Thrilled to be 5-5; but 6-3 is downer
Across the broad national landscape of packed houses and significant games, CalOregon State barely registered Saturday. There were thousands of empty seats at Memorial Stadium, and nothing particularly spectacular unfolded in the Bears’ 37-23 victory over Oregon State.
It was enormously relevant, though, for coach Justin Wilcox, his emotional players on Senior Day, the boisterous fans who did show up (an announced 35,440), and the Cal alums so satisfied with the team’s resolve. It’s all about Stanford now — the Bears’ next opponent Nov. 18 after a bye week — and it raises a fascinating question:
Could the Bears wind up with a more satisfying season than the Cardinal?
The notion seemed inconceivable in August. Some forecast a 1-11 season in Cal’s future, with Stanford assuming its usual stance as a viable contender for the Pac-12 title. Then again, almost nothing made sense in this conference as the games played out. So perhaps the looming, intriguing scenario — Cal in a bowl game, Stanford looking back with regret — isn’t so far-fetched.
At 5-5, the Bears’ season is already a success. But they have a right to feel greedy — just one more win means a bowl appearance — and to feel confident against a Stanford team (6-3) that will face a very tough assignment (Washington at home next Friday night) in the meantime.
“At the start of the season, we knew we had to have a chip on our shoulder,” said linebacker Raymond Davison III, one of the many Cal seniors who played their last game at Memorial Stadium. “People were doubting us, and with good reason. I get it. But when you’ve got a bunch of guys with something to prove, it’s something that stays in your mind: We’re gonna get six wins. We’ll find a way.”
Among the many unexpected developments as the CalStanford rivalry comes to a head: The Bears have their quarterback, no questions asked. Ross Bowers had an excellent day against the Beavers, completing 24 of his 30 passes for 259 yards and two touchdowns, and he’s heading into the stretch drive with a ton of confidence (the UCLA game closes out the regular season Nov. 24).
The Cardinal’s situation is a great ball of confusion. Between Keller Chryst and K.J. Costello, coach David Shaw hasn’t found the answer, and Saturday’s 24-21 loss to Washington State — producing just 105 yards in the passing game — was a colossal setback.
The big story in Berkeley was Patrick Laird and his 214 yards rushing, the latest gem of a performance by the junior replacing the injured Tre Watson as the Bears’ go-to running back. Through it all, Bowers showed a quality that has characterized him all season: the ability to bounce back when things aren’t looking so good.
“The O-line made it easy on us,” Bowers said. “... I thought our O-line was giving us the freedom to do whatever we wanted to do. They were working today, and I had the best seat in the house.”
Wilcox praised Bowers for showing “throughout the year that he’s a gritty guy. A competitor who plays with guts, which is a great quality. He made some nice throws today, some good decisions.”
Late in the first quarter, after getting sacked for a 12yard loss, Bowers floated a picturesque touchdown pass in the left corner of the end zone to Vic Wharton for a touchdown and a 14-7 lead. “That showed a lot,” Wilcox said. “Takes a sack, and on the very next play he throws a dime. That’s the kind of thing he’s given us this year. I’m really proud of Ross and the way he’s grown.”
Another nice sequence: Just before halftime, Bowers drove the Bears from their own 15yard line to the Oregon State 32 in just 30 seconds with crisp completions to Jordan Veasy, Wharton and Jordan Duncan, setting up Matt Anderson’s 49-yard field goal for a 20-13 lead. It was the first of three field goals for Anderson as he supplanted a fellow placekicker, Doug Brien, as Cal’s all-time leading scorer.
This wasn’t the smartest game ever unveiled by the Oregon State defense. Cornerback Kyle White and linebacker Bright Ugwoegbu were ejected for targeting violations, and safety Jalen Moore delivered a ridiculously late hit on Wharton, who was well out of bounds, to give Cal the ball on the OSU 19-yard line in the third quarter.
Interim coach Cory Hall wasn’t thrilled to see two of his players kicked out of the game, “but you have to live with it,” he said. “It’s not just Oregon State. It’s happening all over the country, it’s real controversial this season. Mistakes have been the story of our season. You can’t shoot yourself in the foot. At the end of the day, I just want to praise Cal for what they accomplished.”
As Bowers put it later, “It’s just a really cool feeling to have such a great team win, to know we have a chance for a bowl game. I think we had fun today. It’s something we’ve put emphasis on, to enjoy the process, invite adversity and figure out a way to overcome it. Especially for the guys who are going to remember their senior year this way. So great to have their last memory at Memorial Stadium be a good one.”