UNC Returns from their Bye Week for a Friday Night Matchup at Cal

North Carolina’s takes the field yet again, this time for a  Friday night face off with Cal. The Tar Heels (2-3, 0-1 ACC) arrive in Berkeley looking to stabilize under head coach Bill Belichick, while the Golden Bears (4-2, 1-1 ACC) hope to build on a promising start and protect their home field.

The storyline surrounding UNC has centered around off the field headlines and blowouts in each of the three games they've played against Power Four opponents. The Tar Heels rank near the bottom of the ACC in scoring, struggling to sustain drives or find rhythm in the passing game, and on defense they've been laughably bad.

Quarterback Gio Lopez missed the Clemson game with an injury, leaving backup Max Johnson to handle the snaps. Johnson showed composure, throwing for 213 yards, but the offense again stalled in key moments. Gio will get the start tonight.

Cal, meanwhile, has leaned on balance and steady quarterback play from freshman Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele. The Hawaii native has thrown for nearly 1,500 yards and nine touchdowns, though his seven interceptions highlight a learning curve typical of a young signal-caller. Running back Kendrick Raphael gives the Bears a ground complement, averaging over 4.5 yards per carry and providing a reliable safety valve when Sagapolutele faces pressure.

For Cal, this game is anothers chance to demonstrate it belongs among the conference’s upper tier and to strengthen its bowl résumé. Cal's last matchup was a 45-21 home loss against Duke. The first half was a good one for the Bears, but it was all Duke after that. It'll be interesting to see how Cal picks things up tonight after their own bye week.

For UNC, this is all about effort. Showing you care. Not getting your doors blown off yet again by a Power Four opponent. It can be very easy for a team that has had the type of headlines surrounding it that UNC has to just check out for the season. Especially with Belichick's departure potentially coming sooner than later depending on how these games continue to go.

Oddsmakers listed Cal as roughly a 13.5 point favorite when the line first opened, but oddly enough the spread has creeped all the way down to Cal favored by 8.5 points. You hate to question Vegas, but it's certainly strange with UNC looking the way they have defensively and going up against the offensive threat that is Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele.

The matchup simply favors Cal in too many critical areas. The Tar Heels’ offensive line has struggled to protect its quarterbacks, allowing consistent pressure that disrupts timing and limits downfield options.

Cal’s offensive attack, built on a balanced mix of inside runs and high-percentage throws from Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele, is tailor-made to exploit UNC's defense. When you add in the cross-country travel and the late kickoff,  it doesn't bode well for UNC hanging around deep into this game. You'll likely know what the end story of this game is going to be in this one by the early stages of the second half.

Sorry to be so bleak, Tar Heel fans, but I have a weird feeling you're with me on this one. Who knows, maybe UNC will shock us tonight, but until then we have to go on what our eyes have seen.