Cal faces critical test against No. 22 Pitt in Week 7

The Cal Golden Bears have an opportunity to get their season back on track in a matchup with the undefeated Pitt Panthers at 3:30 p.m. ET on Oct. 12 in Pittsburgh, Pa.

Cal has flashed elite potential in the first half of the 2024 season, defeating the Auburn Tigers, holding its first four opponents to 14 points or less and sprinting out to a 35-10 lead over the No. 6 Miami Hurricanes before falling in a heartbreaking, controversial loss. 

A bitter taste remains in the mouths of Cal and its supporters from the officiating in the final moments of the game against Miami, which has drawn widespread criticism. 

First, as Cal was trying to run out the clock with a 38-32 lead, officials did not penalize Miami for a brutal hit on Golden Bears quarterback Fernando Mendoza. The ESPN broadcasters of the game were flabbergasted by the on-field and replay officials’ failure to make a targeting call.