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Cal needs to avoid the long strange trips…

A little more than one week into camp and title talk has already begun in full force. Hey, why not? The Bears may have the only legit Heisman hopeful in the Pac-10 to go with enough offensive firepower to plow through the various cream puff defenses littering their schedule. Face it, this team practically reeks of 11 wins. So why won’t Jeff Tedford finally slay the monster in SoCal this season when everything seems to indicate a golden opportunity to do that very thing? With USC in a rebuilding situation (or as some teams call it…a hiccup) the conference seems to be, on the surface, prime for a Cal takeover. But alas there is that pesky little scheduling quirk which forces teams to actually leave their home stadium and head out on the road.

Stupid rules

Yes, last season saw Cal absolutely dominate the opposition on their home turf outscoring opponents by nearly three touchdowns per contest while going undefeated. The road, however, told an entirely different story. Their average point differential circled the drain at a paltry two and a half points and that included a dismantling of Washington State in a 66-3 ‘win’. Take that one away and you have that very same powerhouse staring at a deficit away from home.

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Early season losses like those at Maryland and Arizona cannot happen this season. According to the two-time Pac-10 coach of the year it’s not a situation in need of an adjustment. "I don't think it's the way we prepare. I think the kids do a good job of staying focused, so my initial reaction would be no, there's not anything we need to change."

While this was Coach Tedford’s dismissive opinion last season amid a 1-3 road stretch culminating in a stifling 17-3 loss at the Coliseum, 2009 may bring a far different tone. With three of those losses being home games this coming season, including the home opener against Maryland, the road has much softer look than last year and with that come much higher expectations. Only time will tell if this plays out with road success or more disheartening failure.

So while most are circling that game on October 3 rd on their calendar (can’t quite remember who it is they’re playing that day but I know they’re pretty good), my advice is to keep your eye on that meaningless game in the Twin Cities on Sept. 19. The Golden Gophers are just the sort of team that Cal has let themselves self –destruct against in the not too distant past.

The thought process this season is more Jahvid Best, coupled with elevated experience and a stronger front seven on defense will surely provide Cal faithful a recipe for the aforementioned 11 wins and an end to the Trojan stranglehold on the conference. Mission accomplished. Hello, Pac-10 championship.

Right?

(Sigh)…Heavy lies the crown…even the one you don’t have yet.

By Daniel CP
Pac10-fans.com Cal Golden Bears Correspondent