CAL AT WASHINGTON
Records: Cal 1-2 overall, 0-0 in the Pac-12; Washington 1-2, 0-0
Kickoff: 6:30 p.m. Saturday at Husky Stadium, Seattle
TV: Pac-12 Networks Bay Area
Radio: KGO (810 AM)
Series history: This is the 100th meeting between the programs in a series that began in 1904 with a 6-6 tie. Cal has won three of the past five meetings, including two in a row. The Bears won 20-19 at Seattle in 2019 in a game that was delayed nearly 3 hours by a lightning storm and did not end until 1:23 a.m.
Cal storylines: The Bears go after their first victory this season over an FBS team a week after beating FCS level Sacramento State 42-30 . . . Cal will play for a second straight game without senior OLB Kuony Deng, who suffered a lower-body injury at TCU two weeks ago and was ruled out by coach Justin Wilcox. Deng’s season-long status still is undetermined . . . The Bears’ offense is substantially improved this season while its defense, the strength of the program the past several years, has struggled. The Bears rank 90th in scoring defense (28.7 points per game) and 122nd nationally in pass defense (318 yards) . . . senior safety Daniel Scott, who is second on the team with 19 tackles, has interceptions each of the past two games, including a pick-six at TCU.
Washington storylines: Like Cal, UW also waited until the third weekend of the season before securing its first win. Rated No. 20 in the preseason AP Top 25, the Huskies scored a total of just 10 points in losses to Montana and Michigan before routing Arkansas State 52-3 last week . . . Washington won the Pac-12 North title last season but opted out of playing in the Pac-12 championship game or in a bowl game . . . UW has 18 starters on offense and defense back from the 2020 team but remains youthful with 108 of its 125 players listed as freshmen or sophomores, including players were given an additional year of eligibility by the NCAA due to the pandemic. . . .
Stats that matter: UW quarterback Dylan Morris leads the Pac-12 in passing yards per game (295.3) while Cal’s Chase Garbers (258.0) is second . . . Cal senior Nikko Remigio, who returned a kickoff 99 yards for a touchdown against Sacramento State, leads the Pac-12 at 31.8 yards per attempt. He would rank seventh nationally except his six returns aren’t enough to qualify.
— JEFF FARAUDO
