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SALT LAKE CITY - Coming off a 26-14 win over Pitt, the Utes return to Pac-12 play to face the Cal Golden Bears at AT&T Park in San Francisco.
It may not have been the prettiest victory, but Utah's win over the Panthers garnered one national and two Pac-12 player of the week awards.
"Defensively, I couldn't have asked for a better effort across the board," Utah head coach Kyle Whittingham said.
Series SnapshotWhile the Utes trail the series with Cal 4-3, they have won three of the last four and two straight. Utah's 31-24 win in 2003 came in the first start of Alex Smith's career and before the largest crowd ever to watch a football game in Salt Lake City (46,768). In 2009, then-true freshman Jordan Wynn led Utah to a 37-27 victory over Cal in the Poinsettia Bowl. Utah's lone road win was in 1964.Game 7 Notes
- Utah (3-3, 0-3 Pac-12) vs. California (3-3, 0-3 Pac-12)
- Date: Saturday, Oct. 22, 2011
- Time: 4:00 p.m. ET (5 pm MT)
- Site: AT&T Park (45,000/Grass) San Francisco, Calif.
- TV: KJZZ, COMCAST SPORTS NET-BAY AREA
- Radio: ESPN700/SIRIUS 93/XM 197
- Series Record: Cal leads 4-3
- Last Meeting: 2009 (Utah 37-27)
- Kickoff Weather: Sunny, temps in mid 70s
"They held a great running back to less than 50 yards. It was a solid performance from start to finish, particularly Derrick Shelby."
The Utes (3-3) turn their focus on winning their first conference game in the Pac-12 as they get set to take on Cal (3-3), who is also looking for its first conference victory (Cal's win over Colorado counts as a nonconference game as the game was scheduled in 2004).
Here is an inside look at Cal and some of the key players to watch on Saturday.
Season to date
Enrollment: 35,838
Established: March 23, 1868
Conference: Pac-12 North
Location: Berkeley, CA
Mascot: Oski the Bear
Nickname: Golden Bears
Colors: Yale Blue and California Gold
After starting its 2011 season with three consecutive non-conference wins, Cal (3-3, 0-3) has fallen in each of its first three Pac-12 contests. Cal's streak started with road losses at Washington and Oregon before the Bears dropped their 2011 conference home opener to USC last Thursday. Cal is in last place in the conference's North Division. Cal has started its 2011 conference slate with three consecutive losses for the first time in ten years.
 Fresno State (3-4) | W 36-21 |
 @ Colorado (1-6) | W 36-33 |
 | W 63-12 |
 @ Washington (5-1) | L 23-31 |
 @ #3 Oregon (5-1) | L 15-43 |
 Southern California (5-1) | L 9-30 |
 Utah (3-3) | Sat 10/22 5:00 pm |
 @ UCLA (3-3) | Sat 10/29 5:00 pm |
 Washington State (3-3) | Sat 11/5 10:00 am |
 Oregon State (1-5) | Sat 11/12 10:00 am |
 @ #6 Stanford (6-0) | Sat 11/19 10:00 am |
 @ Arizona State (5-2) | Fri 11/25 8:15 pm |
Cal has never lost four straight games under head coach Jeff Tedford, with the team's only previous three-game losing streak under his tenure coming over last season's final three contests.
Coaching Staff
Jeff Tedford became Cal's all-time leader for victories when he recorded his 75th career victory against Presbyterian. Tedford, who is now 75-45 (.625) all-time at Cal, became the school's all-time leader in games coached in 2010.
In addition to winning 75 games, Tedford has established Cal as one of the elite football programs in the Pac-12 and lifted the Golden Bears into the national discussion on a consistent basis. Cal has won the fourth-most games of any Pac-12 school since his arrival in 2002, finished ranked among the nation's top 25 in four of the last seven seasons and been in the top 10 at some point in five of the past seven campaigns prior to 2011.
Cal posted a school-record run of seven straight bowl appearances from 2003-09 and is 5-2 in the postseason under Tedford, making him the only Cal mentor with more than two bowl victories, including a school-record string of four consecutive postseason wins from 2005-08. The Bears also put together a school-record-tying eight consecutive winning campaigns from 2002-09. Twice, Cal has posted a school-record-tying 10 wins under Tedford, the sixth and seventh times in school history, in 2004 and 2006.
Offense
The Utes aren't the only Pac-12 team adjusting to a new quarterback. Zach Maynard shined in clutch moments earlier in the season, but has since struggled, especially against Oregon and USC.
"The growing process of a guy fresh in your program ... is difficult," Cal head coach Jeff Tedford said. "There's a learning curve. He's handling things pretty well."
Maynard's best performance of the season came against Colorado, in which he threw for four touchdowns, including the game-winner in overtime to Keenan Allen. The 6-2, 190 pound junior is averaging 269 passing yards per game, putting him fifth in the Pac-12.
Sophomore Keenan Allen is Maynard's favorite target. Allen is No. 1 in the nation in receiving yards (138.0 ypg) and eighth in receptions (8.6 rpg). In each of his last three games, Allen has had at least 160 receiving yards.
As for the running game, Cal is led by Cottonwood High graduate Isi Sofele. Sofele has played in all 31 games while at Cal, and set a new career high with 119 yards this season at Oregon.
"He is a good player," Utah head coach Kyle Whittingham said. "We offered Isi way back out of Cottonwood. He wasn't ready to commit, and we filled up before he decided where to go. We liked him. If he wasn't going to play running back, he could easily be a defensive back. He's a versatile guy. He's doing a good job for them at tailback."
"He's played very solid, done a good job in all three phases (running, receiving and blocking) of the game," Tedford said.
The Bears will certainly hope to use Sofele more against the Utes than they have in their first three conference games. The Bears fell behind early in those games and had to rely heavily on the passing game.
Defense
Cal boasts a defense that has put up some of the top numbers in the Pac-12. Cal features a pass defense that allows a league-low 222.8 yards per contest and is third in total defense (355.5 ypg). Against Presbyterian, the defense only allowed 48 total yards and just three first downs.
Cal is also among the conference and national leaders in sacks. Through the first six games, the Bears rank third in the Pac-12 and tied for 27th nationally in sacks per game (2.50).
Linebacker Mychal Kendricks leads the team in tackles with 53 and is first in the Pac-12 in tackles per game with 8.8. However, Kendricks has yet to practice this week with a left shoulder injury. He remains questionable for Saturday's game against Utah. If Kendricks is unable to play, it will be a significant setback for the Bears' defense.
Email: rojackson@ksl.com
Twitter: @rojackKSL
