The Pac-12 and the Big 12 will square off in the 2018 Cheez-It Bowl on Dec. 26. California and TCU will matchup in Phoenix for this game. Here is the 2018 Cheez-It Bowl preview.
Cal was able to win seven games this season behind a solid year from their defense. They lost to both Arizona and UCA, two teams who didn’t qualify for a bowl game. The Golden Bears were able to beat two bowl-eligible teams this season in BYU and Washington.
The Golden Bears have trouble scoring, as they average 22.8 points per game (ranked 108th). They throw for 188.1 yards (ranked 101st) and rush for 162.1 yards per game (ranked 76th).
Evan Weaver (photo by bearinsider.com)
Two quarterbacks have played for Cal this season, but Chase Garbers will likely start in this game. Garbers has thrown for 1,418 yards, 14 touchdowns and seven interceptions on 61% completion. Vic Wharton III hauled in 50 receptions for 502 yards and a touchdown.
Patrick Laird has been the top running back for Cal this season with 216 carries for 932 yards and five touchdowns. Quarterbacks Garbers and Brandon McIlwain are the next on the list of top rushers, with both rushing for right around 400 yards.
The defense has been great this season, allowing 21.3 points per game (ranked T-24th). Cal allows 132.3 rushing yards (ranked 31st) and 187.1 passing yards per game (ranked 25th). Evan Weaver (143 total tackles) and Jordan Kunaszyk (133 total tackles) are among the best in college football.
Although their bowl hopes looked bleak heading into the last two games of the season, TCU won both and qualified for a bowl game. They won six games, with three of them (Iowa State, Baylor and Oklahoma State) coming over bowl-eligible teams. TCU lost two games to teams who didn’t qualify for a bowl in Texas Tech and Kansas.
The Horned Frogs score 24.7 points per game (ranked 96th), as they have had trouble moving the ball this season. They rush for 147.8 yards per game (ranked 95th) and pass for 226.8 yards per game (ranked 71st).
Ben Banogu (photo by bloggingtheboys.com)
Although Shawn Robinson was the quarterback for most of the season, he is out for this game with a shoulder injury. Michael Collins has thrown for 1,059 yards, six touchdowns and two interceptions on 56.4% completion in relief of Robinson. Jalen Reagor was the team’s leading receiver with 72 catches for 1,061 yards and nine touchdowns. Other receivers still need to step up in the absence of KaVontae Turpin who was kicked off the team for domestic violence.
Darius Anderson and Sewo Olonilua have split carries at running back for TCU. Anderson has 124 carries for 598 yards and three touchdowns. Olonilua has rushed for 441 yards and one touchdown on 103 carries.
The TCU defense allows just 24.4 points per game, which ranks 44th in the country. They allow 141.8 yards on the ground (ranked 41st) and 202.6 yards through the air (ranked 40th). Senior defensive lineman Ben Banogu has led the team with 7.5 sacks.
Without their starting quarterback and one of their best playmakers in Turpin, TCU will have even more trouble moving the ball against Cal. The Golden Bears will shut down TCU’s offense and score just enough to win the game.
Cal Golden Bears 26 TCU Horned Frogs 13
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