Fall camps are under way and the regular season will be here soon so that means getting an early jump on the 2006 NCAA football season. Knowing the teams now will save you time and Matt Fargo is here to help you get a grasp of what to expect this upcoming year. We go from worst to first in this 2006 College Football Preview.

#10 California Golden Bears 8-4 SU; 3-7-1 ATS

Fargos Take California is the one team in the Pac Ten that has given USC fits over the years recently and this could finally be the season that the Bears break through and win the conference. They defeated the Trojans in overtime in 2003 and took them to the final play in 2004 before losing by six points. If the quarterback situation gets resolved, California could have one of the most explosive offenses in the country led by Heisman hopeful tailback Marshawn Lynch. Defensively, the Bears have been excellent over the last two seasons yet dont get the respect it deserves. With eight starters returning, the reigning Pac Ten leaders in points allowed should be able to repeat their strong season. Obviously the success of the team comes down to the play of the quarterback while the schedule is difficult yet manageable. Dont be surprised to see the Bears representing the conference in a BSC game with a shot at the National Championship a distinct possibility.

Returning Starters on Offense 7 With less than a week to go before its opener at Tennessee, head coach Jeff Tedford still has not decided on a starting quarterback. Joe Ayoob had a disastrous first season in Berkeley, completing just 49.2 percent of his passes while throwing 14 interceptions along with his 15 touchdowns. He looks to be the frontrunner at this point however. Nate Longshore, the starter last season before breaking his leg in the opener, has been saddled by a bad back while Steve Levy has been suspended for the season opener as the result of a beer mug-throwing incident. Lynch is one of the best backs in the country while his backup Justin Forestt could start for most teams. The offensive line must replace three starters but there is plentiful experience. The top three receivers are back in the new spread attack brought over by former Northwestern offensive coordinator Mike Dunbar.

Returning Starters on Defense 8 California was 26th in the country in scoring defense and that was with three games of allowing 35, 38 and 47 points. After allowing 10.6 ppg in their first five games, the Bears did struggle with the remainder of their conference games but there should be significant improvement this season. The defense is right behind USC in the Pac Ten preseason rankings thanks to a solid defensive line and strong linebackers. Three players are back along the line, led by tackle Brandon Mebane, a preseason All-American candidate. Middle linebacker Desmond Bishop is the leading returning tackler and will head one of the strongest groups of backers in school history. The secondary, ranked 80th in passing defense last season is the weakness as both safeties need to be replaced. The good news is that cornerbacks Daymeion Hughes and Tim Mixon, both seniors, are back.

Schedule The Bears will be tested right out of the gate as they travel to Knoxville to take on an improved and hungry Tennessee squad. They then return home to take on Minnesota and Portland St. in their final two non-conference games. The Pac Ten schedule gets under way with a home game against Arizona St. before a tough trip to Oregon St., a team California lost to last season. The Bears then return home for another revenge game against Oregon in what could be the game deciding who is going to challenge the Trojans. Three more likely wins are up next before a difficult trip to an improved Arizona team and then the big showdown against USC at L.A. Coliseum. The season finale against rival Stanford is at home this season.

You can bet on Tedford has won 33 games in his four years at California as he has turned this program completely around. The Bears have yet to make it over the big hump due to the dominance of USC but the Pac Ten is as open as it has been in five years. Getting the Trojans on the road is bad timing but the last two trips there have seen two losses by a combined eight points so they know they can win there. After going 23-12-1 ATS from 2002-2004, the Bears were disappointment against the number last season going just 3-7 including a 0-3 ATS mark as a dog. They were just 1-4 ATS at home and it wouldnt be surprising to see something similar as this is no longer a team under the radar. California is a slight dog against Tennessee in the opener and a win at Neyland could make the Bears 10-0 heading into that game against USC.