnable (but not guranteed) games against UNLV, Colorado, and Arizona, and a bunch of toss-ups against everyone else.
Until I see meaningful improvement on offense, however, it seems like I'm setting myself up for disappointment to expect anything more than 6 wins.
UNLV should be guaranteed…home game and they’re awful…
Arizona SHOULD be a win, but, ya know, it’s Arizona….
I fear that Colorado trip and hope it’s not a loss - they’re definitely tougher at Folsom Field in the Boulder altitude, especially against average teams, which Cal figures to be…it’s after the BYE tho, so maybe the Bears steal it…but that altitude gets these kids.
15-0. Go Bears.
I'm tempted to second this but it's just so tough to go unbeaten these days. Maybe we'll stumble in one of our road games. Frankly I'd settle for 14-1.
Being rational is admirable but buckle up cuz the Bears go 16-0 this year
Anything less than 8 regular season wins should be considered a failure and need for a change in leadership.
Anything less than 8 wins last season should have been considered a failure and need for a change in leadership. Wilcox was returning most of his offense with senior leadership everywhere against the weakest competition the Pac 12 has ever compiled. Instead, Wilcox was rewarded with an extended contract. We won't see regime change no matter what happens this season.
9-3 regular season
1-0 post season
Mine came out to 6.75. I said 6-6 in the other thread, but that isn't a big difference.
Not great, Bob! Not great at all.
My heart says 8-4 but my brain says 6-6.
I got us at 7-5. Sigh.
LMAOOO I got the same thing and the same reaction too
Priorities: I really want to see us win our first Big Game in Memorial Stadium since 2008. That's way too long a wait. I'm desperate to see us beat U of A. It seems not only possible but probable but then again there does seem to be a curse. Beating both LA schools would be wonderful but one knows better than to hold their breath. I'm tired of the 5-7/7-5 tango, which does not mean I'd be happy with 6-6.
I get 7.05 wins, with sure shots of UCD and UNLV and Furd. Lowest chances of 20% for Notre Dame and SC. Toss ups at WSU, CO, OSU (who has our number in Corvallis and is an awesome place to see a game if you haven't), and UCLA. Good chance against UW, AZ.
I'm worried about the AZ game after ND. Beat up and bummed, the Bears could be angry or could be too wiped out to take care of business. We've been owning the Huskies well enough, so that will be fun again since they are so pompous. Chip has owned Wilcox so that's a bummer.
A defense that will be very strong. An offense that has potential. So much depends upon a new QB, glazed with new receivers, beside the offensive line.
I did a double header UCLA/OSU and Cal/Oregon back in 2015. A HS friend that went to UCLA has a brother that was one of the assistant ADs at OSU. She and her family came up and asked if I wanted to drive down from Portland. I said since the Oregon game was at night, I'd do both.
I should've skipped the Oregon game. I hung out with her family after the OSU game and left for Oregon. Missed both Cal TDs and saw Oregon hang like 45-straight. If I weren't meeting my college roommate and his family there, I would've been tempted to just skip the Oregon game.
I went to maybe that same game at Autzen when it was Ed Dickson for another touchdown 37 times. It was so painful to watch it quickly reached the point of absurdity. We were in stubhub seats in an Oregon section and they just took pity on us and laughed. I'll never forget it.
And just like that, Ed Dickson just went for 2 more TDs.
Almost exactly identical (7.02 wins). Hardest game is Notre Dame followed by SC. I've got our odds against Arizona lower because we're absolutely cursed but higher at Colorado.
Hate to say it, but if history is any indication, the City of Berkeley is going to throw yet another COVID disruption at the Bears…hopefully it does not affect one of the more winnable games that becomes an L and costs the program a bowl game, like last year…
Maybe the team is more aware of protocols and avoids Halloween parties!!
In all fairness, Wilcox should have been able to beat Arizona. Arizona was terrible last season and with just slightly below average QB play, as opposed to completely incompetent QB play, we win that game.
Yup. You and I have been in complete agreement ever since that fateful day in November.
Musgrave’s inability to do anything v. THAT Arizona team is the single greatest source of consternation I have re: the O this upcoming season. Sure, maybe his scheme could be successful with the Clemson or Alabama skill-position athletes…but this is Cal, and maybe he is THAT bad…
That Arizona team was historically bad and riding a very long losing streak. I have no faith in Wilcox to field a competent offense.
Exactly. Even with the COVID absences, you’d like to think an HC in his 5th season at a Power 5 program would at least have a competent backup QB to throw out there, in case the starter got hurt. Glover looked unprepared…like he didn’t belong on the football field. While some of that may be on Musgrave and play selection etc, the buck stops with Wilcox.
If it’s basically the Wilcox-status quo on O, and they continue to flounder, he’ll be gone by 1/1/25…hopefully he’s right and the skill position players can make big plays…would LOVE it.
Agree. Hence I am conservative in my guesses, particularly road games. I also am leery of betting real Bears against baby Bears. At least I come up with 6.2 which would qualify for a bowl of cereal.
Or monkeypox
More worried about the fall fires disrupting a home game as almost happened against WSU a few years back.
Here we go and I will enter my predictions..
Just completed and I came out with around 7 wins, unscientifically. A lot of the games are toss-ups where a play or two that was executed will decide the outcome. I guessed ND at 25 and USC at 35. Those were my lowest scores.
That sounds a lot like my results: 7.04 wins with tough games against ND and USC, winnable (but not guranteed) games against UNLV, Colorado, and Arizona, and a bunch of toss-ups against everyone else.
Until I see meaningful improvement on offense, however, it seems like I'm setting myself up for disappointment to expect anything more than 6 wins.
UNLV should be guaranteed…home game and they’re awful…
Arizona SHOULD be a win, but, ya know, it’s Arizona….
I fear that Colorado trip and hope it’s not a loss - they’re definitely tougher at Folsom Field in the Boulder altitude, especially against average teams, which Cal figures to be…it’s after the BYE tho, so maybe the Bears steal it…but that altitude gets these kids.
I get 6.85 wins. I assumed our #1 QB is in the lineup all season and that Colorado is at sea level…. 😬
Great to see ND on the schedule; let’s not make a habit of it!!!! Go Bears!
I dunno... kinda makes sense we will play them regularly but infrequently when we're both in the B1G...
Arizona is a chamber of horrors with a script written by Edgar Allan Poe. Hail Mary game, Brandon McIllwain fumbles and Ints, last year's fiasco...