Beavers Attempt To Keep Berkeley Streak Alive

Oregon St. (2-7, 0-6) at California (5-4, 2-4) / Memorial Stadium, Berkeley, CA / 7:30 PM PDT / Pac-12 / KEJO 1240 AM / KEX 1190 AM / Pac-12 Stream

Game Notes / California Game Notes

Oregon State hits the road again this week, visiting Strawberry Canyon to take on California. It's the 68th time the teams have met, and the Beavers will be looking for the upset that will keep alive one of the more unlikely streaks around, as the Beavers have not lost in Berkeley yet this century, having won 6 in a row at Memorial Stadium.

It won't be easy, as Oregon State comes in even more battered than ever, and coming off a 41-0 blowout home loss last weekend to UCLA, the first time the Beavers had been shut out at home in 18 years. The Beavers only brought 62 players on the trip, 8 below the conference road trip allowance for non-rivalry games of 70.

Quarterback Seth Collins is still out, so it will be Nick Mitchell behind center again this week for the Beavers.

California isn't setting the world on fire either, having lost 4 in a row. The Bears are looking to become bowl eligible for the first time since 2011, but have been anything but Golden with post season play on the line, having gone 0-7 in their last 7 games that a win would have made them bowl eligible.

Last week, Oregon ran over California for a school record 777 yards, including 477 on the ground, on their way to a 44-28 win.

After last year's come from behind 45-31 win in Corvallis, the Bears hold a narrow 35-32 edge in the series that dates back to 1905. Prior to that, The Beavers had won 2 in a row, both in routs, and 6 of 7, with the only Bear win coming in a 23-6 win in 2011 at AT&T Park in San Francisco, while Memorial Stadium was being rebuilt. It was the last time California was successful in achieving bowl eligibility.

The last trip to Strawberry Canyon for Oregon State ended in a 49-17 win that saw California starting quarterback then and now Jared Goff benched at halftime.

The game is the first true home night game for California in a while, as the Bears have played their last 12 games at Kabam field in the day. The Bears have only played 3 night home games in 3 years. The Beavers, of course, are more than familiar with playing well into the night; this will be the 7th time this season, and 15th in the last 2 years (with still one more to come next week) that will end in darkness.

The Bears opened as 17 point favorites over the Beavers, and the line quickly pushed past 20 points, in recognition of the fact that Oregon State has posted a total of 25 points in their last 3 games. Not quarters. If Oregon State only loses this one by 3 touchdowns, it will have exceeded popular expectations.

BuildingTheDam will be at the game anyway, and be back afterwards with complete coverage and analysis.

Andy_Wooldridge@yahoo.com