ESPN Bet · as of July 8, 2026
California defeated Texas Southern 35–3 in a dominant performance. Texas Southern covered by 12.5; Game went Under by 16.5. The market closed at California -44.5 and the Blue Chip model made it California -27.5 - a gap of 17.0 points toward Texas Southern, of which 15.6 points were beyond the model's measured factors. That was an information gap - the market pricing something the model does not carry - rather than a measured edge.
The Tigers' offense lacked rhythm, managing only 194 total yards and converting just 3 of 14 third downs, with quarterback KJ Cooper's scrambling being the only bright spot.
Texas Southern's defense was gashed by Cal's running game, allowing 131 yards and a touchdown to Kendrick Raphael, and struggled to pressure the quarterback or stop the run up the middle.
The Tigers were held scoreless until a fourth-quarter field goal, marking their only points of the game and highlighting a lack of explosive plays or sustained drives.
Facing Lamar University next, Texas Southern must improve offensive consistency and defensive discipline to compete, as their current performance suggests significant adjustments are needed.
At kickoff, conditions at California Memorial Stadium were Partly cloudy, 59°F with winds of 5 mph. Weather is not expected to be a meaningful factor in this game. Historical weather data for this game is preserved in the panel alongside. Weather data is sourced from WeatherAPI.com.
Partly cloudy
59°F
| Measure | Texas SouthernAway | CaliforniaHome |
|---|---|---|
| This week | 1,638 miles | 0 miles |
| Last week | Bye week | 929 miles |
| Season total | 1,638 miles | 929 miles |
| Body clock | 17:00 | 15:00 |
| Rest | 6 days | 6 days |
.png)
