Can influx of transfers help Cal Bears break through in close games? Season opener a fresh slate

BERKELEY — Convinced his Cal football team needed an injection of talent after four straight losing seasons, coach Justin Wilcox and his staff took an offseason leap into the transfer portal and emerged with 24 players who have previous experience playing on Saturdays.

“The number of one-score games that we were on the wrong end of isn’t acceptable,” said Wilcox, whose program has lost 14 games by a touchdown or less over those four years.

The Bears will get their first feedback...