Offensive MVP
Marshawn Lynch and Justin Forsett. A true 1-2 punch on the ground worth 2,000 yards of Bear offense in rushing. Lynch has 1,082 yards on 172 carries for seven TDs while Forsett has 989 yards on 124 carries for six touchdowns.
Defensive MVP
Daymeion Hughes and Tim Mixon. These DBs have helped the Bears establish the top pass efficiency defense in the Pac-10 (No. 21 nationally), allowing opponents 54 percent completions and only an average of 6.3 yards per catch.
Team weakness
Injuries to two starting quarterbacks have left the Bears thin at that position, where a former fullback, Steve Levy, will start. Levy has thrown 29 passes and is unproven as a passer, leaving Cal with a one-dimensional look on offense.
Team strength
The tandem run threat of Forsett and Lynch stands out, but so does the consistency of Cal's defense, although it's faced some weak opponents in New Mexico State, Sacramento State and Arizona. The Bears are solid against the run, allowing 121 yards rushing for only 3.3 yards per carry. The Cal pass defense is equally consistent, utilizing a blend of pass rush and tight coverage to hold down opponents.
How they got here
The Bears made the most of the easy part of their schedule with a 5-0 start and a national ranking. They then crashed, beating only Washington State and Stanford in the final six weeks. The Washington State victory elevated the Bears to a six-win team and fifth-place spot in the Pac-10. When the BCS refused to take Oregon, that opened the door for Cal in Las Vegas.
High point
The Bears opened the season well. Victories over Sacramento State, Washington, Illinois, New Mexico State and Arizona vaulted Cal into a tie with USC and Oregon atop the Pac-10. The Bears' offense lit it up for 41 points against Sacramento State, 56 against Washington, 35 against Illinois and 41 against New Mexico State.
Low point
After the 5-0 start, Cal got into close games that turned sour, most notably a 27-20 overtime loss to Oregon. The Bears lost 47-40 to UCLA and 23-20 to Oregon State.
CAL DEPTH CHART
OFFENSE
WR ROBERT JORDAN 11
Lavelle Hawkins 7
LT SCOTT SMITH 52
Aaron Merz 65
LG ERIK ROBERTSON 75
Noris Malele 55
C MARVIN PHILIP 54
Alex Mack 62
RG AARON MERZ 65
Bryan Deemer 66
RT RYAN O'CALLAGHAN 61
Jonathan Murphy 60
TE CRAIG STEVENS 82
Eric Beegun 83
WR DESEAN JACKSON 1
Sam DeSa 86
QB STEVE LEVY 3
Joe Ayoob 18
FB CHRIS MANDERINO 27
Byron Storer 38
TB MARSHAWN LYNCH 10
Justin Forsett 20
DEFENSE
DE PHILIP MBAKOGU 99
Fahim Abd Allah 45
DT ABU MA'AFALA 43
Mika Kane 98
DT BRANDON MEBANE 52
Mika Kane 98
DE NU'U TAFISI 53
Fahim Abd Allah 45
OLB RYAN FOLTZ 26
Mickey Pimentel 8
MLB DESMOND BISHOP 10
Zack Follett 56
OLB ANTHONY FELDER 15
Worrell Williams 1
CB DAYMEION HUGHES 13
Randy Bundy 17
FS HARRISON SMITH 11
Thomas DeCoud 5
ROV DONNIE MCCLESKEY 21
Brandon Hampton 3
CB TIM MIXON 22
Brandon Hampton 3
SPECIAL TEAMS
P DAVID LONIE 14
PK TOM SCHNEIDER 15
PR TIM MIXON 22
DeSean Jackson 1
KOR JUSTIN FORSETT 20
Daymeion Hughes 13