Week 4 Game Matchup: Cal Bears VS. Oregon Ducks
Cal Bears (3-0) vs. Oregon Ducks (2-1)
Saturday, September 26, 12:30 PM PST
Las Vegas Favorite: Cal -7.0
*AllPac10 Game of the Week*
Sam’s Take (20 – 7):
Before the 2009 college football season started, Pac-10 fans and pundits alike circled this game with great anticipation, as it was believed to be the contest that decided USC’s main challenger in the conference.
But now some are calling this a trap game for Cal?
Sure, Oregon lost to Boise State in disappointing fashion and the Ducks passing offense continues to be a work in progress (to put it nicely), but I have a hard time calling this a trap game for the Bears. In fact, I believe Cal will have to play its best game of the season to win in Eugene.
Having said that, I am going with the Bears. As much as I believe in the power of Autzen, the continued emergence of exciting freshman tailback LaMichael James, and the playmaking ability of Walter Thurmond III (as a defender and return man), I just don’t see enough balance on offense. I like QB Jeremiah Masoli, but he must prove that he can be a reliable passer soon because the fan base is running out of patience.
Masoli is a playmaker (as he has shown on the ground this year), but he is also a liability. As a result, the Ducks have somehow managed to rank dead last in passing and total offense in the conference so far, and that won’t cut it Saturday. Unless Masoli (or another QB) can get the passing game going, I expect Cal’s sturdy D to tee off on the run.
Jahvid Best is obviously rolling right now, but I believe the main difference in this 2009 Cal team and the one from last year is the play of QB Kevin Riley. While Masoli has struggled, Riley has looked razor sharp (698 yards passing, 5 TDs, 0 INTS), and he is the main reason I think the Bears offense will prevail against a game Ducks D.
I believe this will be a highly entertaining game with a ton of big plays in all three phases of the game, but ultimately, I see Cal winning its fourth straight in the series.
Prediction: Cal 35 – Oregon 24
Cal Player to Keep an Eye On: WR Jeremy Ross - Ross is really starting to come on strong, and his big-play ability should help offset the loss of Nyan Boateng.
Oregon Player to Keep an Eye On: LB Casey Matthews - His excellent instincts, run-stopping skills, and blitzing ability will be put to the test this weekend by a potent offense.
Dave’s Take (20 – 7):
Public perception is a funny thing.
Don’t get me wrong here, either; I think Cal is deserving of all of the respect they have been garnering, and I think Oregon deserves a lot of the criticism they have received, too.
Cal heads into Autzen a substantial favorite, and would obviously be an even bigger favorite if this game were being played at a neutral site. And they should be; they are a complete team that doesn’t seem to have any noticeable weaknesses. With both Kevin Riley and Jahvid Best playing at a high level, the offense is a lethal balanced attack, and the defense has been strong at all three levels.
But has Cal really proven anything yet? The first game against Maryland was a good old fashioned blowout, a game that Cal completely dominated from start to finish. Since then, Maryland was pushed to the limits against Division I-AA James Madison, needing overtime to win the game 38-35. The following week they hosted Middle Tennessee and lost 32-31 at home. Maryland just doesn’t have the look of a quality football team.
Eastern Washington of course is a Division I-AA team, and a blowout was expected and delivered. While the win over Minnesota in a rowdy TCF Bank Stadium was impressive, Minnesota did put up 21 points; the same output that they had against Syracuse (23) and Air Force (20). The game was also tied heading into the fourth quarter before Cal eventually pulled away.
Again, I’m not trying to downplay Cal’s achievements thus far; they look like the team to beat in the Pac-10 this year. All I’m saying is, if you’d have told me before the season started that Oregon was going to lose by 11 to a Top 10 Boise State team, outshoot Purdue, and end Utah’s 16-game winning streak, I wouldn’t have expected no one to be giving them a chance this Saturday.
Because college football is just that kind of game, I am giving them a chance. The defense is going to have to continue coming up with huge plays against an offense that doesn’t make many mistakes, and Jeremiah Masoli is going to have to be substantially better than what he has been to date. It will take a near-perfect game to beat a superior Cal squad, but with almost everyone counting them out, I think they find a way.
Prediction: Oregon 34 – Cal 31
California Bears, Oregon Ducks
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Casey Matthews, Football, Game Matchup, Jahvid Best, Jeremiah Masoli, Jeremy Ross, Kevin Riley, LaMichael James, Walter Thurmond III
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