Just last week, I jokingly complained about how every Cal game was the same and any analysis would inevitably be repetitive. So hooray! Variety!
Before we muddy the water, let’s get the obvious out of the way: With both teams at full strength, USC is the better football team. With Cal on the road, and significantly more beat up than USC, the Trojans are so much better that splitting hairs about schedules and game theory and play calling becomes academic. Cal was never winning this game. USC gained 3 more yards/play than Cal despite shutting down their offense in the 4th quarter.