Cal v. BYU

In this game, everyone is looking for one thing: scoring. And, while it is true that both teams have potent offenses, only one has anything resembling a defense. That team is Cal. BYU is giving up 29 points a game while Cal is only giving up around 20 and they have only given up 30 points or more in 3 games this year (USC, Wash St, and UCLA) while BYU has given up at least 30 in 3 of their past 5 games (Utah and Air Force being 2 of them). BYU relies on airing it out, but Cal can counter with a solid pass defense (only giving up 230/game in the pass-happy Pac-10). Cal, on the other hand, will score at will by running it down BYU's throat. Cal averages over 200 yards/game on the ground (5.2 yards/carry) and this will not change against a BYU defense that is giving up over 44o yards/game this year. Also, Cal finally replaced horrible Ayoob (Booya spelled backwards) for Steve Levy who will not turn the ball over at near the pace that Ayoob did. Keep this in mind when thinking about BYU...as good as their offense is, it averages less yards per game than it's defense gives up (422/440). Cal will stop BYU much more consistently than BYU stops Cal.

Cal -7 (**)