Can Cal protect Fernando Mendoza after 13 sacks in the last two games?

There's no shortage of storylines heading into Cal's game Saturday night at Memorial Stadium against No. 8 Miami:

– Can the Bears slow down quarterback Cam Ward and a Hurricanes offense that ranks second nationally in averaging 49.4 points per game?

– Did the bye week help the Bears resolve the pre-snap penalty issues that plagued them in their 14-9 loss to Florida State?

– Has Cal sorted out its kicking game, which saw Ryan Coe kick a 51-yard field goal at FSU but miss six kicks this season, including four from 40 yards?

As the Bears (3-1, 0-1 ACC) prepare to face the Hurricanes (5-0, 1-0), there's another elephant in the room: keeping quarterback Fernando Mendoza standing.

Mendoza was sacked seven times in the loss to FSU, the most of his career.

He was defeated six times in a win over San Diego State a week earlier.

That's 13 sacks in two games after giving up just three in the first two games. The current pace is a recipe for failure, not to mention the potential damage it can do to Mendoza.

That adds up to 16 sacks, or 4.0 per game, which ranks Cal 130th nationally. They share that spot with South Carolina, better than only South Florida, which is giving up 4.2 sacks per game, and Old Dominion, which has absorbed 4.75 sacks per game.

There is no single culprit here. As with most things in football, there are a lot of people involved. The attack line is the easiest target. But the receivers have to open up to give the quarterback a viable target.

And the quarterback – in this case Mendoza – plays a role.