Cal Football vs. Oregon State: TV Schedule, Live Stream, Betting Odds, Preview
The Cal Golden Bears (1-5) are set to host the Oregon State Beavers (5-1) tonight.
October 12, 2013; Pasadena, CA, USA; California Golden Bears quarterback Jared Goff (16) throws a pass against the UCLA Bruins during the first half at the Rose Bowl. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports
Last weekend, the Golden Bears lost to then 11th-ranked UCLA 37-10 in a boring matchup. Here is the information for tonight’s game.
Location: Memorial Stadium (Berkeley, CA)
Television: ESPN 2
Radio: KALX 90.7 FM
Gameday Stream: Watch ESPN/ESPN3
Kickoff Time: 7:30 p.m. PT/10:30 p.m. ET
Odds: Oregon State, -11
Wether: 62 Degrees, Mostly Fair
Preview: The Cal Golden Bears are not favored in this matchup. They are 1-5 on the season, their only win coming against a mid-tier FCS opponent (and that game wasn’t an easy one either). They also have a defense that is depleted (something we’ve seen since the beginning of the year). The biggest rash of injuries has taken place in the secondary, something that is pertinent to the success of any team in the offensive driven Pac-12.
Oregon State, meanwhile, is on a hot streak, winning their last five. They sit at 3-0 in conference, though they haven’t faced too many solid teams this season. Quarterback Sean Mannion is possibly the best signal caller no one knows. He currently sits just 23 touchdowns behind program leader Derek Anderson for most passing touchdowns all-time. With Oregon State having at least seven games left, an average of 3-4 scores per game would get Mannion to about 80 for his career. This is very possible.
This game is favorable for Oregon State, because Oregon State is good a passing the ball, shutting down the run and creating turnovers. Cal gives up a lot of passing yards, cannot run the ball and turns the ball over a little more often than they want. Oregon State has a tandem at wide receiver that could have their way with most secondaries, let alone one as depleted (and demoralized) as Cal’s. Plus, Oregon State has a secondary that can make Goff’s age become very apparent very quickly.
This game will come down to how good the Cal defense is. If they play like a team that needs to win a game, they could surprise Oregon State. On the other hand, if they let Mannion play his game, they will watch Oregon State celebrate their sixth straight win and yet another bowl eligible season in Corvallis.
Prediction: Oregon State 42, Cal 20