Ole Miss Football: 3 takeaways from tough loss at California

2. Ross Bowers is also a raw quarterback prospect

Replacing Jared Goff was never going to be easy for Cal. In his first season as a head coach, Justin Wilcox has certainly stumbled upon a talent in Ross Bowers. The sophomore has been hot and cold so far this season, and he exhibited a little bit of both traits in the win over Ole Miss.

He looked phenomenal to start the year, leading Cal to the upset on the road at North Carolina. In that game, Bowers threw for 363 yards and four scores. But he also had two picks, and that trait had continued through the rest of his starts. In the home opener against FCS Weber State last week, Bowers had no picks nor any touchdowns and threw for just 200 yards on 28 passes.

Coming into this week, it was uncertain as to which version of Bowers would show up against the Rebels. He had a hard time completing passes, finishing 24-of-47 for just 236 yards. The rookie starter had a touchdown, but also tossed two more picks. If not for Shea Patterson’s blunders, Bowers would probably be facing even more scrutiny after this performance.

But Cal won, and Bowers played well enough to keep from costing the Golden Bears victory. He will continue to have frustrating moments, though, as he matures into his starting role. It did not happen this evening, but at some point this year Bowers will cost Cal a winnable game.