This moment was peak.
The year felt different.
Hammering Cal -14.
Joking but not joking about a home playoff game.
So naive.
Where did it go wrong?
The main assumption underpinning our confidence:
- Minnesota = Solid Big Ten team with elite offensive and defensive line
- Therefore, Cal offensive and defensive line = elite
- Therefore, dominate San Diego State
The transitive property failed us.
- Cal : 2.1 yards per carry
- SDSU : 4.1 yards per carry
We lost the trenches on both sides of the ball. We never got a push. They always did.
Skill position players were equally terrible.
The mistakes started early with some heartbreaking dropped passes and they didn’t stop all night.
Every time we gained the slightest momentum, we’d make another one. Penalties, fumbles, interceptions. I don’t have the heart to go through them all.
Jaron was amazing in the first half, but got too aggressive once we were down. I can’t imagine how frustrated he is with his receivers.
What to do ?
We had front row seats to the trainwreck.
There was zero energy, zero enthusiasm, zero fire on the sideline.
Cal needed a spark to get going and never got one.
It was reminiscent of our loss to Florida State last year. That game ended up being close (FSU played terrible too) but Cal had a similar lackluster performance. We came in overconfident and got humbled.
It is encouraging to remember that we bounced back the following game against Miami. The loss was a wakeup call, and the team responded.
Fingers crossed that happens again.
Building a Winning Culture:
2 minute segment from Ron Rivera on changing a losing culture.
“If every time something bad happens, half the people jump off the bandwagon… before you know it you have nobody left to support you. If you want to change this program you have to support this program no matter what through thick and thin”
Preview: Boston College -5.5
Boston College also just received a punch to the gut.
They lost to a Stanford team that is otherwise having terrible season (crushed by BYU and Virginia, lost to Hawaii).
BC had a bye week to regroup, so I expect them to play with vigor.
It is imperative that Cal build early momentum to renew their confidence. I fear a scenario in which a few dropped passes or a turnover leads to complete collapse.
With Boston College coming off a bye week, Cal crossing the country, and given how much money we all lost last weekend… Let’s stay away from this one.
Did Cal underachieved vs SDSU? Over achieve against Minnesota? Is Minnesota is fraudulent?
Time to find out.
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