Neither the California Golden Bears or Utah Utes got off to memorable starts in their Pac-12 play this season, both getting out of the gates at 0-3 in conference games thus far. But somebody has to win this Saturday at AT&T Park, with both squads incredibly hungry to do so.
Cal will face their new Pac-12 foes in their first ever conference game ever between them, though the Pac-12 hasn't been too kind to either of them lately. Cal is coming off a 30-9 beatdown at the hands of USC last Thursday, while Utah has and impressive road win last Saturday at Pittsburgh 26-14. Utah's other victories have come against Montana State and Brigham Young. The Utes have dropped each of their Pac-12 games they have played in, falling to USC at the Coliseum and against Washington and Arizona State at home; not exactly the way they'd like to start their history in a new conference.
Both teams come into this game with excellent defenses in conference this year as Cal's pass defense is giving up a league-low 222.8 yards per game and is third in total defense (355.5 ypg). Utah's total defense (326.3) and scoring defense (20.5) are both second in the Pac-12, while giving the 94.5 yards per game on the ground is second in the Pac-12, and their pass defense (231.8 ypg), is third.
This will be the eighth time ever these two teams have played each other, with the most recent meeting coming in the 2009 Poinsettia Bowl when the Utes took a 37-27 victory. Cal won the first three meetings between the teams (1920, `58, `63) but have won only one (2000) of the last four, with the Utes victorious in 1964, 2003 and `09.
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