Cal Football: Can Golden Bears become sneaky contenders in 2019?

Coach Justin Wilcox has Cal football primed to take the next step in 2019 and contend for the Pac-12 North in his third season on the job.

Justin Wilcox had a solid campaign in year two with California and led the Golden Bears to their first winning season since 2015. California went undefeated in non-conference play, had one of the best defenses in the Pac-12 and freshman quarterback Chase Garbers blossomed into a leader.

Although the Golden Bears struggled through the Pac-12 gauntlet with an 0-3 start, they won four of their final six conference games and have a ton of momentum heading into the 2019 season. Wilcox seems to have his team a year ahead of schedule and Golden Bear fans are wondering what the 42-year-old coach has in store for an encore.

The players are more physical than they ever were under Wilcox’s predecessor Sonny Dykes. California has an identity on defense and Wilcox has laid down the foundation for his brand of football with the program. The Pac-12 North is full of parity and up for grabs this season with Washington rebuilding.

California hasn’t finished a season with a winning conference record since 2009. However, Wilcox’s team is poised for big things in 2019. We’ll examine the Golden Bears’ on both sides of the ball and how they’ll fare with a schedule that’s one of the toughest in the Pac-12.