No projection of Cal’s present would be complete without a brief mention of Cal’s past and the defining trajectory of those seasons: Fast starts, poor finishes.
Regardless of coach or coordinators, opponents or location, quarterback or style of play, the Bears have been at their best — or at least, their most successful — in September.
The numbers:
2014: start 4-1, finish 1-6
2015: start 5-0, finish 2-5
2016: start 4-3, finish 1-4
2017: start 3-0, finish 2-7
2018: start 3-0, finish 4-5
The 2014-17 finishes were so bad, last year’s 4-5 mark looks stellar by comparison.