Can Cal Football Make an ESPN Prime Time Comeback This Season?

I still remember the electricity in Memorial Stadium back in 2006 when Cal football was must-watch television, the kind of program that had ESPN scrambling to feature us in prime time slots. Those days feel like ancient history now, but as I've been tracking this year's squad through their first five games, I'm starting to wonder: can Cal football make an ESPN prime time comeback this season?

Looking at those quarter-by-quarter scores tells a fascinating story of a team finding its identity. In their opening games, they were stumbling out of the gates - scoring just 18-25 in first quarters through the first five contests. That's the kind of slow start that gets you relegated to noon kickoffs on regional networks. But something remarkable happened as games progressed: 32-42 in second quarters, 49-56 in third quarters, and then that stunning 66-66 in fourth quarters. The most telling number? That 75-74 advantage in what I'd call "winning time" - those critical final eight minutes where games are decided. This team doesn't just survive pressure - they thrive in it.

What I'm seeing is a team that's learned how to finish, and that's exactly what prime time programs are built on. As someone who's covered this program through some lean years, I've noticed Coach Wilcox has instilled a resilience we haven't seen since the Tedford era. They're no longer the team that folds when down double-digits - they're the team that mounts those thrilling comebacks that make television producers drool.

The numbers don't lie about their progression. From struggling to find rhythm early to becoming second-half warriors, this evolution reminds me of what we saw from Washington during their resurgence. The 75-74 edge in late-game situations particularly jumps off the page - that's not luck, that's conditioning and mental toughness. I spoke with former Cal quarterback Mike Tee who put it perfectly: "Prime time isn't about how you start, it's about how you finish under the lights. These fourth-quarter numbers show Cal's developing that clutch gene that networks love."

There are still hurdles, of course. Those slow starts concern me - you can't spot Oregon or USC early leads and expect to survive. But the trajectory is undeniable. With the Pac-12's television landscape shifting, Cal's dramatic finishes could be exactly what ESPN needs to fill those coveted Saturday night slots. The question of whether Cal football can make an ESPN prime time comeback this season isn't just speculation anymore - it's looking increasingly likely. If they can maintain this fourth-quarter magic while cleaning up those first-quarter jitters, we might just see the Bears back where they belong - under the bright lights with all of college football watching.