For Cal, plenty on line at Texas

In December 2004, after helping lead Texas Tech to a Holiday Bowl win over Cal in San Diego, Sonny Dykes drove north to Pasadena.

[...] the then-wide receivers coach for the Red Raiders purchased two tickets, invited his then-girlfriend (now wife) and crossed an item off his proverbial bucket list.

What should have been Cal’s first trip to the Rose Bowl in 45 years never materialized, thanks to politicking by then-Texas coach Mack Brown, whose Longhorns leapt over the Bears in the final BCS standings to claim a Rose Bowl berth.

The Bears are 0-5 all-time against the storied Longhorns, including a 21-10 loss in the 2011 Holiday Bowl that a dozen current Cal players were on hand for.

The Bears are seven-point favorites against a struggling Longhorns team.

[...] snagging a road victory at Texas, where Pac-12 visitors are 3-11 since the end of World War II, would go a long ways toward Cal’s case for receiving top-25 votes.

“To go out there and win would really put us on the map,” offensive lineman Jordan Rigsbee said.

After finishing the 2004 regular-season at 10-1, the Aaron Rodgers-led Bears seemed poised for a BCS berth.

In the wake of his team’s 26-13 win over Texas A&M to close the regular season, Longhorns head coach Mack Brown famously said the eight words that Old Blues still bemoan: “If you've got a vote, vote for us.”

Texas, for reasons that remain murky, leapfrogged Cal for the fourth spot in the BCS standings to secure its first trip to the Rose Bowl.

Reeling from the slight, Cal never seriously threatened after halftime as it fell to Texas Tech 45-31 in the Holiday Bowl.

“They were disappointed to be there, and we were excited to be there,” said Dykes, who was the Red Raiders’ wide receivers coach that year.

When you sit down and pick the winners in bowl games, that’s probably the most important thing:

At multiple practices, the Bears devoted extra time to kickoff coverage — one of their few shortcomings in wins over Grambling State and San Diego State.

Equipped with a new play caller and a new quarterback, Texas will try to kick start an offense Saturday that averages just 220 yards per game.

While the Bears look the part of a Pac-12 contender after two convincing wins, the Longhorns are off to an underwhelming start in head coach Charlie Strong’s second year.

[...] this remains a statement game for the Bears, given the national spotlight that comes with playing at Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium.

Texas — WR Marcus Johnson (ankle) is questionable, and TE Blake Whiteley (knee) is out; Cal — S Griffin Piatt (knee), LB Aisea Tongilava (toe) and WR Jack Austin (foot) are out.

Lasco, who leads the Bears with 137 rushing yards, is questionable after straining a muscle in his hip late in the San Diego State game.

If he is unavailable, sophomore Vic Enwere will lead a crop of four running backs Saturday against a suspect defensive line.

With wide receiver Daje Johnson leading the way, the Longhorns have a lethal return game.

The Bears need significant improvement throughout their special teams, but particularly in kickoff coverage.