

California and Virginia have an interestingly similar profile: both squads' seasons have fallen off a cliff despite an inkling of early-season hope, and both teams have a three-point win against Syracuse. With a double-digit spread, California is expected to be trailing and in passing situations throughout this game. In a way, this plays into the Bears’ favor. California has struggled immensely to get the run game going and relies heavily on QB Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele to carry the load through the air. Despite ranking 137th in rushing offense, Cal’s 275.3 passing yards per game is a top-20 mark among FBS programs. I expect the passing proficiency to keep California in this game against a Virginia team coming off a deflating 51-7 loss.
California vs Virginia prediction: California Golden Bears +10.5 (-110) available at time of publishing. Playable to +10.
