"BERKELEY The Cal football team, which doesn't seem to know what kind of season it's going to have, gets its highest-profile chance yet to make an impression when No. 15 Virginia visits Memorial Stadium for the first time on Saturday afternoon. If the inclination is to wonder if this is when the Bears (5-3, 2-2 ACC) head south for good with a third loss in four games, there is another side to the story."
"Picked to finish just 14th in the ACC, one spot ahead of Cal, the Cavaliers (7-1, 4-0) have won six games in a row for the first time since 2007 and are one of just two teams still unbeaten in the conference. And yet, the Vegas oddsmakers favor them by the modest margin of 4.5 points against the Golden Bears."
"Virginia's recent run includes four straight victories that scream vulnerability. The Cavaliers won in overtime twice, double-overtime once and by a 22-20 margin over Washington State on the strength of a decisive safety in the final 3 minutes. Their 17-16 win at North Carolina last week wasn't secure until they stopped a two-point conversion inches shy of the goal line in overtime."
Cal enters a high-profile home game against No. 15 Virginia with a 5-3 overall record and 2-2 in the ACC after a streaky season of big wins and lopsided losses. Virginia stands 7-1 and 4-0 in conference play with a six-game winning streak, yet oddsmakers give them only a 4.5-point edge and ESPN SP+ ranks them 52nd nationally. Cal began 3-0, suffered a 34-0 loss to San Diego State, recorded close wins over Boston College and North Carolina, took a 24-point loss to Duke, and recently fell 42-34 in double overtime at Virginia Tech.
Read at www.mercurynews.com
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