Cal’s game against Oregon State on Nov. 12 at San Francisco’s AT&T Park may not be the biggest game in the Bay Area that day, but it is awfully big for the Golden Bears.

About 30 minutes south, Stanford will be hosting Oregon in a game with national championship implications.   Cal has its own postseason goals, and the pressure on the Bears to get to a bowl is just as intense as it is on Stanford.

The Bears are 5-4, one win shy of being bowl-eligible, and they desperately need to get that win against the Beavers.    The final two games are against Stanford and Arizona State, both on the road.  Cal has not played well on the road, and both those foes have been ranked much of this season (although ASU fell out of the rankings after losing to UCLA on Nov. 5).

But Oregon is 2-7 after its loss to Stanford on Nov. 5, and the Bears have played infinitely better at home than on the road – especially on the defensive side.

Quite simply, the Cal defense has been outstanding at AT&T Park, in direct contrast to its struggles on the road.

The Beavers are clearly improving as the season goes along, which is a trademark of Mike Riley-coached teams, so winning may not be as easy as it might seem for Cal.

Oregon State’s redshirt freshman QB Sean Mannion is improving every game, and he gave Stanford trouble in the Beavers’ previous game.    It will be up to the Bears’ defense to  put pressure on Mannion, and that may be more difficult with the Bears banged up at the linebacker spot.  The fact that Oregon State has almost no running game will help the Bears, however.

More important is the play of QB Zach Maynard.   There is no question about his starting status this week as there was heading into the Washington State game, because he played an efficient, if unspectacular, game against the Cougars.

He did not turn the ball over against Washington State, and if he does not throw any interceptions against Oregon State, the Bears have a good shot at qualifying for a bowl by beating the Beavers.

NOTES

— The fact that Washington State coach Paul Wulff called Cal the best-looking football team he’s seen in the conference continues to echo as a significant statement, given that Washington State has played Stanford and Oregon this season.    Here’s what Wulff said after his team’s 30-7 loss to Cal on Nov. 5: “They are the best-looking football team that I have seen in the conference, period.  They probably have the best talent, top to bottom.”

It’s hard to know whether that is a compliment, because it suggests the Golden Bears, who are 2-4 in the Pac-12, are underachieving.    That does not look good for Jeff Tedford and his coaches.   On the other hand, it might just be Wulff reacting to the Bears’ best game of the season, which was not representative of their season as a whole, especially on the road.

— Cal’s defense is puzzling to say the least, a fact reinforced by limiting Washington State to seven points, its lowest total of the season, on Nov. 5 at home, seven days after yielding 31 points to UCLA on the road.   In the 11 home games Cal has played since Clancy Pendergast became defensive coordinator, Cal foes are averaging just 11.0 points a game, but in the nine road games, opponents are averaging 32.8 points.   That’s an amazing disparity.   This season, Cal is limiting opponents to 14.75 points at home but allowing 34.5 points on the road.  Fitting the model perfectly is the fact that in their one neutral-site game, the Bears yielded 21 points — 10 points more than their home average and 13.5 points less than their road average.   Not surprisingly, Cal is 7-4 in those home games, and 2-7 on the road.

— If Cal beats Oregon State to become bowl eligible, it’s unclear which bowl Cal would play in, but it would probably be one of three – the New Mexico Bowl, the Las Vegas Bowl or the Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl.   Playing in the Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl seems the most likely at the moment, and that would put Cal in a game in its 2011 home stadium – AT&T Park.    Its opponent there could be any of a number of teams, from Army to a Western Athletic Conference team to an ACC team.   In the Las Vegas Bowl, Cal might play TCU.   In the New Mexico Bowl, Cal would play the Mountain West fifth-place team, which could be Air Force.

SCOUTING THE CAL OFFENSE: Like virtually every offense, Cal’s productivity relies on the performance of its quarterback, and QB Zach Maynard has been good in some games and not so good in others.    His completion percentage is low (53.7 percent), and he has thrown 10 interceptions.   But seven of those picks came in two games, so his interceptions come in bunches.   When he rolls out to his left, Maynard is far more accurate.   The Bears’ offensive line probably had its best game against Washington State, and so did TB Isi Sofele, who has 839 rushing yards for the season.   WR Keenan Allen remains the big-play weapon, and Cal will try to get him the ball any way possible.

SCOUTING THE CAL DEFENSE: The Golden Bears’ defense had its best two games in its most recent two home games – against Utah on Oct. 22 and Washington State on Nov. 5.  The Bears defense has been outstanding in all but one of its home games this season, and a large part of that has been the play of its linebackers.    However, injuries could sideline OLB Chris McCain and OLB David Wilkerson this week, which would hurt.   The secondary played well against Washington State’s strong pass offense.  The Bears lead the Pac-12 in pass defense, partly because it applies a strong pass rush, and partly because its coverage has been good.  Cal’s defense has every chance to be successful against Oregon State, whose offense is not very good.

QUOTE:  “It was pretty awesome.  We’ve had some bad games this year where we haven’t done out job.  Obviously, if we’re not doing our job, we’re not going to get the run called.  We just don’t want to get too high or too low.  After the Utah win, we maybe got a little too high.” – Cal OT Mitchell Schwartz, after Call rolled up a season-high 288 rushing yards against Washington State.

THIS WEEK’S GAME: Oregon State at Cal (at AT&T Park in San Francisco), Nov. 12 – Cal is 5-4 overall and 2-4 in the Pac-12, while Oregon State is 2-7 overall,  2-4 in the Pac-12.  The teams are tied for fourth in the Pac-12 North, and Oregon State has won five of the past six games between the two teams.

SERIES HISTORY: Cal leads 33-30-0. Last meeting 2010 (35-7 Oregon State).

KEYS TO THE GAME: If Cal QB Zach Maynard does not throw any interceptions and TB Isi Sofele does not fumble, the Golden Bears have an excellent chance to win.  Sofele should be able to run the ball effectively against the Beavers’ suspect run defense, but his balI security has been an issue lately.  If the Bears’ defense plays the way it usually does at home, it should be able to control Oregon State’s offense, which is improving but still is not very potent.  The Beavers have virtually no running game, which should allow Cal to focus on Oregon State redshirt QB Sean Mannion, who is vulnerable to a pass rush and is prone to interceptions.  If the Bears can apply pressure, they could come up with some game-changing interceptions.

CAL PLAYERS TO WATCH:

— WR Keenan Allen – Allen is sixth nationally in receiving yardage and seventh in receptions, with 75.   Zach Maynard always looks to get the ball to Allen, his half-brother, and that’s not a bad idea.  Expect Cal to give the ball to Allen on an end-around at least once, and you could see Allen taking a direct snap.

— TB Isi Sofele – Sofele had a career-best 138 yards against Washington State, and he has shown a penchant for long runs lately.   He could break off a few big gainers against Oregon State, which does not have a very good run defense.

— CBs Steve Williams and Marc Anthony – Both played well against Washington State, and they will be responsible for controlling the Beavers’ two biggest offensive weapons – receivers James Rodgers and Markus Wheatley.

— TE Anthony Miller  — He has only 17 catches, but three are for touchdowns, and Zach Maynard  has been more prone to look for Miller lately.

ROSTER NOTES:

– OLB Chris McCain sustained a concussion in the Washington State game, and with the caution being taken with concussions these days, it seems unlikely he would play against Oregon State, although he has not been ruled out.

— OLB David Wilkerson injured his knee against Washington State and he is doubtful for the game against Oregon State and may be out longer than that.

— OT Brian Schwenke missed the Washington State game with an illness that landed him the hospital last week.   The exact nature of the illness was not disclosed but apparently it was more than just the flu.   He is back on campus and is practicing, but it’s uncertain whether he’ll be able to play against the Beavers.

— QB Zach Maynard took a blow to the head that put him out of the Washington State game, but that was more a precaution than anything else.  He is fine and will play against Oregon State.

Cal successfully completed Step 1 of its four-game road to a bowl game by beating Utah on Oct. 22, but Step 2 may be more important, because the Oct. 29 game against UCLA is on the road.

The Golden Bears (4-3) appear to be better than UCLA, and based on Cal’s impressive 34-10 victory over Utah, the logical conclusion is that Cal will roll against a UCLA team that is reeling.

Not only did UCLA (3-4, 2-2) get hammered by a mediocre Arizona team 48-12 in its most recent game, Oct. 20, but it will have six players suspended for the Cal game for their part in a fight during that game.   Two starters – receiver Shaq Evans and defensive tackle Cassius Marsh – are among the players suspended.  Three other receivers who get playing time are also suspended, so the Bruins’ passing game, already weak, will be further hamstrung.

But there is one key factor:  The game is on the road, and Cal’s defense, as good as it’s been at home (including AT&T Park this season), the Golden Bears have not played well defensively on the road.

Cal should be able to score points on the Bruins, who have one of the worst defenses in the country, especially if QB Zach Maynard is as efficient as he was against Utah, when he rolled out more and was far more accurate.

But the Golden Bears defense must be able to handle the Bruins’ running game, led by Johnathan Franklin and Derrick Coleman.
Cal absolutely stoned Utah TB John White, so the Bears are certainly capable of doing the same to the Bruins, who rely heavily on the ground game.   But again, the issue is the venue , and the fact that the game is on the road, where the Cal defense has wilted ever since Clancy Pendergast became the defensive coordinator prior to last season.

If it can stop the run, Cal should be in good position, because quarterback Kevin Prince does not seem capable of winning  the game with his passing.  UCLA coach Rick Neuheisel hinted this week that his true freshman quarterback, Brett Hundley, would be ready if needed.  So if Prince struggles, the Bears may see Hundley, who was expected to redshirt this season but may be called into action.

Cal dominated UCLA 35-7 last season, but, again, that game was at home.

A win against UCLA would put Cal one win shy of a bowl berth, and put them in good shape for a sweep of this four-game stretch, which includes subsequent games against Washington State and Oregon State, both at home.

At 1-3 in the conference, Cal is not in position to assume victory in any Pac-12 game, but the season will get a lot easier if the Bears win this one.

NOTES

— Defensive coordinator Clancy Pendergast may have a difficult decision to make regarding his starting cornerbacks.   After missing two games with a dislocated shoulder, Marc Anthony began practicing again this week and may be ready for the UCLA game.   Anthony started the first five games before his injury.  However, freshman Stefan McClure has played well in his absence, especially against USC WR Robert Woods.  Whether Anthony will regain his starting spot from McClure when he’s healthy is an open question.  Steve Williams is the other starting corner, and Anthony is unlikely to replace him as a starter.
— Cal is 2-6 in road games since the start of last season, its only wins being a 20-13 victory over last place Washington State last season, and an overtime victory over last-place Colorado this season.
Cal has yielded more than 30 points in six of those eight road games, but has yielded more than 30 points in only one of its 10 home games since the start of 2010.
— Keenan Allen still leads the nation in receiving yardage per game, despite having only 78 receiving yards against Utah.   It’s close, though.  Allen is averaging 129.4 yards per game, USC’s Robert Woods is at 128.9, and Oklahoma Ryan Broyles is averaging 128.4.
— Even though Cal is in the North Division of the Pac-12, and UCLA is in the South, the two teams will play each other every year, because of a concession to Cal when the conference was expanded and split into two divisions.  Cal plays neither Arizona nor Colorado in conference games this season, although it did play Colorado in an odd nonconference game.

SCOUTING CAL’S OFFENSE: Cal’s offense had perhaps its best game of the season against Utah on Oct. 22, considering the Utes have a pretty good defense.   The difference was QB Zach Maynard.   Rolling out far more often, Maynard completed 19 of 29 passes with no interceptions.    He was particularly accurate when he threw while on the move, so you can expect to see more of that.  You can also expect to see Maynard run the ball more often on planned running plays off the speed option.  TB Isi Sofele did not have a big game against Utah, but he had shown he is adequate for the Pac-12, and Keenan Allen and Marvin Jones are probably the best wide-receiver tandem in the conference, and one of the best in the country.

SCOUTING CAL’S DEFENSE: The Golden Bears had their best defensive game of the season against Utah, limiting the Utes to 178 total yards and holding TB John White to 39 rushing yards.   Most of the yardage by Utah and White and all of Utah’s points came in the fourth quarter when the outcome was decided.   Defensive linemen Andrew Guyton and Aaron Tipoti played well, and seem to be getting better, and freshman CB Stefan McClure had another solid game, as did the secondary in general.  The secondary has been – and continues to be – the weakest link in the defense.

QUOTE:  “The guy’s very accurate when he runs.” – UCLA coach Rick Neuheisel, on the ability of Cal QB Zach Maynard to throw while rolling out.

SATURDAY’S GAME: Cal at UCLA (at the Rose Bowl), Oct. 29 – Cal is 4-3 overall and 1-3 in the Pac-12 after a convincing 34-10 victory over Utah, and UCLA is 3-4 overall, 2-2 in the conference after getting blown out by Arizona 48-12 on Oct. 20.   Cal beat UCLA 35-7 last season.

SERIES HISTORY: UCLA leads 49-31-1. Last meeting 2010 (35-7 Cal).

KEYS TO THE GAME: If Cal can prevent UCLA backs Derrick Coleman and Johnathan Franklin from getting consistent gains, the Golden Bears should win.   Last season, Cal limited Franklin to 54 yards and Coleman to 1.  But that was at home where the Bears’ defense nearly always excels.  The Cal defense needs to break through that road barrier and produce a dominating game.  If it can stop the run, UCLA QB Kevin Prince does not seem capable of winning the game with his arm, and if true freshman UCLA QB Brett Hundley comes into the game, Cal must pressure him early and often.   Arizona stopped the Bruins’ running game cold, and UCLA’s offense seemed helpless.  Cal’s defensive scheme will be much the same as it was against Utah, which also had obvious flaws at the quarterback position.  Whether Cal’s improving linebacking corps can have a big game on the road will be the key.

CAL PLAYERS TO WATCH:
WR Keenan Allen – Allen leads the nation in receiving yardage, and his one-handed grab of a pass that was well behind him against Utah could help him get some national attention.
QB Zach Maynard – He had his best game of the season against Utah, but that was just one game.   Maynard needs to start stringing efficient games together if the Bears are to be a consistent winner.  Against UCLA’s mediocre defense, Maynard has every chance to be successful.
OLBs David Wilkerson and Michael McCain – The two freshmen have been getting better every game, and their playing time has increased as a result.  They are the virtual starters, and how they perform against UCLA will have a lot to do with the outcome.
Punter Bryan Anger – Anger played a role in preventing Utah from having good field position with his booming punts.  Keeping UCLA pinned in its own territory will limit what the Bruins can do.

ROSTER NOTES:
– CB Marc Anthony sustained a dislocated left shoulder in the Oct. 6 loss to Oregon and missed the USC and Utah games.  He has a little less than a 50-50 chance of playing in the game against UCLA
– TE Spencer Hagan is questionable for the game against UCLA with a thigh injury.
– K Giorgio Tavecchio is 11-for-13 on field goals this season, but just 21 of 25 on extra points.  All four of his missed extra points and one of his missed field goal were blocked.
— ILB Mychal Kendricks was not named one of the 12 semifinalists for the Butkus Award, which goes to the nation’s top linebacker.

Much was made of the performance by Cal QB Zach Maynard in Cal’s 34-10 victory over Utah on Oct. 22.  And there is sure to be a lot made of the fact that Maynard had a lot more passing success when he rolled out, which he did more often against Utah than any previous game.

Maynard did play well, but, make no mistake, it was Cal’s defense that won the game.

The Golden Bears continued their inexplicable trend of being a great defensive team at home – which this season is AT&T Park in San Francisco – and a lousy defensive team on the road.

While ending its three-game losing streak, Cal (4-3, 1-3) was about as good defensively as it’s been all season against the Utes, whose offense was hamstrung by two key injuries.   But a more significant test may come in the Oct. 29 game at UCLA – not because the Bruins’ offense is particularly good, as it proved in its 48-12 loss to Arizona on Oct. 22, but because the game will be on the road.

For some reason, Cal’s defense just disappears when it heads out of the Bay Area.

Jeff Tedford can only hope his defense can come close to matching what it did against Utah.   The Utes managed just 178 yards of offense, and 120 of those came in the fourth quarter after the Bears had a 34-0 lead and the outcome had been decided.

Utah QB Jon Hays was just 11-for-22 for 148 yards.  He was sacked four times, and the Bears applied almost constant pressure on Hays, who was intercepted three times.

Hays is playing only because Jordan Wynn is out for the season with a shoulder injury, and Hays has struggled every game since.   Plus, Utah was without its leading receiver, DeVonte Christopher, who was out with an ankle injury.  So the Utes were playing short-handed when it came to the passing game.

But it was against the run that the Golden Bears excelled.  Utah had just 13 yards rushing, and the Utes had minus-6 yards on the ground in the first half.

The best indicator of the Bears’ defensive excellence  against the run was the way it handled Utah TB John White.   He came into the game averaging 111.8 yards a game and had rushed for 171 yards in the previous game, a road win against Pittsburgh.

Against Cal, however, he managed just 39 yards on 15 carries.  And even that total was inflated, because entering the fourth quarter, when Cal had a comfortable 34-0 lead, White had just 2 yards rushing on 7 carries.

Cal loaded up the box to stop the run, and Utah could not counter it.  Cal will no doubt do the same thing against UCLA, which relies on the run, although it had a measly 37 rushing yards against Arizona.   The fact that four of the six Bruins players suspended for the Cal game are receivers won’t help the UCLA passing game either, although none of them is a starter.

NOTES

– Cal QB Zach Maynard had his best game of the season, particularly since he did not throw any interceptions,  and his success may have been because Jeff Tedford had him roll out so often.   Maynard seems uneasy in the pocket, frequently failing to get his feet set.  But when his is on the run to his left, he is far more accurate.  He completed 5 of his first 6 passes he attempted while rolling out, and the one incompletion was a perfectly thrown ball that Spencer Hagan dropped.

– Freshmen Chris McCain and David Wilkerson are getting a majority of the playing time at the two outside linebacker spots, which means the Golden Bears have three true freshmen as virtual starters on defensive, when you add in CB Stefan McClure.    Wilkerson had 3 tackles for losses against Utah, and McCain had 1.5 tackles for losses, while McClure picked up his first interception.   It will be interesting to see what defensive coordinator Clancy Pendergast does when Marc Anthony is ready to return.  Will he regain his starting cornerback spot from McClure?

– WR Keenan Allen led the Bears in receiving yardage with 78 against Utah, but it was still his lowest total of the season and ended his streak of three-straight games with 160 receiving yards or more.

KEEP AN EYE ON:  NT Aaron Tipoti.  As a nose tackle, his numbers aren’t going to impress anyone, and he had just two tackles against Utah.   But he had a major impact on the Bears’ success against the run.  He works his butt off and is around the ball a lot.  His big hit on QB Jon Hays in the second quarter forced a fumble that Cal turned into a field goal and a 10-0 lead.  After missing a game early in the season with an injury, Tipoti has started the past three games, and he may have solved the Bears’ concerned at the nose tackle spot, which is a vital position in a 3-4 defense.

LOOKING GOOD:  The Golden Bears’ front seven did everything you could ask.  They harried Utah QB Jon Hays nearly every time he attempted to pass, sacking him four times and forcing him to three interceptions.   More important Cal completely negated TB John White, limiting him to 2 rushing yards over the first three quarters.   The Golden Bears ranked just fifth in the Pac-12 against the run entering the game, but they figure to move up after limiting Utah to 37 yards on the ground.

NOT LOOKING SO GOOD: Cal had 90 yards in penalties, and the 30 penalty yards Cal yielded late in the first half put Utah in position to score and close the gap at halftime after Cal had taken a 13-0 lead.   ILB Mychal Kendricks thwarted that drive by intercepting a pass, but Jeff Tedford was not satisfied with those two penalties that nearly changed the momentum.

QUOTE: “It was decent – very decent.” – Cal coach Jeff Tedford, on Keenan Allen’s remarkable one-handed catch that was part of a scoring drive in the final minute of the first half that game Cal a 20-0 lead at intermission.

STRATEGY AND PERSONNEL

PLAYER NOTES

– QB Zach Maynard was 19-for-29 passing with a touchdown pass and no interceptions.  His 65.5 percent completion rate for the game was his best of the season.   He also rushed for 36 yards and a touchdown as Jeff Tedford is calling for running plays for the nimble Maynard.

–P Bryan Anger had a season-long 61-yard punt, and it wasn’t the kind that rolls to pick of yardage.  This was boomer that was caught on the fly by the Utah return man.

– WR Marvin Jones caught five passes, extending his streak of games with at least one reception to 32 in a row.

– WR Michael Calvin had a season-high four catches against Utah, and he has 10 receptions in the past three games.

– K Giorgio Tavecchio made two field goals against Utah, but he missed his third attempt, a 29-yarder, making him 11-for-13 on field goal attempts this season.

ROSTER NOTES:

– CB Marc Anthony missed his second straight game with a dislocated left shoulder, and he’s likely to miss the UCLA game as well, although he has not been ruled out.

– TE Spencer Hagan left the game in the first half with a thigh injury.  His status for the Oct. 29 UCLA game is uncertain.

Cal’s next four games, starting with the Oct. 22 home game against Utah, are all winnable contests for the Golden Bears and will answer three important questions about the 2011 Bears:

— Are they resilient?  After three straight losses that took them out of the Pac-12 title picture, can the Bears remain tough mentally and physically and rebound from the setbacks?

— Are they improving?  Cal has not always been better at the end of the season than at the beginning under Jeff Tedford, whose teams often start fast.   But this team has plenty of potential for improvement with first-year starters at quarterback and tailback and youth at key defensive positions.

— Is Cal a bowl team?  Last season was the first under Tedford in which the Golden Bears did not play in a bowl game when eligible (Tedford’s first Cal team in 2002 finished 7-5 but was ineligible for the postseason).   If Cal does not play a postseason game for a second straight season, the pressure on Tedford will mount considerably, and it will indicate a disappointing downward trend for Cal.

Cal needs to become bowl eligible during these next four games, which means winning at least three of them.   That seems very possible with Utah, UCLA, Washington State and Oregon State being the next four opponents, especially since all but the UCLA game will be at the Bears’ 2001 home, AT&T Park in San Francisco.

To win at least three of those games, including the one against Utah, the Bears need improvement at the quarterback position.   It had seemed Zach Maynard had solved the Bears’ quarterback problems of the previous two seasons with his play in clutch situations early in the year.   But he has not thrown the ball well in his past two games against good competition – Oregon and USC.    His three interceptions and fumble against USC on Oct. 13 ruined any chance for the Golden Bears to stay in that game.

He certainly has the weapons, with WR Keenan Allen now leading the nation in receiving yards per game, and Marvin Jones being a quality receiver as well.  And Tedford may have Maynard roll out more, because he is clearly more comfortable throwing while on the move.  Utah has a strong defense, espcially against the run, so the onus will be on Maynard to perform well.

Because the game is at home at AT&T Park, the Cal defense is expected to play well.  It has become a habit for the Bears’ defense to be outstanding at home and poor on the road, and it has every reason to believe it can handle the Utes offense, even though Utah beat Pittsburgh 26-14 on the road on Oct. 15.   Utes QB John Hays, forced into the starting role because of a season-ending injury to Jordan Winn, is inexperienced and does not seem equipped to carry a team at this point.  He was sacked seven times by Pitt, so Cal should be able to apply pressure.

Cal has faced three good passers in a row – Washington’s Keith Price, Oregon’s Darron Thomas and USC’s Matt Barkley – and Hays is not in their class.

However, the status of Cal ILB Mychal Kendricks, the team’s leading tackler and top big-play defender, is a key issue.  He was held out of practice early in the week with an undisclosed injury, but had his right arm in a sling.  If he can’t play, it hurts the Cal defense significantly.

This game between two 3-3 teams is pivotal for both and will indicate which direction each team is headed the rest of the season.

NOTES

– Cal is 0-3 in the conference the first time since Jeff Tedford became head coach prior to the 2002 season. The last time Cal started off worse in the conference was 2001, when the Golden Bears went winless in the Pac-10 in Tom Holmoe’s final season as head coach.
– Keenan Allen moved from sixth to first nationally in receiving yardage as a result of his 160 receiving yards against USC on Oct. 13.  He is averaging 138 yards per game, just ahead of Ryan Broyles of Oklahoma, who’s averaging 135.8 yards.  USC’s Robert Woods is fourth at 130.5.
– Cal has two extra days to prepare for Utah, which played on Oct. 15, while the Golden Bears played at AT&T Park on Oct. 13 against USC.  Two extra days should help the Bears prepare.  They had a full-contact practice in pads on Sunday, a day usually reserved for rest the day after a game.

SCOUTING CAL’S OFFENSE: Cal scored only nine points against a USC defense that had yielded more than 40 points against each of its previous two opponents.   TB Isi Sofele, who has been productive this season in general, had his poorest game with just 44 rushing yards, but the bigger issue was quarterback play.   Zach Maynard threw three interceptions against USC after throwing none the previous two games, and he has lost his touch the past two games.   He seems to be more comfortable throwing on the run, so expect to see Maynard roll out to his left more often against Utah, which has a strong defense.   You may also see Maynard run more often too, and Jeff Tedford continues to add elements.

SCOUTING CAL’S DEFENSE: Although it yielded 30 points against USC, the Golden Bears’ defense played well enough, preventing a number of  Trojan scoring opportunities.  The Cal offense simply put the defense in a bad position too often.  It continued a trend of the Cal defense playing well at home and poorly on the road.   The Bears played particularly well in the secondary against USC, and that had been a problem in previous games.  Freshman CB Stefan McClure played well in his first college start against USC, and he may be starting again against Utah.  Cal has forced nine turnovers, which is not particularly good, and the Bears need to increase that.

QUOTE:  “It’s his first year in the program, and I don’t think you can say that about any other quarterback in our conference.   I don’t know who they played at Buffalo; it’s not Oregon and USC.  The speed is different.” – Cal coach Jeff Tedford, on why QB Zach Maynard, a transfer from Buffalo, has been inconsistent.

SATURDAY’S GAME: Utah at Cal (at AT&T Park in San Francisco), Saturday, Oct. 22, 4 p.m., Comcast SportsNet Bay Area TV, KGO 610 radio – Both teams are 3-3, but Utah is coming off an uplifting 26-14 road win over Pittsburgh, while Cal is coming off three straight losses, including a 30-9 loss to USC at AT&T Park on Oct. 13.   Both teams are 0-3 in the conference, and a loss would make a last-place finish in the division a very real possibility for Cal.

SERIES HISTORY: Cal leads 4-3. Last meeting 2009 (Utah 37-27).

KEYS TO THE GAME: With an inexperienced quarterback, Utah will rely heavily on TB John White, who carried the ball 36 times for 171 yards against Pittsburgh.  The Bears defense will be geared to stop him, and if it can do so, Cal should be able to apply pressure to inexperienced Utah QB John Hays, who was sacked seven times against Pittsburgh on Oct. 15.  Offensively, Cal QB Zach Maynard merely needs to avoid mistakes.  If he can get through the game without committing a turnover and perhaps provide some offense with his legs, the Bears should be in good shape.  Utah has an outstanding run defense, but TB Isi Sofele must establish himself at least as a threat so Maynard will have some time to throw.

CAL PLAYERS TO WATCH:
–WR Keenan Allen – He had a career-high 13 catches against USC, and has been putting up All-American-caliber numbers the past three games, getting at least 160 receiving yards in each of Cal’s three conference games.   He leads the nation in receiving yardage.
–CB Stefan McClure – The freshman did a good job covering USC WR Robert Woods in his first career start, although he got considerable help in the coverage.  If Marc Anthony cannot play, McClure will start against Utah.
–ILB Mychal Kendricks – He leads the team in tackles, with 53, and tackles for loss, with 5.0.   If he is on the field against Utah, it is a positive sign for the Bears, because he has been bothered by a right arm injury that could affect whether he can play in the game.   If he can’t play, it’s a significant setback.  He will be key in stopping Utah TB John White and applying pressure to Utah QB John Hays, who was sacked seven times against Pittsburgh.
–QB Zach Maynard – If he plays well, Cal should win.

ROSTER NOTES:
– CB Marc Anthony sustained a dislocated left shoulder in the Oct. 6 loss to Oregon and missed the USC game.  He has a little less than a 50-50 chance of playing in the game against Utah.
– ILB Mychal Kendricks missed practice on Sunday with his left arm in a sling.  It’s unclear whether he will play against Utah on Oct. 22.
– Backup S C.J. Moncrease had surgery on his thumb but will be able to play with a cast.

To be a bowl team, however, the Bears (3-3 and losers of three in row) cannot make the multitude of mistakes they  made in its 30-9 loss to USC in its Thursday night Oct. 13 game at AT&T Park.   Five turnovers and several other errors prevented Cal from having a chance, and suggested the Bears’ offense is not progressing.  That is especially a concern with QB Zach Maynard, who had his worst game one week after having subpar game against Oregon.   His three interceptions and lost fumble against the Trojans, on top of his inaccurate passing against the Ducks, removed some of the optimism he created  with his clutch performances in the first three games against weaker foes.

As has been its habit, the Cal defense again played well at home – or what serves as home this season at AT&T Park – by doing a good job of controlling USC QB Matt Barkley and WR Robert Woods.   Freshman Cal CB Stefan McClure receives high marks for his work covering Woods, who was limited to five catches and 36 yards, by far his season low.   McClure received significant help covering Woods, but it was still an impressive effort.

But the defense found itself under pressure time after time, because the Cal offense gave the ball away, often in Cal territory.
“You can’t be a good team when you turn the ball over five times, especially deep,” Cal coach Jeff Tedford said.

The turnovers were particularly distressing for two reasons.

First of all, Cal had turned the ball over just four times in its previous five games, just one more than the nation’s leaders.   Then, against a USC defense that had forced only five turnovers all season, among the lowest in the country, the Bears suddenly were mistake-prone.  USC doubled its season takeaway total, and Cal more than doubled its turnover total.  Even WR Keenan Allen, despite having another monster game with 13 catches and 160 receiving yards, coughed up a fumble.

The other concern is Maynard.  He had thrown three interceptions coming into the game, but never more than one in a game, and none in the first two conference games.  It seemed the concern about his penchant for throwing picks was misplaced.
Then he threw three interceptions against the Trojans, and every one of the picks was a poor decision and poor pass by Maynard.   One ruined a scoring threat late in the first half after the Bears had reached the USC 10-yard line.

He must improve his efficiency if the Bears are to start winning, and Cal has every reason to believe it can win most, if not all, of its next four games, as the schedule suddenly gets much easier.

Utah, UCLA, Washington State and Oregon State are Cal’s next four games, and all except the UCLA game are at AT&T Park.   The Bears need to come away with at least three wins in that segment to prevent another season like 2010, when the Bears went 5-7.

NOTES

— Cal is 0-3 in the conference for the first time under Jeff Tedford, who became the Bears head coach prior to the 2002 season.

– Cal’s special teams play was not good against USC.  K Giorgio Tavecchio had an extra point blocked for the fourth time this season, Marvin Jones made a fair catch of a punt at the 4-yard line instead of letting it bounce into the end zone, and Bryan Anger fell two yards short of a first down on a fake punt on a 4th-and-7 play from the Cal 32-yard line in the first half.   With the way Jeff Tedford chastised Cal special teams coach Jeff Genyk immediately after Anger’s run, it’s safe to say Tedford did not authorize the fake punt attempt.

–Even though it lost by three touchdowns, Cal had more total yards than USC (329-313) and as many first downs (18 apiece).   But five turnovers can mitigate those statistics in a hurry.

– Although the Cal defense yielded 30 points, most of that was the fault of the Cal offense, which gave USC the ball inside the Bears’ 40-yard line five times.   It was a far better defensive performance than last year, when USC QB Matt Barkley and the Trojans sliced through the Cal defense with no resistance while scoring 42 first-half points.   Again it was an example of Cal’s inexplicable ability to play much better defense at home than on the road under defensive coordinator Clancy Pendergast.

KEEP AN EYE ON: WR Keenan Allen  –  Allen outplayed USC WR Robert Woods decisively, although the fact that Cal paid more defensive attention to Woods had something to do with it.   Nonetheless, Allen had a career-high 13 catches for 160 yards, while Woods had 36 receiving yards on five catches.   Allen was sixth nationally in receiving yardage coming into the USC game, and he figures to move up a few notches after this weekend’s games are completed.  In fact, he moved past Woods, who is now averaging 130.5 receiving yards per game compared with Allen’s 138.0.

LOOKING GOOD: The Cal secondary has had its issues this season, and with CB Marc Anthony sidelined with a shoulder injury, it figured to be even worse.   But the Cal defensive backs probably had their best game of the season against USC.  USC QB Matt Barkley came into the game as one of the nation’s leading passers, completing 70.4 percent of his passes and averaging 317.4 passing yards a game.  But even though he was not sacked and seldom hurried, he was just 19-for-35 for 195 yards against the Bears.   Even on the passes he completed, the USC receivers were pretty well covered, as CBs Steve Williams and Stefan McClure did a nice job.  USC WR Robert Woods was limited to 36 receiving yards.

NOT LOOKING GOOD: Quarterback play, the biggest problem the past two seasons, again has become a major issue.   Zach Maynard has had back-to-back ineffective games, albeit against pretty good teams, Oregon and USC.   He seemed to play better in the second half against USC when plays called for him to roll out to his left instead of sitting in the pocket.   But he still made too many mistakes, throwing three interceptions and losing a fumble.   He seems to be more comfortable passing while on the move, and perhaps Jeff Tedford will incorporate that more into the game plan.

QUOTE: “It’s a lot different. Conference games are more intense, and the competition is a lot better.” – Cal QB Zach Maynard, on the difference between the competition he faced while at Buffalo in 2009 and what he sees in the Pac-12.

CAL PLAYER NOTES

– WR Keenan Allen had more than 100 yards receiving for the fifth time in six games this season.  His 160 yards against USC USC gives him 527 receiving yards over the past three games.  He was ranked sixth nationally in receiving yardage before the game, and should move up.

– TB Isi Sofele had a season-low 44 rushing yards on 12 carries against USC.  His previous season low was 84 against Colorado and he was coming off a career-high 119 yards against Oregon.

– QB Zach Maynard was 25-for-43 passing against USC, and that 58.1 completion percentage was his best of the season other than the 15-for-25 (60 percent) performance against FCS team Presbyterian.  Nonetheless, this was probably his least  productive game because he threw three interceptions.

–CB Stefan McClure got picked on the previous week against Oregon, but he played well in his first career start against USC.  Even on the touchdown pass to Marquise Lee, McClure had good coverage.   He was the main reason USC WR Robert Woods had only 36 receiving yards, although he got considerable help from other secondary members.

ROSTER NOTES:

– CB Marc Anthony missed the USC game with a dislocated left shoulder, and he’s likely to miss another game, miss another game, perhaps more.

– OL Justin Cheadle had to leave the game against USC because of a leg injury and missed some playing time, but he returned later in the game.

– WR Marvin Jones extended his streak to 31 straight games of having at least one reception.

–K Giorgio Tavecchio is 9-for-10 on field goal tries this season, with his only miss being blocked.  However, he is just 17-for-21 on extra points, with all four misses being blocked.

Cal’s game against USC on Thursday, Oct. 13, is much like its previous Thursday game against Oregon a week earlier – except in reverse.

Last season, Cal’s defense, which typically has been outstanding at home, was able to shut down the powerful Oregon offense in on its home field, something it was unable to do on the road this season in the second half of the 43-15 loss to the Ducks.
The Golden Bears’ defense had another rocky road outing last season against USC, getting sliced up in every way imaginable by QB Matt Barkley in the Trojans’ 48-14 victory that was really more lopsided than the score suggests.
Barkley was 25 for 37 for 352 yards, five touchdowns and no interceptions, and was replaced midway through the third quarter. The Trojans scored touchdowns on his of their seven first-half possessions, and led 42-0 at halftime.

But – and here’s the big but – that game was in Los Angeles, and the Cal defense has played poorly in nearly every road game since Clancy Pendergast became defensive coordinator prior to last season. However, that same defense has played well in nearly every home game under Pendergast, so if form holds, the Bears should come up with a much better defensive effort on its own turf.

Whether Cal will have the same home-field advantage at its 2011 home, AT&T Park in San Francisco, is the issue. This will be Cal’s first competitive game at its new home venue, its only previous game at AT&T Park this season coming against FCS team Presbyterian. The Golden Bears’ defense man-handled the Blue Hose, but it’s safe to say USC will offer a more strenuous test than Presbyterian, especially through the air.
Cal’s pass defense has been its biggest weakness, and after controlling Oregon’s Darron Thomas in the first half, the Ducks quarterback did what he wanted in the second half.

This will be the third straight game in which the Bears’ pass defense will be tested by an opponent with a strong aerial game, and the Bears did not fare well in the first two, losing 31-23 to Washington and QB Keith Price and against the Oregon and Thomas.
The chore will be even more difficult if Cal CB Marc Anthony (shoulder) is unable to play, which would force freshman Stefan McClure to make his first college start with the prospect of having to cover USC WR Robert Woods on occasion. Woods had a big game against Cal last season, and this season he leads the nation in receptions per game and in second in receiving yards per game.
Cal QB Zach Maynard must play better than he did against Oregon, when a number of his passes were well off target and he seemed to be off-balance on a lot of his throws. He is the key player for the Bears, because USC’s defense has been vulnerable to the pass. He sustained a thigh bruise during the game against Oregon, which may have affected his mobility and his passing. It seems to be OK now.

Cal has a chance against USC, which is not nearly as good as Oregon and, despite its 4-1 record, has been far from dominant, especially on defense. The Bears should be able to move the ball and score points.

NOTES
– Cal is 0-2 in the Pac-12, and if it loses to USC it will be the Golden Bears’ first 0-3 conference start since Jeff Tedford became head coach prior to the 2002 season. The last time Cal lost its first three conference games was in Tom Holmoe’s final season as head coach in 2001, when the Bears finished 0-8 in the Pac-10 and Holmoe was fired.
– USC Lane Kiffin was a quarterback at Fresno State for three years at Fresno State (1994-96) when Cal coach Jeff Tedford was the offensive coordinator at Fresno State and tutored the quarterbacks. Kiffin was never close to being a starter, however. Kiffin was also a student assistant coach at Fresno state in 1997 and 1998, and in the first of those season Tedford was still the Bulldogs’ offensive coordinator.
–USC is coming off a bye, and has not played since its 48-41 victory over Arizona on Oct. 1. The Trojans have yielded more than 40 points in each of its last two games – against Arizona an Arizona State.
–The USC game will be Cal’s first against a team from the South Division of the Pac-12. Although Cal is in the North Division and will play only four of the six South Division teams each year, it will play USC and UCLA every year based on an agreement made when the Pac-12 was formed.

THE STATE OF CAL’S OFFENSE: TB Isi Sofele continues to show he can be a sold Pac-12 runner, gaining a career-high 119 yards against Oregon and rushing for 98 yards or more in each of the past three games. However, QB Zach Maynard had his worst game, completing 20 of 41 pass attempts and being well off the mark on a number of his passes. He has one of the best wide receiver duos in the country at his disposal in Marvin Jones and Keenan Allen. Allen has had more than 100 receiving yards in all but one game, and he’s had 19 catches for 367 receiving yards in Cal’s two Pac-12 games. The offensive line has been more than adequate. The Bears have not figured out its red zone identity, and their inability to score touchdowns after getting inside their opponent’s 20-yard line has contributed significantly to their two conference losses. QB Zach Maynard did not throw an interception in Cal’s past two games, but he is completing just 51.4 percent of his passes for the year, which simply is not good enough to have a productive offense. He sustained a thigh contusion against Oregon, and presumably that will be completely healed for the USC game.

THE STATE OF CAL’S DEFENSE: The Bears defense had been awfully good against the run until Oregon’s LaMichael James sliced through it for 239 rushing yards on Oct. 6. The Ducks rushed for 365 yards, more than three times the previous season high against Cal. The Bears’ run defense was particularly vulnerable on the perimeter as Cal simply could not handle the Ducks’ speed, although USC may not be able to exploit the flanks as effectively as Oregon did. The Bears’ pass defense has been its biggest weakness, getting carved up by every good quarterback it has faced – Colorado’s Tyler Hansen, Washington’s Keith Price and Oregon’s Darron Thomas. But all three were on the road, and Cal’s pass defense has been much better at home since Clancy Pendergast became defensive coordinator prior to last season. Offensively, when Cal must convert its red-zone opportunities into touchdowns, something it has been unable to do in conference play.

QUOTE: “I was out there playing like I had no arms. I have to make sure I use my arms and my footwork. It all goes back to technique at the line of scrimmage. When you’re playing man coverage, it’s won at the line of scrimmage. I just have to work on that – make sure I use my hands.” – Cal freshman CB Stefan McClure, to the Oakland Tribune, regarding his first extensive playing time, which came in the Oct. 6 loss to Oregon.

THURSDAY’S GAME: USC at Cal, Oct. 13, 6 p.m., ESPN – Cal is 3-2 after a 48-15 loss to Oregon, and USC is 4-1 after a 48-41 victory over Arizona on Oct. 1. USC has won seven straight against Cal, although the Trojans’ 2005 victory was vacated by NCAA penalty. Cal has lost its last two games against USC by a combined margin of 61 points. USC has played Cal 98 times, more than it has played any other school.

SERIES HISTORY: USC leads 63-30-5, although USC’s 2005 victory was vacated by an NCAA penalty. Last meeting 2010 (48-14 USC).

KEYS TO THE GAME: Cal’s defense must apply pressure to USC QB Matt Barkley, something it could not do last season against the Trojans when the Bears recorded only one sack. The Bears have a decent pass rush, having recorded 14 sacks, and they must force Barkley into some mistakes, or at least prevent him from getting into a rhythm. Barkley is a classic drop-back passer who sits in the pocket – unlike Washington’s Keith Price and Oregon’s Darron Thomas, who effectively moved around to buy time and find receivers. Although Barkley is not known as a scrambler, USC has yielded just four sacks this season, and if Barkley is allowed to get comfortable, he will eat up the Bears’ secondary. Cal has no one in its secondary who can handle USC WR Robert Woods, so the Bears will have to provide help to keep him under control, making the pass rush even more important to cover the defensive holes that will leave.

CAL PLAYERS TO WATCH:
WR Keenan Allen – He had 9 catches for 170 yards against Oregon after catching 10 passes for 197 yard against Washington. He ranks sixth nationally in receiving yards per game (133.6), and QB Zach Maynard, Allen’s half-brother, looks for Allen in critical situations.

CB Stefan McClure – If Marc Anthony cannot play, McClure, a true freshman, is expected to get his first collegiate start, and how he plays could determine the outcome. Oregon picked on McClure after Anthony left the game, and the Trojans are apt to do the same if Anthony is unavailable. Coach Jeff Tedford compared McClure’s game against Oregon to the debut of Syd’Quan Thompson, who was thrust into a starting role as a redshirt freshman against Tennessee in 2006 because of injuries and was eaten alive by the Vols. Thompson eventually became a star and is now in the NFL (on injured reserve for the Denver Broncos).

DE Ernest Owusu – Owusu made a number of big plays against Oregon, including a sack and a batted-down fourth-down pass, that helped Cal stay in the game for a half. He needs to apply pressure to Barkley.

TB Isi Sofele – Sofele had a career-high 119 yards against Oregon, and he has shown an ability to break long runs. He’s averaging 99.8 rushing yards per game, and he needs to collect a few big-gainers against USC.

ROSTER NOTES:
– CB Marc Anthony sustained a dislocated left shoulder in the Oct. 6 loss to Oregon and is questionable for the game against USC. He has not practiced in the days leading up to the game. If he cannot play, Stefan McClure is expected to start in his place.

– DE Trevor Guyton did not practice on Sunday, Oct. 9, because of an undisclosed injury. It’s unclear whether he’ll play against USC, but he is one of the Bears’ best pass-rushers and would be missed.

–QB Zach Maynard was knocked out of the Oregon game after taking a hard hit after releasing a pass. However, he is fine, and has practiced with no ill effects. He also sufffered a bruised thigh in that game, and if it is reinjured, which is possible, it could limit his mobility against USC

For one half against Oregon on Oct. 6, it appeared Cal might be able to duplicate what it did last season, when it nearly upset the Ducks with an outstanding defensive effort. In fact, the Golden Bears had the lead at halftime this time despite being heavy underdogs.

It all caved in on the Bears in the second half, as Cal’s defense  got sliced and diced in every way imaginable in a 43-15 loss to the Ducks for Cal’s second straight loss..

The production of TB Isi Sofele and WR Keenan Allen that helped Cal gain 465 yards provided some optimism for the Cal offense, and the fact that four of Cal’s next five games are at its 2011 home, AT&T Park, adds some hope, because the Bears have played much better at home, especially defensively, since the start of last season.

However, it didn’t help that QB Zach Maynard struggled passing the ball and got knocked out of the game in the fourth quarter when he took a heavy hit after releasing a pass.

Maynard will be ready for Cal’s next game – another Thursday game on Oct. 13 against USC at  AT&T Park –  but he must be more accurate than he was against the Ducks. He just 20 of 41 passes, and although he had a perfect pass to Michael Calvin dropped, a majority of the incompletions were the result of poorly thrown passes. Maynard just never seemed comfortable in the pocket.

“I was off on my throws,” Maynard said.  “I just didn’t set my feet right. My feet were moving too fast.  My feet were moving faster than my arm.”

The Cal defense has serious some serious issues, after getting taken apart in the second half by the Ducks, which racked up 256 yards in the third quarter alone while slicing through the Cal defense like it wasn’t there. Now the Bears’ defense must face another explosive offense in USC, which is coming off a bye and will have 12 days to prepare for the Bears.

The game was not a complete success for Oregon, as TB LaMichael James, the national rushing champion last season and the country’s top rusher this year, sustained what appeared to be a serious elbow injury in the first minute of the fourth quarter. He had gained 239 yards rushing to that point, but the grotesque way in which his right elbow was twisted, he may be out for some time.

James’ performance and injury took some of the attention away for Sofele, who had 119 yards on just 12 carries and showed again that he is a capable Pac-12 tailback.  Allen, meanwhile, had eight catches for 161 yards and a touchdown.

But the Bears could not score in the second half after taking a 15-14 lead, while the defense got overrun by Oregon.
Oregon makes a lot of defenses look bad, so yielding 29 points in the first 16 minutes of the second half may not indicate Cal’s defense is coming apart. But, again, Cal’s defense could not hold up on the road, a stark contrast to the Bears’ outstanding  defensive  efforts at home since Clancy Pendergast became the Cal defensive coordinator prior to the start of last season.

Cal can be thankful that it has only one road game between now and its Nov. 19 game at Stanford.

NOTES

— Last season, Cal limited Oregon to one offensive touchdown and limited LaMichael James to 91 rushing yards in a 15-13 Oregon victory. This time James rushed for 239 yards despite missing nearly all the fourth quarter after getting injured.

– Cal coaches has said freshman CB Stefan McClure would get more playing time against Oregon, but he got even more than expected because starting CB Marc Anthony injured his shoulder in the first half and did not return. It left McClure as the team’s left cornerback the rest of the game.  He was called for pass interference on one play, and the Ducks picked on him often in the second half.

– Since Clancy Pendergast has become Cal’s defensive coordinator prior to last season, the Golden Bears have yielded more than 17 points only once in their eight home games, but they have given up more than 30 points in six of their eight games on the road, including the 43 yielded to Oregon in Eugene, Ore. on Oct. 6. That kind of disparity is difficult to explain.

KEEP AN EYE ON: DE Ernest Owusu  –  Owusu was as responsible as anyone for Cal having a 15-14 lead at halftime against Oregon. He had a career-high seven tackles, including two for losses, one of which was a sack of Oregon QB Darron Thomas, only the second sack Oregon has yielded this season.  Owusu also knocked down a fourth-down pass late in the first half when Oregon was threatening to take the lead.  He also forced a fumble, although it was recovered by Oregon.  Owusu leads the team in sacks, with 2.5, and in tackles for loss, with 4.5.

LOOKING GOOD: TB Isi Sofele has been more productive than expected, and he seems to be getting better each game.  He had a career-high 119 yards against Oregon, and that was his third straight game in which he gained 98 rushing yards or more.   He has 499 yards for the season, which means Sofele is a good bet to become the ninth player in Jeff Tedford’s 10 seasons at Cal to rush for more than 1,000 yards in a season.  The only year Tedford did not have a 1,000-yard rusher was 2009, when starting tailback Jahvid Best missed the final four games with a concussion and backup Shane Vereen finished with 952 rushing yards.  Against Oregon, Sofele got his 119 yards on just 12 carries, an average of 9.9 yards a carry, showing the ability to break the long run.

NOT LOOKING SO GOOD: Red zone offense.  For the second consecutive game, the Golden Bears had to settle for field goals instead of touchdowns when they got close.  Against Oregon they had a first down at the Oregon 12-yard line and a first down at the Ducks’ 16 on their first two possessions and had to settle for field goals both times.   Cal scored only one touchdown on its four trips inside the Oregon 20, and that lone touchdown came on an outstanding diving catch by Keenan Allen on a low Zach Maynard pass.  Cal had two other deep possessions that ended up with no points after getting a first down at the Ducks’ 24-yard line late in the first half and getting a first down at the Oregon 23 in the second half.

QUOTE: “Once they get going like that, you have to respond, and we could do that.  When they get a lead on you, it really takes you out of your game plan.” – Cal coach Jeff Tedford, after Oregon outscored the Golden Bears 29-0 in the first 16 minutes of the second half.

PLAYER NOTES

– WR Keenan Allen had more than 100 yards receiving for the fourth time in five games this season against Oregon.  His 170 yards against the Ducks on Oct. 6 give him 367 receiving yards in the past two games.

– TB Isi Sofele had a career-high 119 yards against Oregon, and he did it on just 12 carries.  He had runs of 34, 25 and 16 yards in the game, and he is averaging 99.8 rushing yards per game.  Plus he has not missed any time because of injury.  Because of his size – 5-8, 190 — there was concern about his durability.

– QB Zach Maynard was 20-for-41 passing, the second time this season he completed less than half his passes.  He had some good throws, but he had a lot that were well off target.   He is completing just 51.4 percent of his passes for the season.  Although he throws a lot of passes downfield, which typically hurts a quarterback’s completion percentage, 51.4 is still far too low for a Pac-12 quarterback.

–K Giorgio Tavecchio made three of four field goals against Oregon, including a career-long 54-yarder, which is one yard short of the school record.  His only miss was a 40-yarder that was partially blocked.  That blocked kick was his first miss of the season, leaving him 8-for-9 on field goals for the year.

ROSTER NOTES:

– CB Marc Anthony injured his left shoulder in the first half.  He returned to the game, but reinjured the shoulder in the second quarter and did not return after that.  It’s unclear whether he’ll be ready for the Oct. 13 game against USC.

–QB Zach Maynard was knocked out of the game when he was sandwiched by Oregon defenders after releasing a pass.  He will play in the Bears’ game against USC.

–Freshman Brendan Bigelow played for the third straight week against Oregon, but for the second straight game he played only on kickoff returns.  He made a mistake in the second half when he picked up a kickoff inside the 5-yard line when it appeared the ball was headed out of bounds.  Letting it go out of bounds would have given Cal the ball at the 40-yard line.  Instead, Bigelow was tackled at the 5.

–WR Marvin Jones had six catches for 66 yards against Oregon, extending his streak to 30 straight games with at least one catch.

Cal is a big underdog in its nationally televised, Thursday night, Oct. 6 game at Oregon, and the big question is whether the Golden Bears’ defense can do what it did last season against the Ducks. More realistically, the question is whether Cal can come anywhere close to that performance.

Last season, Cal’s defense smothered the explosive Oregon offense like no other team was able to do, despite losing to the Ducks 15-13.

Oregon finished the season leading the country in points (47.0 per game) and total offense (530.7 yard per game), but against the Bears in the 10^th game of the season, the Ducks, ranked No. 1 at the time, managed just 15 points and 317 yards, both of which were season lows.

And the Bears’ defensive effort was even better than those numbers suggest because the Cal defense yielded just one touchdown, with the Ducks’ other score coming on a punt return.

LaMichael James, who finished as the nation’s leading rusher, was limited to just 91 yards, and before Oregon began its last drive with less than 10 minutes left, he had just 59.

Two things are different this time, however.

— This game is in Eugene, not Berkeley. Ever since Clancy Pendergast became Cal’s defensive coordinator prior to last season, the Bears’ defense has been outstanding at home and mediocre to poor on the road. Being at home was a major factor for the Bears last season. Playing on the Ducks’ fast surface, in front of their noisy crowd – which figures to be even noisier for a Thursday night game – will make the defensive challenge  greater.  The Ducks have won 18 straight home games.

— Cal gave Oregon some defensive looks it had not seen before, and that seemed to confuse QB Darron Thomas and the Oregon offense in general. The Ducks no doubt will be prepared for those defensive looks this time, not only because they saw them last season, but because they are coming off a bye and have 12 days to prepare for the Bears.

There is one other thing that is different that favors Cal. Last season against Oregon, the Bears’ quarterback was Brock Mansion, who simply was not capable of playing at a Pac-12 level. The Bears had no passing game at all, or even the threat of a passing game, making it almost impossible to produce enough points to beat the Ducks, despite the Bears’ defensive performance.

This time the Bears will have a passing threat. QB Zach Maynard is by no means a star, but he is a significant upgrade from Mansion. He also has the ability to avoid a pass rush, something  Mansion could not do. Having one of the best wide-receiver tandems in the country in Keenan Allen and Marvin Jones gives Maynard some weapons.

Nonetheless, Cal will be a big underdog, not only because the Ducks are more talented than Cal, but because Cal is playing on the road. The disparity between the Bears’ performances at home and on the road since the start of 2010, especially defensively, is so great that it defies explanation.

NOTES

– Cal had a chance to take the lead in the fourth quarter against Oregon last season, but Giorgio Tavecchio missed a 29-yard field goal. Soon thereafter, Oregon took possession at its own 20 with 9:25 left in the game, and proceeded to run out the clock in an 18-play, 65-yard drive that got as far as the Cal 12-yard line before two kneel-downs ended the game.

– Oregon’s only touchdowns against Cal last season came on a 29-yard pass to Jeff Maehl in the third quarter and a 65-yard punt return by Cliff Harris in the second quarter. Maehl has since graduated, and Harris has returned after an early-season suspension but has not regained his starting cornerback spot.

– Cal defensive line coach Tosh Lupoi, perhaps Cal’s best recruiter, was suspended after last season’s Oregon game for instructing players to fake injuries to slow down Oregon’s no-huddle, hurry-up offense. The suspension arose a few days after DL Aaron Tipoti looked to the sidelines between plays, then suddenly crumbled to the ground.  Lupoi is back on the staff.

– Cal, like most teams, typically does not devote much, if any, practice time to game-planning during bye weeks, but this week was different – partly because the next game is on a Thursday rather than Saturday, and partly because Oregon offers so much to prepare for. The Bears used two days of practice during the bye week to game plan for the Ducks. They will have a full-pads practice on Sunday, Oct. 2, which is what the Bears do on Tuesday or Wednesday in a typical week.

STATUS OF CAL’S OFFENSE:  Cal is averaging 39.5 points and has moved the ball effectively against all four opponents. However, all four opponents had weak defenses, and that includes the Bears’ most recent foe, Washington. QB Zach Maynard has been a noticeable improvement at quarterback over the past two seasons, because he is able to make plays at critical moments. His completion percentage (52.2 percent) is still far too low, however. WRs Marvin Jones and Keenan Allen have been outstanding. TB Isi Sofele has been better than expected in his first season as a starting tailback, averaging 95 yards a game, although he still might be the least effective starting tailback Jeff Tedford has had at Cal. That may say more about Sofele’s outstanding predecessors than about Sofele, however.  The offensive line has been solid, although, again, it has been against mediocre defenses. Cal’s inability to score touchdowns from inside the red zone was a major factor in the Sept. 24 loss to Washington.

STATUS OF CAL’S DEFENSE: The Bears defense has been awfully good against the run, and poor against the pass. The Bears rank 12^th in the country in run defense, yielding 78.3 yards a game, but they rank 81^st of 119 teams in pass defense. The Bears have 13 sacks so they have been applying enough pressure, but Washington and Colorado did virtually whatever they wanted to do in the air. Their quarterbacks – Colorado’s Tyler Hansen and Washington’s Keith Price – are good, but probably not as good as what Cal will see the next two weeks in Oregon’s Darron Thomas and  USC’s Matt Barkley. Look for freshman CB Stefan McClure to get more playing time against Oregon, and he may be a starter before long.

QUOTE: “We’re just going to commit to playing him.  He is a guy that we’ve identified that’s going to be out there for a lot of the rest of the games.” – Cal defensive coordinator Clancy Pendergast, to the Oakland Tribune, regarding freshman CB Stefan McClure.

THURSDAY’S GAME: Cal at Oregon, Oct. 6, 6 p.m., ESPN – Cal is 3-1 after a 31-23 loss to Washington, and Oregon is 3-1 after a 56-31 victory over Arizona, its third straight game of scoring more than 55 points. Oregon has won 18 straight home games.

SERIES HISTORY: Cal leads 39-32-2.  Last meeting 2010 (15-13 Oregon).

KEYS TO THE GAME: Cal must do a lot of things right to stay in the game, but it starts with controlling LaMichael James and getting a pass rush on QB Darron Thomas. The  Bears did an excellent job in both respects last season, and if they can come close to matching that effort, they can stay close. Getting a pass rush on Thomas will not be easy, though, because Oregon has yielded just one sack in its four games, tops in the country. If Cal can pound Oregon with its running game and control the ball for long periods, that should help keep the score down, which benefits the Bears. Oregon’s run defense has not been very good, so if Isi Sofele can have a big day – which is certainly possible – Cal may have a chance. QB Zach Maynard can’t commit any turnovers, because Cal has to make it as difficult as possible for the Ducks to score points.

CAL PLAYERS TO WATCH:

WR Marvin Jones – Jones made a few acrobatic catches against Washington, and he should have some opportunities to make plays against Oregon’s defense.

WR Keenan Allen – He had 10 catches for 197 yards against Washington, and he ranks fourth in the nation in receiving yardage. Having Jones on the other side is a big help because it prevents defenses for devoting all their attention to Allen.

CB Stefan McClure – Pass coverage has been the Bears’ biggest weakness this season, and McClure, a true freshman, is expected to get a lot more playing time against Oregon. This is a tough spot for a freshman, given the tough Oregon crowd and the proficiency of the Oregon offense, so it will be interesting to see how he reacts.

ILBs D.J. Holt and Mychal Kendricks – If Cal is to control Oregon TB LaMichael James, both have to have big games.  Both did have big games last season against the Ducks, which is part of the reason Cal nearly pulled off the upset. They have to make all the right decisions on Oregon’s option play, because one mistake could mean a touchdown run for Darron Thomas or James.

ROSTER NOTES:

– K Giorgio Tavecchio  was named a semifinalist for the Campbell Trophy, given annually to the top student-athlete in college football.  Cal’s Alex Mack won the award in 2008 when it was known as the Draddy Award.

–TB Dasarte Yarnway had arthroscopic surgery during the bye week, and will be sidelined indefinitely.   He did not figure to play anyway, as he is not among the top four on the depth chart at tailback.

–TB Trajuan Briggs is unlikely to be available for the Oregon game because of a knee injury, but he is not among the top four tailbacks on the depth chart either.

The biggest issue in preparation for both games will be the Golden Bears’ pass defense, which was poor in their 31-23 loss to Washington on Sept. 25, and will be tested severely by Oregon and USC.

Although the Bears did a good job against Washington’s running game in general and Chris Polk in particularly, Huskies’ QB Keith Price had a big game, completing 19 of 25 passes for 292 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions.   Although Price has played well, he has not established himself as a passer like Oregon QB Darron Thomas and USC’s Matt Barkley have.

Much of Price’s success came after he was forced out of the pocket and made plays while on the move.   That figures to be a major issue against Oregon, because Thomas relies heavily on buying time by moving around before throwing.

The Bears must try to duplicate the defensive effort they had against Oregon last season, when Cal came close to upsetting the Ducks before losing 15-13.

However, that game was in Berkeley, and Cal’s defense has been much better at home than on the road since Clancy Pendergast became defensive coordinator prior to last season.   Somehow, the Golden Bears must find away to match that kind of defensive effort on the road, and that will be particularly difficult on Oregon’s fast surface and the Ducks’ tough crowd.

Cal handled the loud Washington crowd fairly well, but the crowd in Eugene is even louder, and the offense Oregon puts on the field is much better than the one Cal faced at Oregon.

Offensively, the Bears moved the ball fairly well against Washington, and QB Zach Maynard was fairly efficient with his passing.   However, that was against a Washington defense that is poor against the pass, and Oregon figures to provide a much tougher test for Maynard, who still needs to improve his completion percentage.

The Bears also must figure a way to convert its scoring chances into touchdowns, as they have been forced to settle for field goals too often in the red zone.   Cal even failed to get a touchdown in the closing minute against Washington after getting a first down at the Huskies’ 2-yard line, trailing by eight points.

NOTES

–Cal will have what has become a typical bye-week practice schedule for college teams.   The Golden Bears will not practice Monday, Friday or Saturday the week following the Washington game, and will practice for about two hours Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday mornings.  With the game against Oregon being a Thursday game (Oct. 6), the team will move its game-week practice schedule accordingly, with what usually takes place at a Tuesday practice occurring on Sunday, Oct. 2.

–Because Oregon’s offense offers so much variety and so many challenges, Cal will begin preparing for Oregon in  Wednesday’s practice, more than a week before game day.  Typically coaches use most of a bye week to work on fundamentals and give freshmen extra practice time, then begin preparation for a Thursday game on Friday or Saturday.

–Red zone offense will be the main focus on that side.  The Bears scored only one touchdown on five trips into the red zone against Washington, and scored just three points on two possessions inside the 10.  Cal used 190-pound Isi Sofele on two inside running plays inside the 2-yard line on the final possession in the final minute, and he netted no yards on the two attempts.  It was somewhat surprising that 215-pound C.J. Anderson was not the tailback at that time, because he is usually the Bears’ red zone tailback and usually is able to get those tough inside yards.   He scored a touchdown earlier in the game in which he simply overpowered a Washington defender by pushing underneath him  for a one-yard score.

Cal had scored touchdowns on 12 of its previous  14 possessions in the red zone, so that had not been an issue previously.

BYE WEEK MISSION: Defensive coordinator Clancy Pendergast must figure out two things: How to get his defense to play as well on the road as it does at home, and how to duplicate the performance his defense had against Oregon last season.   Cal held the high-scoring Ducks to 15 points and 317 yards, both of which were season lows for the Ducks, who scored at least 37 points against every other regular-season opponent.   But that was at home where the Cal defense has been exceptional.  On the road, it has been mediocre at best.  Containing the quarterback will be the focus, because Washington QB Keith Price did most of his damage after getting flushed out of the pocket, and Oregon QB Darron Thomas is capable of the same thing.   It seems unlikely Pendergast will make any changes at cornerback, with Marc Anthony and Steve Williams, but it’s possible because he has said the Bears need to cover receivers better downfield.

LOOKING AHEAD: Cal’s next three games – against Oregon (Oct. 6), USC (Oct. 13) and Utah (Oct. 22) – represent the Bears’ toughest three-game stretch of the season.  Cal will be a heavy underdog against Oregon, especially with the game being in Eugene, but the Bears have a shot in the two games after that at home.  If Cal can win two of those three games, it will consider it a major success.  However, losses in all three is very possible, which would leave the Bears in position for their second straight losing season and would increase the heat on Jeff Tedford, who had not had a losing season at Cal until last year.

QUOTE: “We just have to have better coverage down the field.” – Cal defensive coordinator Clancy Pendergast, on the problems with Cal’s pass defense against Washington.

STATE OF THE CAL OFFENSE: Cal moved the ball pretty well against Washington on Sept. 24, but the Huskies’ defense is not very good, especially against the pass.   QB Zach Maynard probably had his best day overall, primarily because he did not throw any interceptions, but that was mitigated by the fact that it was against Washington’s weak pass defense and the fact that he badly overthrew Keenan Allen on the final play of the game from the 2-yard line.  He still needs to improve his completion percentage, which, at 52.2 percent, is poor by today’s standards.  Isi Sofele has established himself as an adequate Pac-12 tailback, having rushed for more than 80 yards in every game and averaging 95.0 yards a game.  Jeff Tedford would still like to get more out his running game, though, and you may see Maynard run the option more often to take advantage of his running ability.  The Bears also need to improve their red-zone offense..

STATE OF THE CAL DEFENSE: The Golden Bears’ run defense was excellent against Washington, but its pass defense was poor  Cal had two sacks against Washington, giving it 13 for the season, but too often Cal allowed Keith Price to move out of the pocket and complete a pass for a sizable gain.   Generally speaking, Cal’s defense has been outstanding at home since Clancy Pendergast arrived as defensive coordinator prior to last season, and poor on the road, a disparity that is difficult to explain.  Look for freshmen linebacker Cecil Whiteside and Chris McCain to get increased playing time, as they have been productive when in the game.  It’s possible Pendergast will make a change at the cornerback position,  because he said after the Washington game that Cal has to have better coverage downfield.

ROSTER NOTES:

–Sophomore WR Keenan Allen was named wide receiver performer of the week by the College Football Performance Awards after catching 10 passes for 197 yards against Washington.

– Freshman TB Brendan Bigelow played only on kickoff returns against Washington, because Jeff Tedford said he was not prepared for the tasks required of tailback in the game plan for Washington.   By the time Cal faces Oregon on Oct. 6, Bigelow may be ready for some action from the line of scrimmage.

–WR Kaelin Clay missed the past two weeks of games and practices trying to resolve academic issues.  He could return to practice during the bye week if those problems are solved..

Things looked good for Cal’s present and future after getting a first down at the Washington 2-yard line with about a minute remaining and Cal trailing by eight points.   QB Zach Maynard had expertly led the team 85 yards on a drive that started at the Bears’ 13-yard line with 4:19 to go.   Maynard was adding to his reputation as a clutch performer, and it seemed that Cal, with two timeouts left, would need only to get the two-point conversion on this apparent  touchdown drive.

But an incomplete pass and two runs by Isi Sofele left the ball  at the 2 on fourth down.   Not surprisingly, Cal chose to aim its fourth-down pass at WR Keenan Allen, who had a monster day.  But Maynard’s lofted pass on a fade rout was well overthrown, never giving Allen a chance.

Suddenly, the game was over, and not only did the 31-23 loss prevent the Bears from staying unbeaten and getting a momentum-building road win, but now Cal is looking down the barrel of an 0-3 start in Pac-12 play with a pair of Thursday night games against ranked teams — Oregon on Oct. 6 and USC on Oct. 13 — next on the Bears’ schedule.

Beating the Huskies in Seattle would have meant a lot for the Bears, who have struggled mightily on the road since the start of the 2010 season.  But things could go south for the Bears in a hurry now.

Cal’s defense, which has been so good in home games and so poor on the road, played somewhere in the middle against Washington, doing an outstanding job against the Huskies’ running game and tailback Chris Polk, but allowing Washington QB Keith Price to have a big game.

With the prospect of facing Oregon QB Darron Thomas (on the road) and USC QB Matt Barkley (at home), that is not a promising sign.
However, the running of Isi Sofele and the outstanding work of Allen and fellow wide receiver Marvin Jones as well as the clutch play of Maynard suggested Cal’s offense can be productive in the Pac-12, even on the road.

The praise for the offense should be mitigated somewhat, however, because Washington’s pass defense has been poor, ranking 115th in the country and last in the conference heading into the game against Cal.

Cal and Maynard will face much better passes defenses as the  Pac-12 season wears on.  Nonetheless, Maynard continues to indicate he represents an upgrade at the quarterback position over the past two years, which gives the Bears hope that it can compete in the Pac-12.

Losing on the road to Washington by eight points – with a chance to tie the game in the closing seconds – is by no means a discouraging result for Cal.    But the Bears had a chance to make it so much more.

The Bears will have 10 days to forget the disappointing finish and prepare for their toughest game of the season, against Oregon in Eugene on Oct. 6.

NOTES

– Cal wide receivers Marvin Jones and Keenan Allen were spectacular against Washington.  Jones made four very difficult catches while making six receptions in all for 79 yards.  Allen, Zach Maynard’s half-brother, had the best day of his career, with career highs in receptions, with 10, and receiving yards, with 197.   His 90-yard touchdown reception early in the game gave Cal a 7-0 lead.

– Isi Sofele very nearly had his second consecutive 100-yard game.   He finished with 98, but netted no yards on his final two carries, which came on second and third downs after Cal had picked up a first down at the Washington 2 yard line in the final minute.

– Cal has now lost three consecutive games against Washington, and the last two were decided in the final few seconds.   Last season, Chris Polk scored on the game’s final play to give the Huskies a 16-13 victory.  This time, a fourth-down pass by Cal from the Washington 2-yard line fell incomplete with 21 seconds left, leaving Cal with a 31-23 defeat.

WATCH THIS GUY: DE Trevor Guyton – Guyton had two sacks against Washington, giving him 3.5 tackles for losses for the season.  He became a starter in the eighth game of last season, and has been a factor in nearly every game since.   For his career, he had 16 tackles for losses and 7.5 sacks.   And he seems to be getting better all the time, even though he is a senior.

LOOKING GOOD: Cal’s run defense was exceptional, which has not been the case in recent road games.  Washington’s Chris Polk had rushed for 1,415 yards last season and had rushed for more than 100 yards in each of Washington’s first three games this season.  However, he gained only 60 yards on 20 carries against the Bears, who locked him up.   On the offensive side, Cal’s wide receivers, Marvin Jones and Keenan Allen, showed they deserve to be rated among the best wide receiver tandems in the country, combining for 16 catches for 276 yards, albeit against Washington’s mediocre pass defense.

NOT LOOKING SO GOOD: Cal’s pass defense was riddled by Washington QB Keith Price, who is in his first season as a starter.   Price was 19-for-25 (76 percent completion rate) for 292 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions, with much of his production coming when Price was on the move.   He was particularly effective on third down.  Colorado QB Tyler Hansen also lit up Cal’s defense through the air in the Bears’ only other road game.   Although Cal handled Chris Polk’s rushing, he had a key 70-yard touchdown reception in the fourth quarter when he beat Cal LB D.J. Holt.   Cal still has to face the likes of Oregon QB Darron Thomas, USC QB Matt Barkley and Stanford QB Andrew Luck, so teams will continue to try to exploit this pass defense weakness.

QUOTE: “We felt like we had it.  We had a lot of confidence, and practicing in that situation with the on the line.  We felt like we had it.” – Cal WR Marvin Jones, on the Bears’ chances of scoring on their final drive in the 31-23 loss to  Washington on Sept. 24.

PLAYER NOTES
– WR Keenan Allen set a school record with his 90-yard touchdown reception in the first quarter on Sept. 24, which was not only the longest pass play in Cal history but the sixth longest play from scrimmage in Bears’ history.

–QB Zach Maynard completed 23 of 43 passes for 349 yards, the first 300-yard passing game by a Cal quarterback since 2009.   Perhaps more important, he did not throw any interceptions.  He also did not lose any fumbles, although he did fumble twice, both of which were recovered by Cal.  He started the game completing 5 of his first 6 passes, but he had a 1-for-8 stretch in the second half.

–ILB Mychal Kendricks had a big game with 14 tackles — one shy of his career high – and a fumble recovery.

–K Giorgio Tavecchio made all three field goal attempts against Washington on boots of 29, 36 and 25 yards, and he is 5-for-5 on field-goal attempts for the season.

ROSTER NOTES:

– DL Aaron Tipoti was back in the lineup against Washington after missing the previous game with a leg injury, but he also was penalized for a roughing-the-passer penalty against the Huskies.

–Freshman Brendan Bigelow played for the second straight week on Sept. 24 against Washington, but his only action came on kickoff returns.   He had only moderate success, returning five kicks for a total of 93 yard.  His longest return was 24 yards.  The previous week he returned a kickoff 88 yards for a touchdown.