CAL PASS OFFENSE VS TEXAS PASS DEFENSE
Davis Webb is second nationally in passing with 963 yards through two games and he's tied for the top spot in the country with 9 TD passes. Pretty staggering numbers, but a little deceiving. Webb has attempted a ridiculous total of 126 passes through the first couple weeks of the college football season (also highest in the country) and his passer efficiency rating is actually at No. 50. Webb is one of the hardest workers on the team and always has himself mentally prepared. That being said, he did throw three INTs last week. Cal had to replace six wide receivers from last year's team. It's a receiving corps with a lot of talent but not a lot of experience. The Bears will try to rotate in nine or 10 receivers. Top WR Chad Hansen has kind of come out of nowhere. He held one offer coming out of high school and attended Idaho State for a year before transferring to Cal. Now, he leads the nation in receptions (28) and receiving yards (350). He's a pretty good athlete who can stretch the field deep on occasion.
Edge: Cal **
CAL RUN OFFENSE VS TEXAS RUN DEFENSE
The Bears utilize three guys in the running game, and they all have experience. Vic Enwere is a big back (6-1, 240) who reminds a lot of folks covering the Cal program of Marshawn Lynch. Enwere's obviously not to that level of a talent, but he is a big back who breaks tackles and is physical. He's averaging more than 7 yards per carry so far in 2016. Longhorn fans will remember Khalfani Muhammad from last year after his impressive performance in Austin (164 yards, including a 74-yard TD run). He's the big-play threat in the ground game. Tre Watson falls somewhere between Enwere and Muhammad with his style. He's not as physical as Enware and not as explosive as Muhammad. Cal is regarded as a passing team for obvious reasons, but this is a team that averages 4.8 yards per rushing attempt and 135 yards per game. Cal's run game ranks 91st nationally. UT's run defense ranks 88th nationally.
Edge: Cal*
CAL OFFENSIVE LINE VS TEXAS DEFENSIVE LINE
Cal will rotate in a surprising amount of offensive linemen with eight or nine guys playing quite a bit. The most reliable players have been left guard Chris Borrayo and right tackle Steven Moore. Borrayo, now a senior, has been a starter since halfway through his freshman year. Moore has been a cornerstone at right tackle. Cal just got its left tackle (Aaron Cochran) back after a knee injury in fall camp. Cochran certainly has the size, at 6-8 and 350. Overall, the line has made big strides in its pass protection after changing up some schemes from what the offense did last year.
Edge: Cal*
TEXAS PASS OFFENSE VS CAL PASS DEFENSE
Cal's secondary hasn't been tested anywhere close to what it will see from Texas on Saturday night. Hawaii's quarterback play was poor and San Diego State didn't really need to throw the ball last week. Cornerback Darius Allensworth has one side locked down and brings with him a lot of experience. Marloshawn Franklin, a junior college transfer, lines up at the other corner but he's not the level of tlaent that Allensworth is so that could be an area UT attacks. Both safeties are relatively new, with Khari Vanderbilt and Evan Rambo holding down those spots. Rambo is the better athlete of the two. The team's projected starting strong safety tore his ACL in the spring.
Edge: Texas ***
TEXAS RUN OFFENSE VS CAL RUN DEFENSE
This is where it gets pretty ugly for Cal. The Bears rank 125th nationally (out of 128 teams), giving up 291 rushing yards per game. Opponents are averaging just under 7 yards per attempt. San Diego State rushed for 334 yards last week. It's hard to imagine that a lack of talent doesn't play a huge part in these struggles, but in talking to people who cover the team, the feeling is that poor execution has been the biggest issue. Defensive end Cameron Saffle and DT James Looney have been decent enough, but everyone else in the run defense has been "anywhere from poor to dreadful," one person said. Guys have been consistently out of position, the tackling has been atrocious and there have even been times when Cal players are taking each other out of the play.
Edge: Texas *****
TEXAS OFFENSIVE LINE VS CAL DEFENSIVE LINE
Defensive end Cameron Saffle is the best of the bunch with DT James Looney right behind him. True freshman defensive end Evan Weaver has practiced well this week so he could get some more looks. The defensive line has been blown off the ball some, but overall it's the group's lack of aggressiveness and not getting into the right gap that has been the bigger problem.
Edge: Texas ****
SPECIAL TEAMS
Junior kicker Matt Anderson is good, having made 15 straight field goal attempts dating back to last year. So far this year, his kick-offs have been able to get to the end zone pretty consistently. Cal did surrender a kick-off return for a touchdown last week, so that's an area worth watching. Punter Dylan Klumph is decent, although most of his work the first couple games has been with placement punts.
Edge: Texas **
INTANGIBLES
This is one area that's pretty tough to call, honestly. The Longhorns have shown a very strong mental make-up through two games, but it's impossible to completely ignore the way the team struggled on the road last year. Texas should hold the edge in confidence, but Cal is playing its first home game of the year and I need to see the Longhorns play well on the road before I'm ready to give them the edge here.
Edge: Cal *
