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How Arizona Football can beat the Cal Golden Bears

By Eric Townsend

TUCSON, ARIZONA - SEPTEMBER 17: Head coach Jedd Fisch of the Arizona Wildcats speaks to his team and coaching staff during the first half of the NCAA football game against the North Dakota State Bison at Arizona Stadium on September 17, 2022 in Tucson, Arizona. (Photo by Rebecca Noble/Getty Images)
TUCSON, ARIZONA - SEPTEMBER 17: Head coach Jedd Fisch of the Arizona Wildcats speaks to his team and coaching staff during the first half of the NCAA football game against the North Dakota State Bison at Arizona Stadium on September 17, 2022 in Tucson, Arizona. (Photo by Rebecca Noble/Getty Images) /
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Just days after beating a talented FCS team in North Dakota State, Arizona Football will have a battle on its hands as they take on Cal.  

Just like that, we are now into week four of the 2022 Arizona Football season. And despite Arizona beating North Dakota State in what was a big win for the Cats, 100 percent focus turns to Cal and the first Pac-12 game of the season.

Coming in, this is a great opportunity for Arizona to earn yet another win; however, this one won’t be easy. Cal is a skilled and athletic football team that can stifle offenses, and beating them won’t be easy by any means.

While Arizona looked good against North Dakota State last Saturday, now isn’t the time for them to get complacent. The Wildcats have a legitimate opportunity of being 3-1 after this weekend, but it is going to take another solid performance to do so.

And as Arizona Football enters this game against Cal, if they are going to get the win, these are the keys to doing it!

Find the Offensive Rhythm Early

Arizona did a nice job against North Dakota State moving the football and scoring points, especially early in the game. To me, that was a big reason they were able to win against the Bison as they found their offensive rhythm early.

Against Cal, Arizona needs to find a similar rhythm early on if they are to win this game. Granted, this will be one of the better defenses they have faced thus far so it won’t be easy, but moving and scoring the ball is an important factor in this one.

Stop the Run

Arizona was gashed by the Bison last Saturday as North Dakota State ran all over the Wildcats, totaling 283 yards rushing. On Saturday, that cannot happen again if they are to win.

The Wildcats’ defense needs to be better about stopping the run, otherwise, should they have a repeat performance against Cal as they did with North Dakota State, this could be a long day for Arizona.

Stop the run, have a greater likelihood of winning this game!

No Silly Mistakes

Arizona did a terrific job of playing a clean game on Saturday. With only one penalty committed by the Wildcats and zero turnovers, you couldn’t ask for a better performance from Arizona.

To me, beating Cal will require a similar performance. Arizona cannot beat itself if they take care of the little things, and if it can prevent those silly mistakes, I like their chances of winning this football game.

Arizona has to Tackle Better

Last week, the Wildcats struggled against a big and physical North Dakota State team. And while the defense had its moments on Saturday, overall, they did struggle a bit, especially when it came to tackling in the open field.

Luckily, Arizona did still win last Saturday, but to me, this is one of the few areas that the Wildcats’ defense needs to improve in and quickly. Arizona needs to wrap up and tackle better, otherwise, this could be a long day for the Cats.

Related Story. FCS power, North Dakota State is a tough challenge for Arizona Football. light

Still looking to lock in your bets ahead of the Wildcats’ weekend action against Cal? Check out WynnBet or FanDuel for more betting options!

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