BearTalk

2013 Pac-12 Conference Football Schedule

Thurs., Aug 29
USC at Hawai’i
Utah State at UTAH

Sat., Aug 31
Northern Arizona at ARIZONA
Nevada at UCLA
Colorado State vs. COLORADO (1)
Nicholls State at OREGON
Eastern Washington at OREGON STATE
Boise State at WASHINGTON
WASHINGTON STATE at Auburn
Northwestern at CALIFORNIA

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Lots to like about the Bears’ 2013 schedule, starting with a bye between the nonconference and Pac-12 games, which the 2012 team did not get.

And, of course, the Big Game will end the regular season on Nov. 23, returning to its traditional spot on the schedule. Everyone should like that a year after Cal hosted Stanford on Oct. 20 and suffered a 21-3 loss that triggered a five-game, season-ending skid that left the Bears 3-9 and led to coach Jeff Tedford’s firing.

But . . .

New coach Sonny Dykes won’t have it easy.

First of all, as previously announced, the Bears open Aug. 31 at home against a Northwestern team that was 10-3 last season and won the Gator Bowl. Cal has scheduled the Wildcats during what one day may be regarded as the golden era of Northwestern football. A tough opener.

OK, then a win over an FCS Portland State squad that was 3-8 and lost to Washington 52-13.

Then a third straight home game, against Ohio State, 12-0 a year ago, now free of NCAA sanctions and 6-1 all-time vs. Cal. The Bears’ most recent win over the Buckeyes: 28-0 in the Jan. 1, 1921 Rose Bowl.

Cal jumps right into the deep end of the Pac-12 schedule with a Sept. 28 game at Oregon. The Bears also face challenging road conference matchups against UCLA, Washington and Stanford.

The only Pac-12 road game that appears favorable for the Bears is a Nov. 16 game at Colorado and new coach Mike MacIntyre. And Cal struggled to a 36-33 overtime win at CU when the teams last played in 2011.

So, five conference road games — four of them very difficult.

The conference home schedule is not particularly sexy, with games against WSU, OSU and Arizona before USC visits on Nov. 9. The Bears lost to the Beavers and Trojans last fall and did not face the Wildcats.

It’s the dawn of a new era at Berkeley with Dykes running the show. But the Bears will be challenged in 2013.

The Big Game is back where it’s supposed to be — in late November.

Click here for my story.

The 2013 Pac-12 Conference football schedule was announced Thursday, and Cal will visit Stanford on Nov. 23.

The Bears get a Sept. 21 bye before the start of a nine-game conference run. They play Oct. 28 at Oregon to open their Pac-12 schedule.

Cal plays only Saturday games in 2013 and skips Arizona and Utah. Game times will be announced at a later date.

Here are the official news releases from Cal and the Pac-12.

2013 Cal Football Schedule

Cal’s new football coach will make his debut Aug. 31 at Memorial Stadium against Northwestern and will be on the home sidelines for at least the Bears’ first three games next season.

Cal’s game at Utah on Oct. 27 will kick off at 6:45 p.m. PDT on the Pac-12 Networks, the conference announced.

The 115th Big Game between Cal and Stanford has been set for a noon kickoff on Oct. 20 at Memorial Stadium in Berkeley. The game will be broadcast on Fox.

The game will be the 30th anniversary of the 1982 meeting that feature “The Play,” the game-winning five lateral kickoff return by the Golden Bears.

The start time for the annual Big Splash, the men’s water polo match between the Bears and Cardinal, will be 9:30 a.m. at Spieker Aquatics Complex at Cal.

Cal’s game at Washington State on Oct. 13 has been set for a 7:30 p.m. kickoff.

The game will be aired on the Pac-12 Networks.

It will be the second straight night game for the Bears after five in a row during the day.

Cal plays at home this Saturday against UCLA. Kickoff is  7 p.m.

Cal’s game against UCLA on Saturday, Oct. 6 will kick off at 7 p.m., the Pac-12 announced Monday.

After five straight games beginning no later than 3 p.m. PDT, this will be the Bears’ first evening kickoff of the season.

The game will be broadcast on the Pac-12 Networks.

Cal announced that its Sept. 29 home game vs. Arizona State will kick off at 1 p.m. and be televised on the FX network.

The Bears travel to No. 13 USC on Saturday for a 3 p.m. contest.

Cal and USC will kick off at 3 p.m. on Sept. 22 at the L.A. Coliseum.

The game will be aired on the Pac-12 Networks.