As June starts to roll into July, and July eventually leads us to the start of fall camps at the beginning of August, the 2023 college football season will be here before we know it. What a season it projects to be in the Pac-12 Conference, as well. With a handful of College Football Playoff contenders, and a group of Heisman Trophy candidates leading their prospective teams, we could be set up for one of the best football seasons out west that we’ve seen in decades. To help get us prepared, we at Ducks Wire wanted to go through each team in the conference and give a comprehensive breakdown of each school, breaking down their 2023 outlook. Welcome to our Pac-12 Previews. New editions will be published every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday leading up to the start of fall camp.
Check out our previously published previews: Arizona Wildcats — Arizona State Sun Devils — California Golden Bears
Time might be running out for Justin Wilcox in Berkeley.
After posting a losing record in his six years coaching the Golden Bears, it may be put up or shut up time for the former Oregon Ducks defensive back who reportedly turned down an opportunity to coach at his alma mater a couple of years ago. The talent on the field is not good enough to compete with the top teams in the Pac-12, and the recruiting is nowhere near good enough to build a winning roster down the road.
While there are games on California’s schedule this year that are certainly winnable, it feels like anything short of a bowl-eligible season — something Cal hasn’t had since 2019 — could result in a change at the top next offseason.
There are transfers who could end up being really solid pieces for the Golden Bears this year, but whether or not a few talented players can make a big enough difference to get Cal above six wins is yet to be determined.
Here is our full preview for the Golden Bears ahead of the 2023 season.