Per the Bay Area Air Quality Management District (Laney College reference) in a parallel universe the 121st Big Game would’ve been played in those conditions. In 2017, Cal faced WSU in AQI from 141-130. Which means, using the AQI index alone, the best air the fans and student-athletes would be breathing is worse than in 2017. However, both ranges are comfortably under the 200 AQI threshold for having the game’s start in discussion.

190 AQI

AQI at 12:30pm (game time minus 3 hours) which was the deadline for the final decision about the game’s postponement.