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Fact: Cal beat Oregon 52-49 on Friday night, giving the Bears their first win over the Ducks since 2008.
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Source: B/R Insights
Cal QB Davis Webb throws 40-yard TD to WR Chad Hansen in opening drive of the game vs. Utah.
Chad Hansen had himself quite the first half for the Cal Golden Bears on Saturday night, racking up 121 yards on six receptions and a score.
He also created waves for his touchdown celebration.
After scoring against the Texas Longhorns in the second quarter in Berkeley, California, Hansen celebrated by throwing up the Longhorns' hook 'em sign.
He then turned it upside down, a blatant sign of disrespect for his opponent.
At the half, Cal had a 35-33 lead.
The California Golden Bears will begin life without NFL top overall pick Jared Goff on Friday night when they take on the Hawaii Warriors in the College Football Sydney Cup in Australia. The Los Angeles Rams selected Goff back in April, and his former school is going through a major rebuilding phase without him back under center.
Point spread: The Golden Bears opened as 23-point favorites, according to sportsbooks monitored by Odds Shark (line updates and matchup report).
College football pick, via Odds Shark computer: 43.0-12.7 Golden Bears
Why the California Golden Bears can cover the spread
Cal went 8-5 last season with Goff throwing for 4,719 yards and 43 touchdowns, both ranking third-best in the country. The Golden Bears finished 6-7 against the spread but covered the 5.5-point closing line in a 55-36 rout of the Air Force Falcons in the Armed Forces Bowl.
They return only eight starters overall, with former Texas Tech quarterback Davis Webb taking over for Goff as a graduate transfer. Webb was the 2013 Holiday Bowl MVP and threw for 5,557 yards with 46 touchdowns and 22 interceptions for the Red Raiders before losing the starting job to Patrick Mahomes.
Why the Hawaii Warriors can cover the spread
Hawaii is in slightly better shape from a personnel perspective despite going 3-10 straight up and ATS last season. The Warriors have failed to cover six straight games along with 10 of 11, and former signal-caller Nick Rolovich will try to turn the program around following four years as offensive coordinator of the Nevada Wolf Pack.
Rolovich will have eight starters back on offense, including senior quarterback Ikaika Woolsey, who has started 19 games over the past three seasons. Woolsey will also have some help in the backfield with senior running back Paul Harris returning after rushing for 1,132 yards and scoring six touchdowns for Hawaii in 2015.
Smart pick
The total on this game is listed at 63 points, so bettors can expect a high-scoring affair. How high remains to be seen, however, considering the new players for Cal on offense.
The over cashed in five straight for the Warriors to end last year after going under in six of the team’s first eight games, according to the Odds Shark college football database. The Golden Bears have seen the over go 3-1 in their last four games after the under went 7-2 to start last season. With little defense expected, look for this game to go over the total.
Betting trends
Hawaii is 0-6 ATS in its last six games.
California is 7-2 SU in its last nine games in Week 1.
California is 3-0 ATS in its last three games as a favorite of 20 points or more.
The total has gone under in seven of California's last 10 games.
All point-spread and betting lines data courtesy of Odds Shark. All quotes gathered firsthand unless otherwise noted. Check out Odds Shark on Twitter and YouTube for injury information, line movement updates and more game analysis, and get the free odds tracker app.
First-round NFL draft pick Jared Goff left Cal fans excited but nervous over the future at quarterback. But there's no need to fear—Davis Webb is here.
Webb comes to Berkeley as a graduate transfer from Texas Tech ready to prove to Cal fans and the college football world that he can fill the void.
College Football Analyst Michael Felder lays down the reasons why Cal is in good hands with Webb.
Watch as Chase Garbers connects with a surfer for an epic trick shot. Cal fans should look forward to seeing Garbers on the field in 2017.
What do you think? Drop a comment below and let us know your thoughts!
Faculty members employed by the University of California, Berkeley have petitioned the school to suspend the renewal of Damon Harrington's contract as the football team's strength and conditioning coach.
According to the San Francisco Chronicle's Nanette Asimov, the petition cropped up after an investigation by the paper reportedly revealed the school didn't do a thorough or impartial job evaluating potentially harmful practice conditions.
The San Jose Mercury News' Katy Murphy reported the San Francisco Chronicle discovered that "a 2014 inquiry into allegations of reckless conditioning practices that may have contributed to the death of a Cal football player was flawed and led by investigators with ties to athletics department personnel."
The school's investigation reportedly absolved Harrington of wrongdoing after he put players through a hill-climbing drill that resulted in the death of walk-on defensive lineman Ted Agu in February 2014.
However, the school admitted it was liable for Agu's death in January, per the San Francisco Chronicle's Kimberly Veklerov. In April, Veklerov reported the university paid Agu's family $4.75 million per the terms of a wrongful-death lawsuit settlement.
According to Murphy, Harrington is also alleged to have provoked a locker room attack on Fabiano Hale in 2013 resulting in the running back being knocked unconscious.
"If there is any truth to the allegations in the San Francisco Chronicle, condoning such behavior of its employees is out of keeping with any university that is accountable to its students and concerned to protect their safety and welfare," the petition reads. "We, therefore, call for further independent investigation before renewing Harrington's contract."
Asimov reported that Harrington's contract expired Friday, although it's not yet clear if the school has committed to renewing it.
If this Instagram video is any indicator, Demetris Robertson appears to have been a smart target of the California Golden Bears football team.
The strength and conditioning department posted a video of Robertson—a 5-star recruit who committed in May—landing an absurdly high box jump. It almost looks fake, it's so impressive.
Robertson, a 5'11 ¾", 175-pound wide receiver from Georgia, was also an accomplished track athlete in high school, winning state titles in the 100-meter, 200-meter and long jump events, according to Bruce Feldman of Fox Sports.
[h/t For The Win]
Isn't camaraderie great?
The University of California, Berkeley football team watched the NFL draft on Thursday night like bubble teams watch Selection Sunday, presumably to find out where former quarterback Jared Goff would end up.
Goff went to the Los Angeles Rams at No. 1 overall, as it were, and that Cal team acted just like a squad that made the Big Dance. Case in point:
It's great to see the Golden Bears supporting their man like that.
[h/t For the Win]
The University of California is joining the Under Armour movement, as the two parties have reached a long-term shoe and apparel deal.
ESPN's Darren Rovell reported Cal's deal with Under Armour will pay the school $86 million over 10 years. Connor Letourneau of the San Francisco Chronicle confirmed the agreement.
After the reports came out, Under Armour made the move official by welcoming California into the family:
Under Armour continues to make waves in the sports world, both at the college and professional levels. The apparel giant is still young compared to competitors like Adidas and Nike, which previously had a deal with the Golden Bears, being founded just 20 years ago.
Rovell also pointed out the difference in total annual money Cal will receive from Under Armour compared to its previous deal with Nike:
In 2014, Notre Dame left Adidas to sign a 10-year deal worth nearly $90 million with Under Armour. California doesn't have the history Notre Dame does, particularly in football, but the two deals are so close in value that it's clear how valuable getting the Under Armour logo on a jersey instead of the Nike swoosh is.
Of course, Under Armour can afford to pay these huge deals thanks to Golden State Warriors superstar Stephen Curry. Per Matt Egan of CNN Money, the reigning league MVP has propelled the Baltimore-based company to huge sales gains in 2016:
Footwear sales at Under Armour surged 64% in the first three months of 2016 as sports fans gobbled up the Curry signature basketball line. Under Armour said Thursday that overall sales jumped by an impressive 30%, led by strong growth overseas.
Here's a stat even Curry, the 2015 NBA MVP, would be wowed by: Under Armour has now generated sales growth above 20% for each of the past 24 quarters.
Nike has been the top sports footwear and apparel company in the United States for decades. The Jordan brand being part of the family will always help keep it going strong.
Under Armour's rise, though, opens things up for schools that are looking to increase their merchandise revenue stream. California knew its deal was coming up, found a company it wanted to work with and negotiated a great contract for itself.
