By Nick Bartlett, SuperWest Sports
It was another down week for the two teams from the West in the Pac-12 and ACC in action.
Cal reverted to its inconsistent ways in surrendering a big lead to Duke, while Stanford and Washington State rested safely in their byes.
Oregon State continued its downward slide at App State, leading the OSU athletic department to resolve that something had to be done.
Here’s my take on all four teams heading into Week Seven.
The Bears need to play much better going forward to make a run in the ACC
The Golden Bears are not who we thought they were. After a hot start to the season, they’ve looked more like their preseason expectations the last three weeks.
If California still wants to make a run in the ACC this year, it’ll need its defense to start playing better. They’ve allowed 103 points over the last three games. The three games prior, they allowed 32.
Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele will also need to improve his form a bit. Cal could still be in position to strike in conference play, but they gotta win their next two matchups. North Carolina and Virginia Tech are must-win games for the Bears.
At the beginning of the year, Cal’s ACC schedule looked easy down the stretch, but with the improvement of Virginia, that’s not the case. They also still need to travel to Louisville and host SMU in Berkeley.
It feels like the Bears are starting to slip into their Justin Wilcox ways, and that can prove dangerous. As long as Cal wins its next two matchups, there’s no need to be spooked.
No more tricks, only treats.
Notes
- Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele has thrown for 1,487 yards, nine touchdowns, and seven interceptions
- Kendrick Raphael leads the team with 414 rushing yards and four rushing touchdowns
- Mason Mini has 26 catches, 297 receiving yards, and three touchdown receptions
- Hezekiah Masses leads the team with four interceptions and seven pass defections
The Cardinal could surprise some teams in the ACC if they continue to improve
Stanford got a nice victory against San Jose State two weeks ago, making a 12-point comeback in the Bill Walsh Legacy Game. Ben Gulbranson put the Tree on his shoulders and willed the team to victory.
If the transfer QB can play like this moving into the ACC slate, Stanford could surprise some teams. His passing yards have gone up in each of the first five games.
The Cardinal are 1-1 in the ACC, and this feels like a well-timed bye. Frank Reich had a 5-1 record coming off bye weeks in the NFL. This may prove beneficial because Stanford needs to play better.
The Tree’s pass defense ranks 132nd nationally, allowing 315 yards per game, and they allowed 473 yards against SJSU.
SMU quarterback Kevin Jennings should be coming in confident after throwing for 285 yards and four touchdowns a week ago. The Mustangs have the 25th-best passing attack in the nation.
Stanford travels to Dallas and then hosts Florida State next. It’s paramount for the Cardinal to split these games before they go to the 305.
Notes
- Ben Gulbranson has thrown for 1,167 yards, five touchdowns, and three interceptions
- Micah Ford leads the team with 347 yards rushing and three rushing touchdowns
- CJ Williams is the team’s second leading receiver with 295 yards
- Matt Rose leads the team with 40 tackles and four TFL’s
The Beavers have fallen on hard times, requiring drastic measures
Does anyone know what to say about Oregon State right now?
The Beavers suffered another heartbreaking loss in Boone, encapsulated by Trent Walker getting blasted, leading to the game-sealing interception.
OSU responded by firing its special teams coordinator, Jamie Christian. His unit has proven historically bad this year, but it’s more than just him. The offense hasn’t been able to finish games against Fresno State, Houston, or App State.
Since Trent Bray has taken over, he’s slowly squeezed the life out’ve the fanbase.
The positive news for the Beavs is that their schedule gets much easier down the stretch. They host Wake Forest next week, which should prove winnable, but Bray is 0-2 all-time against Jake Dickert.
The following week they host FCS Lafayette, not UL Lafayette, so they’ll probably get a win there.
There’s no way to artificially sugar-coat it: Oregon State’s in a tough spot.
But their easy schedule gives the fanbase reason to stay attentive.
Notes
- Maalik Murphy has thrown for 1,523 yards, nine touchdowns, and seven interceptions
- Anthony Hankerson leads the team with 366 yards rushing and two touchdowns
- Trent Walker leads the team with 43 receptions and 584 yards receiving
- Dexter Foster leads the team with 48 combined tackles and three TFL
The Cougars are beginning to establish their identity under Jimmy Rogers
Washington State had a decent victory against Colorado State the last time they played. WSU now sits at 3-2 with no terrible losses.
The score of North Texas was awful, but if the Mean Green beat South Florida, that loss isn’t even that bad.
It feels like WSU’s starting to get an identity under Jimmy Rogers.
The defense struggled against North Texas and Washington, but has proven consistent against lesser competition. They’ve only allowed 23 points in their three victories.
If the Cougs are going to compete against Ole Miss and Virginia, they’ll need to improve on the ground. Washington state ranks 131st nationally in rushing yards per game.
Zevi Eckhaus will also need to go apepoop. Ever since Eckhaus took over as the starting quarterback, WSU has felt different. Even in the Apple Cup, he provided a lift.
The Cougs travel to Oxford to face No. 4 ranked Ole Miss on Saturday. The Cougars are overmatched, but there’s no expectations.
They’ll need the spirit of Gardner Minshew.
Notes
- Zevi Eckhaus has thrown for 540 yards, four touchdowns, and no interceptions
- Josh Meredith leads the team with 255 receiving yards
- Tony Freeman leads the team with 21 receptions, he also has 212 receiving yards
- Isaac Terrell leads the team with 2.5 sacks and 5.5 TFL’s
Writes about football and basketball as a Senior Writer and hosts “The Nick Bartlett Show” for SuperWest Sports.