Heading into their matchup against the No. 12 Ohio St. Buckeyes, the injuries to key California Golden Bears are starting to mount up, according to the folks over at Pacific Takes.
The Bears are thin on the offensive line, with starting right guard Dominic Galas shelved after surgery to repair a torn pectoral muscle, starting right tackle Matt Summers-Gavin sidelined with a left knee injury, and backup center Mark Brazinski out for the season after tearing the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee. At the second level, Dave Wilkerson, a projected starter at inside linebacker, is out for the season following surgery on his right ankle, while pass-rushing linebacker Cecil Whiteside has been ruled academically ineligible for the 2012 season, Penn State transfer Khairi Fortt hasn't yet fully recovered from offseason surgery and inside linebacker Jason Gibson is recovering after breaking his right foot. To top it all off, cornerback Stefan McClure is still working his way back from the devastating knee injury he suffered during the Bears' 2011 season.
Some good news could be on the horizon, though. Starting defensive end Mustafa Jalil could return for the Bears this week, and tight end Richard Rodgers and starting outside linebacker Chris McCain are considered probable to come back in time for Ohio State. With this laundry list of injuries, Cal can only hope to be as healthy as possible heading into their meeting with the Buckeyes.
For more discussion and analysis on the Golden Bears, make sure to check out California Golden Blogs. For more on the Pac-12 in general, head on over to Pacific Takes. For more on college football in general, please make your way over to SB Nation's dedicated college football hub.
