Auburn @ Cal Score Predictions

[Swamp Eagle 5,153]

1 hour ago, AUpreacherman22 said:

There are a lot of concerns here, for sure.   Long travel, away game, etc.  Their run game is what they’re best at.   Our run defense is our biggest concern.   It’s their Super Bowl, a chance to beat a big bad SEC team.   And they are definitely confident!

We are the more talented team, but not by as much as I thought.   According to the 247 team talent composite, we are ranked #18 and Cal is #45.  But our average player ranking is 87.84.  Theirs is 86.41.   That’s not as big of a difference as I expected.   
And we won’t have a size advantage either.   Their lines are littered with several 300+ guys, up to 330 for a few guys.   They have several 200lb WRs at 6’2” and up.   
Their O looked explosive against a pretty overmatched team.  (It was the most points Cal has scored since 2015!)

Their D didn’t look very good at all, but many have projected this unit to be the best D Wilcox has had at Cal.  
 

I do expect our D to load the box and be aggressive attacking the run early and often hoping to force their QB (whichever one plays) to throw a lot.   I know our DBs like their chances against the Cal WRs, especially if Pritchett is healthy, and I think he will be.   If we get ahead by a couple of scores, Cal is in big trouble!   They don’t have the kind of passing game to mount a comeback against a good pass defense.  
On offense, I think we’ll have success running the ball, and I also expect us to open up the passing game quite a bit.  Hooks, Brown, and Fairweather are itching to have a breakout game!!!  I believe at least one of them will.   Preparing for Ashford and Thorne won’t be easy for them.  
Our RB room was already deep and talented, but adding a stud like JH this week is going to make it that much more powerful!   He wants to make an impact in this game!

I do think we have a considerable advantage in Special Teams!!!   Our PK is much better, our P is better too, although theirs had a good game last week    Our return units look really good!  And I think our coverage units will be better this week, even though they weren’t terrible last week   

I think we’ll have some uncomfortable moments in this game, but in the end, I think we hold on for a 38-28 victory on the west coast!   War Eagle!!!!

This may be a game where, if we can run, Hugh may need to go into Hughshell and keep them off the field, chew up clock and come home with a dubya.

[AUpreacherman22 3,892]

1 hour ago, Viper said:

Make that talent disparity point to Yabo.

That is the point I was trying to make.   We are more talented, but that doesn’t mean we win.  We’ve got to line up and get it done.    The talent gap between us and Cal isn’t anywhere near as far as the gap between Clemson and Duke!!!

[Swamp Eagle 5,153]

2 hours ago, bigbird said:

I do

I now pronounce you…oh, nevermind.

[Viper 3,139]

42 minutes ago, Swamp Eagle said:

I now pronounce you…oh, nevermind.

bird and golf?

[SRBautigerfan 1,040]

I'm expecting a close one.  Tigers win 34-31.

[bigbird 60,580]

9 minutes ago, Viper said:

bird and golf?

                 Me                 Golf

[bigbird 60,580]

56 minutes ago, Swamp Eagle said:

This may be a game where, if we can run, 

I think we have a big day running it 

[ellitor 33,114]

42 minutes ago, bigbird said:

                 Me                 Golf

True but he's crusty, out of shape, drinking Thor.

[TeBoneAU 89]

AU - 41

CAL - 24

[AUx 3,016]

AU - 49

Cal - 48 

Multiple OT.

[aucanucktiger 1,805]

Cal, 34 - 27

[AUnMS 120]

27-17 Cal.  My score prediction isn't going to be popular but we travel across the three time zones with a new team.  Their HC is a defensive minded coach and our offense is still trying to figure stuff out.  UMass' running backs gashed our defense.

[Mike2686 33]

Auburn: 48

Cal: 24

[Zamps1976 28]

Auburn: 31

Cal: 17

[Sizzle 3,920]

Everybody keeps thinking we’re going to whoop them and I just don’t see that happening even though I’ll love it if it does.
 

Cal has 2 really good RB’s and this defense is probably going to struggle to stop the run all year. If the defense struggles to stop the run against Cal then it’s gone be a long night.
 

Also even though it was just the first game the defense struggled getting pressure with just 4, but in their defense they didn’t have McCleod but the defense can’t keep depending on DB blitzes to save the day 

The offense better be ready to score all night because that’s probably what’s it’s gone take to win. 
 

I’ll say 42-34

Edited September 8, 2023 by Sizzle

[Mikey 16,777]

AU-34, Cal-28

[Viper 3,139]

8 hours ago, AUx said:

AU - 49

Cal - 48 

Multiple OT.

A game that’s already scheduled to go at least 12:30-1AM goes into multiple OTs?

[Viper 3,139]

2 hours ago, AUnMS said:

we travel across the three time zones

Is this game in Alaska?

[Viper 3,139]

1 hour ago, Sizzle said:

Cal has 2 really good RB’s and this defense is probably going to struggle to stop the run all year. If the defense struggles to stop the run against Cal then it’s gone be a long night.

I’ve been honking this horn. The folks that only view this Cal team as a 1-win team are getting a wakeup call late Sat night. Those 2 backs are studs. 

The one silver lining is Spavital loves to throw it. That’ll play into our lone strength on D. I see 1-2 picks.

[McFU 205]

AU - 35

Cal - 24

[TitanTiger 20,539]

Back in the summer I felt like this game was an easy W on the schedule.  But Cal looks better than I thought they'd be.  Then there's the stupid thing of kicking off at 9:30pm CST, and the cross country travel.  Just feel like it's going to be a tight one.  

I think we pull it out but it's a one score game.

Auburn 31-27

[AUnMS 120]

1 hour ago, Viper said:

Is this game in Alaska?

@Viper, I counted Central, Mountain, and Pacific

[toddc 13,194]

16 hours ago, bigbird said:

I think we have a big day running it 

Need to get an early lead and take away the running game for them. Make them face our secondary, maybe our best defensive unit.

Edited September 8, 2023 by toddc

[Mike2686 33]

2 hours ago, Sizzle said:

Everybody keeps thinking we’re going to whoop them and I just don’t see that happening even though I’ll love it if it does.
 

Cal has 2 really good RB’s and this defense is probably going to struggle to stop the run all year. If the defense struggles to stop the run against Cal then it’s gone be a long night.
 

Also even though it was just the first game the defense struggled getting pressure with just 4, but in their defense they didn’t have McCleod but the defense can’t keep depending on DB blitzes to save the day 

The offense better be ready to score all night because that’s probably what’s it’s gone take to win. 
 

I’ll say 42-34

Maybe. We gave up 140 running yards against UMass and many here were predicting a much closer game due to the exact same reasons. 101 came from their RB but 70+ of that was from like 4 runs. We also went about as vanilla on both sides of the ball as we could. Outside of a few gimmicky QB runs I didn't think it was a huge concern or an unexpected result. Once we started spying him starting that 2nd drive it wasn't as big of a concern. We also didn't open up the offense with Payton at all. We pretty much just went to Robby in the RZ and let him easily score against UMass. We didn't at any point grind them down and in a meaningful intentional way to force a lot of their starters out. Freeze Called the dogs off the begin the 2nd half. I just don't think we can judge anything based off of last week. 3/4 sacks came from LB/line play. One on a safety blitz. We also in my opinion did a great job stopping the run with our front. There were a few holes their RB exploited, but imo some of the breakaways they got were from SOFT tackling and the lack of physicality some of our boys were displaying at times. Several of those plays we were in position to make the tackle and just didn't. I don't know if that will be a long term issue or if they resolved this week. Easy fix.

Either way, we'll find out more about us during the game than we did against UMass. 

 

[AUApostle 7,663]

Auburn 59 Cal 14