Back
Cal apparently will enter Saturday’s game at Virginia in as close to full strength physically as it’s been most of this season.
The Wednesday night mandatory ACC availability report lists just three Cal players as out for Saturday and one other as questionable.
That suggests that No. 1 running back Adam Mohammed, who made a limited return two weeks ago against NC State after missing four-plus games with a knee injury, will be available to play.
Coach Tosh Lupoi talks in the video at the top of this story about Mohammed, the team's top rusher, who carried nine times in his return vs. NC State. Cal had a bye last week.
Also now expected to be available after periodic injuries this season, are wide receivers Ian Strong and Jordan King and center Bastian Swinney are cleared to go.
Once more, running back Carter Vargas, tight end Dorian Thomas and defensive lineman Nate Burrell will be unavailable.
Vargas, a sophomore transfer from UC Davis, has been on the shelf since being injured in Cal’s opener vs. UCLA. He had 662 yards rushing and receiving and scored seven touchdowns for the Aggies last season.
Thomas, a junior transfer from New Mexico, has seen action in six games — most recently Wake Forest on Oct. 17 — but has just one reception all season. He was rated as the No. 6 tight end prospect in the transfer portal last spring after catching 56 passes for 560 yards and four touchdowns with the Lobos.
Burrell, a fifth-year senior, had 77 tackles, including 7.5 tackles for loss, the past two years. But he has played in just two games this season, none since Sept. 12, and has six tackles.
Questionable is freshman inside linebacker JD McKinley, who sat out the NC State game but has 20 tackles, including three sacks, in six games.
Cal (3-6, 2-4 ACC) and Virginia (4-5, 2-4) will kick off at 12:30 p.m. PT on thge ACC Network.