Weekly Writer Predictions: Cal Football vs. TCU

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Welcome to our weekly predictions post from our writers. You’ll see what they expect the score to be and any wacky or rational predictions they expect to see in each game!

Christopher_h

Scoreline: Cal loses 10-24

Going to be hard to win without any semblance of offense. If Chase Garbers plays out of his mind again, maybe we have a chance.

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Joshcal2020

Scoreline: Cal loses 14-20

Let's double the score of the 2018 Cheez-I(n)t Bowl. Only four interceptions instead of nine. Two picks for Daniel Scott. Cal's two scores are DeCarlos Brooks rushing and Kekoa Crawford receiving.

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SG Bear

Scoreline Cal loses 13-27

Offensively, I predict a repeat of the game against Nevada - some success running the ball and short passes caught for only a few yards - but not a lot of success in sustaining drives thanks to a second straight week of facing a base 4-2-5 defense. On defense, Cal's secondary will be tested again to defend against Gary Patterson's love of Air Raid + Spread Option. TCU's QB Duggan is streaky - so I think Cal's best chance to win is creating havoc with creative shifts/stunts/blitzes to disrupt Duggan's rhythm. However, on balance, I think the advantage goes to TCU in talent, coaching, and home-field advantage. I fear we'll hear TCU's danged air horn and announcer say T-C-UUUUUUUU. But then again, I thought Cal would win last week and I was wrong then.

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Drew

Scoreline: Cal loses 20-24

Cal will have a more productive day on offense - but an inability to finish drives in the red zone will result in a frustrating Cal loss.

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Spencer DeRecat

Scoreline: Cal wins 3-0

I'm just having fun with it at this point. Garbers throws for 70 yards with 2 ints. TCU nets negative yards on the ground.

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Berkelium97

Scoreline: Cal loses 10-24

These teams are near mirror images of each other. But one of the biggest differences is that when Cal breaks through for a big gain, they get 15-25 yards. When TCU breaks through, they get 50+. Max Duggan breaks off a couple huge runs to make the difference in the game.

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Piotr Le

Scoreline: Cal loses 20-27

Cal will keep it close until Duggan runs over one of our DBs for a late game TD.

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Alex Khalifa

Scoreline Cal loses 20-23

Despite tickets available for as low as $4 on the secondary market, I won't be flying to Texas this weekend. Also, Damien Moore will reach 100 all-purpose yards for the second straight week.

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Nick Kranz

Scoreline: Cal loses 27-20

Just a little bit too much successful running from TCU, just not quite enough offense from Cal. But Cal will get at least one (1) offensive pass play longer than 30 yards!

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Ruey Yen

Scoreline: Cal wins 24-20

The Cal defense will make another late dramatic goal line stand (like the Ole Miss game but with less controversy) to win this game, probably with an INT, in honor of the Cheez-I(N)T Bowl.

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Rick Chen

Scoreline: Cal loses 14-42

Cal will continue its Week One struggles on the road in Fort Worth, Texas. TCU will frustrate Chase Garbers, who will throw for two touchdowns and two interceptions and get sacked at least twice. Cal will score only twice: first in the first quarter and a second touchdown at the end of the game.

Finally, I expect TCU's five-star running back, Zach Evans, to run for more than 100 yards and two touchdowns against the Golden Bears.

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Rob Hwang

Scoreline: Cal wins 45-27

I’m not really here to make rational predictions and you definitely should not be using my predictions to make any gambling decisions. Let’s hope Game 1 was a toss up to post-Covid jitters, fans, real meaningful football in some time and getting their game legs under them compared to a team that played 9 games last year (Nevada). A pissed-off team from their own performance comes out firing with some guys eager to get revenge from the Cheez-It Bowl including Chase Garbers, who makes it a personal vendetta to score as many touchdowns as there were picks in 2018. Let’s have some fun.