Oregon / Wide receiver / Mycah Pittman
After an electrifying training camp for true freshman Mycah Pittman, he was ruled out for six to eight weeks with a shoulder injury. Pittman, along with fellow injured receivers Juwan Johnson and Brenden Schooler, are all expected to have a chance to play Saturday against Cal. Pittman will battle with not only Johnson and Schooler — assuming they are healthy as well, which remains to be seen — but the likes of Jaylon Redd and Johnny Johnson III. With Pittman’s ability to stretch the field vertically, as well as be an effective target in the slot, Cal could be his break-out game. While he may be just a freshman, Pittman has the talent and pedigree to compete for a starting spot.
Oregon / Linebacker / Troy Dye
In the season opener against Auburn, Troy Dye — arguably Oregon’s best defensive player — totaled a team-leading 15 tackles. Despite the impressive mark, Dye vowed to be better and to “make more plays.” Since then, he’s accumulated just 10 tackles. Dye hasn’t played poorly by any means, and the defense has been historically stout, but he isn’t making plays to the level he has in years past. Without its starting quarterback, Cal will most likely lean on the run, where Dye could thrive.
Cal / Linebacker / Evan Weaver
Evan Weaver is on the short list of best defensive players in college football. His 77 total tackles rank first in the nation by a margin of nearly 20. Weaver plays with reckless abandon. He has a knack for shedding blocks and burrowing his way into the backfield, as shown by his 22-tackle performance against Ole Miss. Additionally, he has shown out in both games against Pac-12 opponents totaling 18 in their upset at Washington and 15 in their narrow loss to Arizona State. The mass disruption Weaver brings enables the Cal defense to dominate in both the run and pass game. If there’s one player that can throw a wrench in Oregon’s high-octane passing attack, it’s Weaver.
Cal / Cornerback / Camryn Bynum
Don’t let the numbers deceive you: Despite just three passes defended and a single interception, Camryn Bynum is, and continues to be, one of the Pac-12’s best cornerbacks. Bynum is versatile enough to lock up a receiver in man or make plays in zone coverage. He is the most skilled player in an experienced secondary that allows only 215 passing yards per game, third best in conference. Throughout his career, he’s made big plays when it matters; his sole interception on the young season came against Washington and helped flip the game in Cal’s favor.
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