Cal will have another game with a limited running back corps, but the Bears (3-4, 2-2 ACC) might also have issues at the wide receiver and offensive line positions based on the initial injury list released Wednesday night for the Bears’ game at 23rd-ranked SMU (5-1, 3-1 ACC) on Saturday.
Cal head coach Tosh Lupoi has not announced who his starting quarterback will be against SMU, but Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele is the likely starter. Neither Sagapolutele nor Jackson Brousseau, who started the past two games, is on the injury report, so health won't be an inssue in Lupoi's decision.
However, there are injury concers at other positions.
Adam Mohammed, Cal’s leading rusher, and Carter Vargas, the Bears’ No. 2 running back, have both been ruled out for Saturday’s game. For Mohammed it will be the fourth straight game he has missed with a knee injury, while Vargas has not played since suffering an injury in the opener, and it’s looking more and more as though he might miss the rest of the season.
However, third-string running back Ashten Emory, who left last week’s game against Wake Forest with an injury, is not on the injury list, so he is expected to be the Bears’ starting running back against the Mustangs. He was the Bears' starting running back last week.
None of the main Cal wide receivers have been ruled out for Saturday, but four of them are questionable.
Ian Strong, a starter and the Bears’ second-leading receiver with 29 catches, missed last week’s game after aggravating an injury shortly before the game, and he is questionable for this week as well.
Three other Cal receivers are also questionable – Cooper Perry (eight receptions, 111 yards), Jordan King (11 receptions, 108 yards) and Mark Hamper (five catches, 60 yards).
Cal’s leading receiver, Chase Hendricks, is healthy, but the Bears may have to play some receivers who have not had much playing time if some or all of the wide receivers who are questionable cannot play.
Three offensive linemen who have been starters for Cal this season are also questionable – center Bastian Swinney, guard Sioape Vatikani and tackle Jimothy Lewis Jr. The Bears’ offensive line depth may be tested. Swinney and Vatikani both started last week's game, while Lewis was a starter when the season began but has missed the past few games.
Cal’s starting defensive tackle Jericho Johnson is also questionable. The 6-foot-4, 345-pound Johnson has been effective in controlling the inside of Cal’s defensive line.
For SMU, standout safety Ahmed Moses has not played this season, but he is listed as questionable for Saturday’s game, although eligibility could be an issue.
Mustangs safety Tyren Polley Jr., the team's second-leading tackler, suffered a season-ending pectoral injury last week.
Nick Reed, who has shared the place-kicking duties with Brendan Baird this season, is also questionable.
Dramekco Green, SMU's second-leading rusher with 111 yards, has been ruled out for the game, as has defensive end Ira Singleton IV.
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