Cal Will Be Without Two Running Backs and a Starting Safety Against Virginia

Cal will play Saturday’s home game against 15th-ranked Virginia without several important players.

For the second straight week Cal will be without running backs LJ Johnson Jr. and Brandon High Jr., the second- and third-leading rushers on the team.

But the Bears (5-3, 2-2 ACC) will also be without true freshman starting safety Aiden Manutai.  It means Cal will play without either of the two players who began the season as Cal’s starting safeties.. Safety Isaac Crosby suffered a season-ending injury several weeks ago after starting the first four games.

Dru Polidore Jr. has taken Crosby’s place in the starting lineup at one safety spot, and Jordan Sanford is likely to get the starting assignment in place of Manutai.

Manutai has 27 tackles, one tackle for loss, one pass breakup and one quarterback hurry. He is also a key player on punt coverage. Sanford has made seven tackles this season while playing in all seven games.

With both Johnson (117 rushing yards, two touchdowns) and High (98 yards, one touchdown) sidelined, it means starting running back Kendrick Raphael will get more carries again. Raphael had 20 carries for 71 yards and three touchdowns in the double-overtime loss to Virginia Tech last week.

Presumably true freshman running back Anthony League will get playing time for the second straight week. He had the first two carries of his college career last week and managed 3 rushing yards. League  may get more action on Saturday.

Cal offensive lineman Lamar Robinson, who has received some playing time at center, is also unavailable for Saturday’s game.

For Virginia, starting wide receiver Cam Ross is listed as probable, which means he is likely to play. Otherwise, all of Virginia’s projected starters are expected to be available.

Virginia (7-1, 4-0 ACC) will take a six-game winning streak into Saturday’s game in Berkeley. Three of the Cavaliers’ last four victories came in overtime and the fourth victory in that span was a two-point win over Washington State, with the winning margin coming on a safety in the closing minutes.

Cal needs one victory in its final four games to become bowl-eligible for the third straight year, but the Bears may be underdogs in all four games.

Virginia is a 5.5-point favorite against Cal as of Thursday night.

Here is the availability report: