If the football season were a game in itself, the Golden Bears would be well into the 4th quarter, though not capable of a resounding victory at this point, still within arm’s reach of a win. After missing out on a major upset against 1 ranked Oregon over the weekend, Cal still has a chance to salvage their season, needing only 1 win to become bowl eligible, a benchmark to separate a wasted season from solid effort. At 5-5, the season has seen highs and lows, never more optimistic than the early September thumping of Colorado, a Buffaloes group that looked potentially potent until their 4th game meeting with Missouri to boot. Unfortunately for the Bears, back to back losses to Nevada and Arizona quickly tempered expectations.Perhaps the biggest issue facing the Bears this season has been maintaining a level of consistency. Taking a two point defeat to Oregon shows the talent is there to hang with the top teams in the country, though a brutal loss to Oregon State just before Halloween suggests otherwise. Looking for trends from start to finish, the Bears have played a lot better at home, running a 4-1 record in friendly confines, the one loss coming to Oregon. This is indicative of a lack of poise or maturity, though with senior quarterback Kevin Riley at the helm up until his season ending injury, it doesn’t add up. There’s no reason to expect a team with plenty of veteran leadership to be subject to so such a home vs. away discrepancy.Looking ahead, without Riley, finding that final win to extend the season is a concerning subject. Though the team has played fairly well with backup Brock Mansion under center, Mansion himself has not fared so well. Securing their first road win of the season in Mansion’s first week with any preparation, then pushing Oregon to its limits a week later, all hope is certainly not off the table. This weekend against Stanford should be a struggle, but the Bears catch an equally inconsistent Washington team at home to close the season, a game in which, assuming Mansion continues to improve and grow more comfortable in the starting role, a win seams very possible.
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