USC vs Cal Prediction Game Preview

USC vs Cal game preview, prediction, and breakdown for the Week 10 game on Saturday, November 5

USC vs Cal prediction, game preview, how to watch. Week 10, Saturday, November 5


USC vs Cal How To Watch

Date: Saturday, November 5
Game Time: 10:30 ET
Venue: Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, Los Angeles, CA
How To Watch: ESPN
Record: USC (7-1), Cal (3-5)
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USC vs Cal Game Preview

Why Cal Will Win

The Bears are still winging it around.

They’re not having a whole lot of luck winning, but they’re able to throw and throw some more, they’re decent at keeping secondary on their heels, and there aren’t enough turnovers to matter.

No, this isn’t the highest-powered passing attack in a strong Pac-12 full of big attacks, but it’s effective enough.

USC might have a terrific pass rush, but it gives up yards in chunks, and the D relies on a ton of takeaways – at least it did earlier in the season. They’re not going to get them in this.

However …

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Why USC Will Win

Yes, there’s a passing game, but Cal doesn’t do enough on third downs to keep things moving.

Can Cal do enough on the ground to take advantage of the okay USC defensive front?

Arizona made it fun last week in the 45-37 Trojan win by ripping off yards on the ground in chunks. Utah won by throwing for well over 300 yards, but it’s Utah – it averaged over four yards per carry.

The Cal ground game has gone bye-bye. It hasn’t hit 75 yards since it ran for 354 yards on Arizona, and it hasn’t been able to average three yards per pop since then.

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What’s Going To Happen

USC will be its normal self. There will be lulls when nothing appears to be happening, and then the explosion will come at the right time to put this away.

Cal will have its moments, but there won’t be enough from the passing game to keep up, and there won’t be any takeaways – USC still has just one turnover – to help the cause.

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USC vs Cal Prediction, Line

USC 41, Cal 17
Line: USC -21.5, o/u: 60.5
ATS Confidence out of 5: 3
USC vs Cal Must See Rating (out of 5): 2.5
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USC vs Cal Prediction, College Basketball Game Preview

USC vs Cal prediction, college basketball game preview, how to watch, lines, and why each team might – or might not – win on Saturday.

USC vs Cal prediction, college basketball game preview, how to watch: Saturday, January 29


USC vs Cal How To Watch

Date: Saturday, January 29
Game Time: 7:00 ET
Venue: Galen Center, Los Angeles, CA
How To Watch: Pac-12 Network
Record: USC (17-3), Cal (9-11)
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USC vs Cal Game Preview


Why Cal Will Win

USC should be more at Cal’s speed.

The Bears are struggling a wee bit lately because they can’t hit from three, they’re not taking the ball away enough to help the cause with easy points, and they can’t rebound well enough.

However, they were able to keep up for a half in the 77-63 loss to the Trojans back in early January by doing a good job on the free throw line and with just eight turnovers.

USC isn’t the type of team that’s going to boat race anyone with its outside shooting, it can’t hit free throws, and it does nothing to take the ball away. But …

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Why USC Will Win

Cal is on a six-game losing streak because it can’t score.

Even when it does have a little luck putting up points, it’s only because the games are already over.

USC will destroy the Bears on the boards – it out-rebounded them 38-24 the first time around – and there won’t be any real problems scoring on the inside.

The loss to Stanford a few days ago should only make things worse for Cal. The Trojans weren’t bad, but they never got into a rhythm. That won’t be a problem. There won’t be enough happening from the outside to matter, and Cal won’t get the rebound in way too many one-and-done possessions.

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What’s Going To Happen

Really, Cal just can’t score.

It struggles to get to 60 points, it has a hard time manufacturing easy shots, and it doesn’t have the three-point shooters to get over the top of the big Trojans on the inside.

Unlike the first meeting, USC should have this well under control after about ten minutes.

USC vs Cal Prediction, Lines

USC 76, Cal 63
Line: USC -12, o/u: 129
ATS Confidence out of 5: 3

Must See Rating: 2.5

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USC vs Cal Prediction, Game Preview

USC vs Cal prediction, game preview, how to watch, lines, and why each team might – or might not – win on Saturday.

USC vs Cal prediction, game preview, how to watch: Saturday, December 4


USC vs Cal How To Watch

Date: Saturday, December 4
Game Time: 11:00 pm ET
Venue: California Memorial Stadium, Berkeley, CA
How To Watch: FS1
Record: USC (4-7), Cal (4-7)
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USC vs Cal Game Preview


Why USC Will Win

Anything interesting happening with the USC football program?

No, Lincoln Riley won’t hit the ground running and coach up the Trojans against Cal – although, he sort of should; why not? – and there might be a whole slew of new parts to the puzzle about to transfer in over the next several months, but for now, closing out a disappointing season at 5-7 would be something positive in the dismal run.

The offense still works.

The team fought the good fight against a solid BYU team – losing 35-31 – with the O well balanced with over 200 yards rushing and passing. The Cal defense hasn’t seen a strong passing game in a whole.

The Bears were run over by UCLA last week and haven’t dealt with anyone who prefers to throw since early October. USC – for all of its issues – still leads the Pac-12 in total offense, is good at controlling the clock, and the line should be able to hold up just fine.

But …

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Why Cal Will Win

Cal hasn’t been bombed on by anyone but Sacramento State.

It got hit with a 300-yard day from future NFL starter Carson Strong in the opening week loss to Nevada, and it allowed over 200 yards through the air over the first half of the season, but that’s been about it.

The defense has been better, the offense that couldn’t go anywhere against UCLA was able to run at will the week before against Stanford, and now the team finally gets a home game for the first time since October.

Throw in just how gassed and beat up this USC team is in every way – this was a legitimate Pac-12 title contender that never got going and had its legs cut from under it early on – and Cal should be able to fight on through as long as QB Chase Garbers is able to have a decent day.

It’s been a struggle for him – especially when the team was depleted by Covid. When he’s on, though, the team wins.

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What’s Going To Happen

Oh, you think you’ve had enough college football for one day, do you?

After all of the fun from the conference championship games are over, and we’re all going through what the College Football Playoff will be and who’ll take the Heisman, we get one last late night snack to effectively close out the 2021 college football regular season – Army-Navy game aside.

It won’t be anything pretty, but considering this is the bowl game for both sides, there should be a little extra juice.

USC will get the passing attack rolling early on, but Cal – finally at home and as healthy as it’s been in a while – just a bit sharper as it plays like the version that beat Oregon State and Colorado in Berkeley before all of the Covid issues.

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USC vs Cal Prediction, Lines

Cal 34, USC 27
Line: Cal -4, o/u: 58
ATS Confidence out of 5: 1.5

Must See Rating: 3

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USC vs. Cal Fearless Prediction, Game Preview

USC vs. Cal fearless prediction and game preview.

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USC vs. Cal fearless prediction and game preview.


USC vs. Cal Broadcast

Date: Saturday, November 16
Game Time: 11:00 ET
Live Stream: fuboTV (click to watch for free)
Venue: Memorial Stadium, Berkeley, CA
Network: FS1

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USC (6-4) vs. Cal (5-4) Game Preview

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Why USC Will Win

Yeah, Cal might have showed up large against Washington State in a 33-20 win last week, but the USC defense is a different animal to deal with. It’s not a killer, and it’s not Utah’s, but it’s better than Wazzu’s.

Before last week’s performance, the Bears went four straight games without coming up with 300 total yards, and it was the first time all season the O scored more than 28 points.

USC’s defensive front hasn’t allowed more than 200 rushing yards in the last four games and has stiffened up a bit since getting hammered by Notre Dame.

Cal’s running game doesn’t have the offensive front to generate a consistent push, and the passing attack isn’t strong enough to take advantage of a leaky Trojan secondary.

USC has to get up early. The Cal defense might be fantastic, but it’s possible to throw on this group. Washington State went Washington State for over 400 yards through the air on a defense that’s allowed 200 passing yards or more five times in seven games. USC’s Kedon Slovis should be able to throw for enough to keep things moving, but …

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Why Cal Will Win

It that going to be the Devon Modster that showed up against the Cougars?

The Bear quarterback struggled after taking over for an injured Chase Garbers, missed the Utah game hurt, and came out roaring in the win with a 230-yard, three-touchdown day with 32 yards and a touchdown. For an offense that’s needed a sign of life, he was it.

Or, could Garbers really be back?

He’s practicing and might be able to give it a go. Either way, the Bears have quarterbacks they can rely on.  All they have to do is be good, and hope the D is great.

It’s been a bit of a rocky run over the last few weeks having to deal with Oregon, Utah and Washington State, but the Cal defense has still been good enough to keep the team in the tough games. It got smacked by Utah, but only gave up 17 points to Oregon and only allowed more than 24 points once all year – the 35-0 loss to the Utes.

Led by soon-to-be all-everything LB Evan Weaver, the defensive front has been fantastic against the run all season long, and there should be just enough plays behind the line to keep USC from being comfortable.

Cal will bring a steady pass rush all game long, and expect next to nothing from a middling Trojan ground attack.

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What’s Going To Happen

USC isn’t the same team on the road. It’s been better lately – it got wins over Colorado and Arizona State – but both recent games have been battles.

It’s Cal’s final home game of the year – it goes down the road to face Stanford next week – and it needs one more win to get bowl eligible. The defense will crank up the intensity enough to keep it close, but the offense won’t be able to come through in the fourth quarter when it has its opportunities.


USC vs. Cal Prediction, Line

USC 27, Cal 23
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USC -6.5, o/u: 47.5
Live Stream: fuboTV (click to watch for free)
ATS Confidence out of 5: 2
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Must See Rating: 3

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