Longtime Pac-12 combatants Oregon State and California renew their rivalry as nonconference opponents on Saturday when the teams duel in Berkeley, Calif.
The Beavers (4-3) and Golden Bears (3-4) have met 75 times since 1917. Cal saw its all-time lead trimmed to 38-37 after a 52-40 home loss last October in a Pac-12 contest.
Both teams bring losing streaks into this year’s contest, which is part of a two-year agreement to play nonconference games — one at each site.
Competing as an independent this year, Oregon State has dropped two consecutive narrow decisions — 42-37 at Nevada and 33-25 at home last Saturday against UNLV. The Beavers ended last week’s game at the Rebels’ 6-yard line, spoiling a brilliant all-around effort by quarterback Gevani McCoy, who passed for 231 yards and rushed for an additional 81.
Oregon State coach Trent Bray sees a similarity between his team and Cal.
“(I) think they’re kind of looking for that same thing we are,” he said. “We got to eliminate self-inflicted mistakes that in tight games against good opponents will keep you from winning.”
Cal has fallen victim to kicker issues in a string of four straight losses by a total of nine points to open its inaugural Atlantic Coast Conference campaign.
Sandwiching a 39-38 home loss to Miami in which the Golden Bears blew a 38-18 lead in the fourth quarter, Cal kicker Ryan Coe missed two field goals in a 14-9 loss at Florida State and a potential go-ahead 40-yarder late in a 17-15 defeat at Pittsburgh.
Cal coach Justin Wilcox made a kicker change before last week’s home game against North Carolina State, then watched freshman Derek Morris connect from 51, 26 and 24 yards. But with the game on the line, Morris missed from 28 yards out, allowing the Wolfpack to escape with a 24-23 win.
As it prepares for four more ACC contests, Cal hopes to energize its offense with the return of injured running back Jaydn Ott and debut of wideout Tobias Merriweather, a Notre Dame transfer, this week.
Wilcox said both would be game-day decisions, but it’s clear Golden Bears players are looking forward to seeing it happen.
“When we’re healthy on offense,” safety Craig Woodson boasted, “we can put up any amount of points we want to.”
