Tag: Cal Football

The Cal Woke Mob memes taking over college football, explained

The Calgorithm comes for us all.

Welcome to FTW Explains, a guide to catching up on and better understanding stuff going on in the world. Have you seen some stuff about Cal football and a “woke agenda”? And you’re very confused about that whole thing? Don’t worry. We’re here to help.

These are very strange times in college football.

On Saturday in Week 4, the 3-0 California Golden Bears face 0-3 Florida State in an ACC matchup. That alone is quite a lot to process. But it gets a little bit weirder these days as Cal’s extremely online fan base started sharing memes that poke fun at every stereotype of the students at Berkeley.

You know that final rap battle in 8 Mile where Eminem uses every single diss Captain America has against him to win? It’s a lot like that. But in the last week, the Cal Woke Mob memes have truly taken over college football. It’s utterly ridiculous and unavoidable.

It’s also the SEC’s fault.

Wait, how is the SEC involved?

Well, you can go way back to the SEC kicking off another round of realignment that led to the death of the Pac-12 as we know it. But let’s fast forward to the lead up to last week’s matchup at Auburn.

Tigers fans thought they could get their jokes off at the expense of Cal fans without any pushback before the game.

Then Auburn associate AD Bill Shannon replied to a joke on X/Twitter about Cal fans mistaking Toomer’s Drugs for a marijuana dispensary with a sarcastic remark of his own.

“I have another caution: No military flyover has taken place at a Cal game since the 50’s,” Shannon posted. “Those who do stand for the National Anthem may need something to calm them down. USAF jets incoming.”

Of course, that is claim absolutely false — Cal had an F-15 flyover last October. But it was too late. The damage was done.

Shannon offered a backhanded apology, then deleted his account entirely.

“No offense meant to Cal. Thought it was a bit of humor,” Shannon posted. “I grew up in California and know the political views there or at least the stereotypical ones. We cherish our ROTC cadets here and it’s gratifying to know Cal does to [sic] @california.”

That really backfired, huh?

Sure did! Especially after Cal came to Auburn and won, 21-14.

And that’s where this thing takes a turn for the absurd as Cal fans memed Auburn into oblivion, starting with this gem:

https://twitter.com/terencelau/status/1832882511665308062

It was all a little too perfect. Cal fans making every joke before someone else could use it as an insult somehow made all the sense in the world.

Especially considering the school now plays in an ACC conference featuring a number of schools located in much more conservative-leaning states.

Cal fans knew all the buzzwords to make the eyes of many conservative fans of those teams start to twitch: DEI, Woke Mob, Critical Race Theory, Gender Neutral Bathrooms.

Pretty much all the most recent dog whistles thrown into the “culture war” were suddenly getting thrown right back.

You can guess what happened next.

After Florida State lost to Memphis at home to drop to 0-3 — and before Cal even played it’s Week 3 matchup against San Diego State — Golden Bears fans set their sights on triggering everyone in Tallahassee.

You mean CALahassee?

You catch on quick!

Let’s take a brief look at some of the more popular memes that floating around before Week 4’s matchup:

https://twitter.com/haasofott/status/1836915073186468145?s=12&t=Z25PykXLy1oALqwmGLm3ZQ

https://twitter.com/golDonbear/status/1750304077161099645

https://twitter.com/wokemobfootball/status/1835698640113029631

 

https://twitter.com/oskisdrunkuncle/status/1836916383524815316?s=12&t=Z25PykXLy1oALqwmGLm3ZQ

https://twitter.com/rexvolcano/status/1836964403411042773?s=12&t=Z25PykXLy1oALqwmGLm3ZQ

https://twitter.com/golDonbear/status/1835044575368691810

Cal fans, I owe you an apology, I wasn’t really familiar with your game

I’m not sure any of us were prepared for what happens when you bring Pac-12 After Dark mainstays into the daylight.

The Cal Woke Mob memes are only gaining in strength, and it seems like everyone on college football Twitter has found them impossible to avoid.

Is there a name for this phenomenon?

It’s called the Calgorithm. And it comes for us all.

https://twitter.com/ChrisVannini/status/1836892970282360964

https://twitter.com/38Godfrey/status/1833532169664528449

https://twitter.com/NicoleAuerbach/status/1836069039707242922

If you’re reading this, it’s probably too late for you to avoid the power of the Calgorithm.

At least now, you have an understanding why: Blame Auburn.

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Remembering the time Marshawn Lynch took a celebratory joy ride on an injury cart at Cal

Here’s hoping Marshawn Lynch will make his College GameDay entrance like this.

Whether it was in the NFL or at Cal in college, Marshawn Lynch cemented himself as a fun and sometimes unpredictable character, delivering so many memorable moments.

For Week 6 of the college football season, Lynch is returning to Cal as the guest picker on ESPN’s College GameDay show on Saturday, and his appearance is practically guaranteed to be memorable as well. And we’re hoping he makes a grand entrance, perhaps riding in on a cart like he did way back when.

After an overtime win against Washington, the Golden Bears running back commandeered an injury cart in celebration and drove it all over the field and creating a moment that’s now synonymous with his name.

In 2018, Lynch explained how that incredible injury-cart ride happened:

“It was meant to happen: The keys was in there, it was facing in the direction I needed to go, so I slid in that thing, and I started yoking that mother [expletive].”

Of course, Lynch made a similar entrance on College GameDay.

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Marshawn Lynch issues bold challenge to Cal students ahead of first-ever College GameDay appearance

Marshawn Lynch wants Cal students to pull an all-nighter ahead of an early College GameDay in Berkeley.

Saturday is set to be a momentous day in the history of Cal football.

For the first time in program history, the Golden Bears are set to host ESPN’s College GameDay in Berkeley for their Saturday night contest against a top-10 Miami team, bringing the #Calgorithm to a national audience. After Saturday, just six Power Four programs will have yet to host the iconic pregame show.

If you’re going to Cal for GameDay, there’s only one possible guest picker the show could have chosen: former Golden Bears running back and Super Bowl champion Marshawn Lynch.

Lynch, whose career in Berkeley is perhaps best remembered by his iconic joyride in an injury cart, has a larger-than-life personality. And when it was announced that he would serve as the guest picker for this weekend’s festivities, he issued quite a bold challenge to Cal students.

He wants them to pull an all-nighter ahead of College GameDay after their night out. The program begins at 6 a.m. local time, and the pit opens to students at 3:30 a.m. With the game not kicking off until 7:30, that would be quite a long day and an impressive feat for any student who accomplishes it.

On the other hand, how could you ever turn down a challenge from the legendary Marshawn Lynch?

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Tale of the Tape: Auburn vs. Cal

Will a deeper dive into the tale of the tape show Cal has a higher chance of stalling Auburn’s momentum on the Plains than the experts believe?

The Auburn Tigers (1-0) take on ACC opponent California (1-0) on Saturday at Jordan-Hare Stadium. Auburn comes into the matchup fresh off a 73-3 beatdown of FCS in-state “rival” Alabama A&M, while the Golden Bears took care of business in their opener as well, taking down UC Davis 31-13.

Hugh Freeze’s Tigers played about the most efficient game they could in week one. The new-look and heavily improved offense managed 9 touchdowns and a field goal, taking 6 plays or less on every single scoring drive. While the output was heavily impressive, Cal’s defense is sure to provide more resistance than the Bulldogs did a week ago.

Still, sports books like Auburn’s chances of improving to 2-0 on the young season, as the Tigers are favored by 12.5 points on BetMGM.

ESPN FPI likes the Tigers chances of staying undefeated as well, as the system gives Hugh Freeze’s squad an 81.4% chance to play well enough for the Auburn faithful to roll Toomers Corner after the dust has settled.

Will a deeper dive into the tale of the tape show Cal has a higher chance of stalling Auburn’s momentum on the Plains than the experts believe? As we always, we’ll start by looking at the quarterbacks.

Auburn senior Payton Thorne played arguably his best game as a Tiger in week one. The former Michigan State Spartan threw for 322 yards and 4 touchdowns in the win over Alabama A&M, despite completing just 13 passes. The Naperville, IL native showed how well he can perform with solid playmakers around him during his time with Kenneth Walker II in East Lansing, and Tiger fans got a peak at his ceiling in last week’s victory.

On the other side, Cal quarterback Fernando Mendoza comes into 2024 fresh off of a solid second-half performance to end last season. The redshirt sophomore did not play in last season’s Cal-Auburn matchup in Berkeley, but he took over the starting quarterback job shortly after and has been given the keys to the offense ever since. The former Miami Hurricane wasn’t fantastic in week one, but he was good enough to help the Golden Bears earn the win. In total, Mendoza completed 15 of 22 passes for 158 yards and a touchdown.

With the experience and the dual-threat ability on the side of Payton Thorne, Auburn earns the clear edge in the quarterback battle heading into this matchup on the Plains. As for the skill position battle, the talent gap is closer, but still leans in the direction of the Tigers.

Cal running back Jaydn Ott is an electric 6-foot, 200-pound playmaker with 4.46 40-speed and a nose for the end zone. The junior managed 70 yards and a touchdown when these programs matched up a year ago, but took 20 carries to get there. The problem, at least for the Golden Bears, is the talent on the offensive side is almost completely funneled through Ott. Last season’s leading receiver, Jeremiah Hunter, is now playing his football for Washington. Cal does return junior Trond Grizzell and sophomore Jack Endries, who combined for almost 900 receiving yards in 2023, but the room is fairly barren after that.

On the other side, Auburn features running back Jarquez Hunter, who is not far behind Cal tail back Jaydn Ott in terms of sheer talent. After Hunter, Auburn’s pass catchers simply have more talent and big-play ability than their Golden Bear counterparts. [autotag]KeAndre Lambert-Smith,[/autotag] [autotag]Cam Coleman[/autotag], [autotag]Perry Thompson[/autotag], and Malcolm Simmons combined for 6 touchdowns and 315 receiving yards in week one. That output is almost double that of Cal’s entire passing attack as it currently stands.

With Robert Lewis and Rivaldo Fairweather in the fold as well, Auburn’s skill position players have a major edge over Cal’s in this game.

On the defensive side of the ball, the Tigers have the edge as well. Although Cal’s defense is solid, Auburn features possibly the best linebacker tandem in the SEC with Eugene Asante and Jalen McLeod. The Tigers were on the field for nearly 80% of the week one win and managed to hold Alabama A&M out of the end zone. Cal on the other hand let up 13 points to UC Davis. The Golden Bears best defensive player from a season ago, safety Patrick McMorris, now plays in the NFL for the Miami Dolphins. Their best linebacker from 2023, Kaleb Elarms-Orr, now plays his college football at TCU.

Auburn lost some pieces as well, but the Tigers were able to re-tool much better in 2024 than their counterparts from the west coast.

After taking a look at the tale of the tape, it’s clear Auburn has the edge in this rematch of Power 5 programs. While Cal nearly beat the Tigers a season ago, the home-field advantage and changes in personnel on both sides give Auburn the clear edge in the rematch on Saturday.

Contact/Follow us @TheAuburnWire on  X (Twitter), and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Auburn news, notes, and opinion. You can also follow Brian on Twitter @TheRealBHauch

ACC starting quarterback rankings for 2024

Here are our ACC quarterback rankings for 2024, with projected starters.

We are still some time away from the start of the 2024 college football season, but that doesn’t stop us from looking ahead.

Today, we are looking at the ACC starting quarterbacks for 2024 and ranking them ahead of the season. This is just a preview, as it is still many months from the season, and things can change fast. While every team doesn’t have a starting quarterback on paper, we are making projections on these starters based on what we know right now.

The ACC is a bit different now, with the addition of new programs and new faces to the conference. Try not to get mad with these, they’re subjective! That said, here are our ACC starting quarterback rankings heading into the 2024 season.

– Updated 5/11

ACC Football Teams Ranked by Returning Production for 2024

A look at each ACC team’s returning production for the upcoming 2024 season.

Forecasting which teams will rise to greatness in college football in any given season can prove challenging. However, a key indicator often lies in the roster’s returning players.

From seasoned fifth-year senior linebackers to up-and-coming junior quarterbacks, the presence of experienced athletes opting to continue with their respective programs can significantly bolster a team’s competitive advantage. This continuity becomes particularly crucial as other teams contend with talent depletion due to NFL draft selections, transfers, or eligibility regulations.

ESPN recently released a list of all 134 FBS (Football Bowl Subdivision) teams, with each ACC team naturally being listed. Here is a look at each ACC team’s returning production on offense, defense, and total.

Updated 4/7

Every ACC football team’s ESPN preseason SP+ ranking

The ACC has some strong teams heading into the 2024 season, according to ESPN’s SP+.

The 2024 college football season is months away, but we all know that football remains on the mind throughout the offseason. 

Early rankings have been released all over the place, with ESPN’s Bill Connelly recently releasing the preseason ESPN SP+ rankings ($$$) for the 2024 season. These SP+ rankings consider multiple key factors regarding a football team, including returning production, recent recruiting, and recent history. A strong model; here is a bit more of what Connelly had to say about the rankings. 

“It’s a tempo- and opponent-adjusted measure of college football efficiency. It is a predictive measure of the most sustainable and predictable aspects of football, not a résumé ranking. Along those same lines, these projections aren’t intended to be a guess at what the AP Top 25 will look like at the end of the season. These are simply early offseason power rankings based on the information we have been able to gather to date.”

Straightforward and to the point, these are power rankings based on what we know right now. So, how do Clemson and the rest of the ACC stack up in the first SP+ rankings for 2024? Check it out below.

Updated 2/16

Every ACC Football Team’s 2024 Recruiting Class Ranking After National Signing Day

Here is a look at every ACC team’s final 2024 recruiting class ranking.

Dabo Swinney and the Clemson coaching staff showcased their recruiting prowess in the 2024 class, adding considerable talent to their roster. However, the burning question remains: how does Clemson’s recruiting effort compare to other ACC powerhouses following National Signing Day?

Today, we delve into the post-National Signing Day landscape, dissecting each ACC football team’s 2024 recruiting team ranking according to 247Sports. While Clemson remains a formidable force in ACC recruiting circles, they find themselves not at the summit for this particular recruiting cycle. Another program is poised for a significant resurgence, and the 2024 class appears to be the catalyst for their potential return to past glory.

From perennial ACC contenders to emerging teams within the conference, let’s examine the 2024 recruiting team ranking for each ACC program, shedding light on the evolving dynamics within the conference.

–Updated 2/13

ACC Football 2024 Team Recruiting Rankings After Early Signing Day

Here is a full look at how the ACC stands in team recruiting rankings after early signing day.

Early signing day was, as it should be for every college football program nationwide, a very busy day.

High school players across the country signed their national letters of intent and secured the next step in their football careers as they prepare to join their new teams. The ACC had some good success on early signing day, with multiple ACC programs landing in the top 25 of class team rankings following the day. 

So, how does the ACC stack up against each other? That’s what we’re going to take a look at today. Here is a look at every ACC team’s 2024 team recruiting ranking according to 247Sports following early signing day.

Updated 12/25

California running back Jaydn Ott to return for 2024

Ott made a joke about entering the transfer portal on social media on Friday but quickly revealed his intention to stay.

California running back Jaydn Ott will return to the Golden Bears for the 2024 season, he announced on social media on Friday.

Ott initially started somberly into the camera and announced he would enter the transfer portal, but he revealed the joke and his intention to remain with the program just a few seconds later.

The California running back was named First-Team All-Pac 12 this past season after he led the conference with 1,260 rushing yards despite only playing in 11 games. He scored 11 touchdowns, second only to Washington’s Dillon Johnson in the conference, and he broke off five different 40-yard runs this season. Only six running backs in the nation had more.

Ott’s breakout game came against USC when he rushed for 153 yards and three touchdowns in California’s near-upset. Ott rumbled for a 43-yard touchdown and a 61-yard touchdown in the first quarter alone.

The California running back ended the 2023 season with five 150-yard games in 11 appearances

Ott finished 13th in the country in rushing yards this season, and he was fifth among underclassmen. He’ll be one of the best backs in the country as the Golden Bears adjust to life in the ACC.

The sophomore is only 1,089 yards away from California’s career rushing yard, a program with names like Marshawn Lynch and Jahvid Best on the all-time list.