Washington State was on the losing end of Oregon State’s good fortune, despite faring so well on the road in prevous outings.
Cal let one slip away at home against Virginia, and Stanford was outmatched by Pittsburgh on the Farm.
Here’s my take on all four teams heading into Week 10.
The Golden Bears played the Cavaliers tough, but threw a pick-six on their final drive.
California’s schedule gets tricky down the stretch, which puts the program in an interesting place. If the Bears win the remainder of their games, they could finish 9-4, including a bowl win. But they could also finish under .500.
That would mark the eighth losing season in nine years under Wilcox.
These next three games will prove vital in deciding whether Ron Rivera decides to keep Wilcox. Cal travels to Louisville this week to face a hot group of hot birds.
The Cardinals have won their last three games, including a notable victory at Miami in mid-October. UL features a balanced offense that should be able to exploit a Bears defense that allowed 73 points against the two Virginia schools.
California hopes that its passing attack will be able to move the ball against Louisville’s passing defense, which ranks 16th in yards allowed per game.
There’s still time, but Wilcox is sitting in a sauna.
Notes
- Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele has thrown for 2,195 yards, 11 touchdowns, and nine interceptions. He’s also added two touchdowns on the ground.
- Kendrick Raphael leads the team in rushing with 10 touchdowns and 612 yards.
- Jacob De Jesus leads the team in receptions and receiving yards with 57 and 541. He also has three receiving touchdowns.
- TJ Bush Jr. has 29 tackles, four sacks, and 7.5 TFL’s at linebacker.
The key for the remainder of this season will be the development of Elijah Brown. Ben Gulbranson has been a nice rest stop, but now that Stanford’s probably not gonna make a bowl, it’s time to get ready for the future.
What Gulbranson did will likely get overlooked, but he provided stability during uncertain times. And for that, he should be applauded.
In theory, the Tree could still make a bowl game, but they’d have to win their final three contests. It’s possible, but the season finale against Notre Dame feels unlikely.
If Brown can find his rhythm from the jump, Stanford could win in Chapel Hill and take back “The Big Game.”
The Tree should be able to compete against North Carolina, which ranks 121st nationally in points scored per contest. The Tar Heels have the better defensive unit, but both teams struggle to score, so it should be a tight one.
If the Cardinal continue to fight, they could steal one down the stretch.
Notes
- Ben Gulbranson has thrown for 1,813 yards, nine touchdowns, and 10 interceptions.
- Micah Ford leads the team on the ground, with 425 rushing yards and three touchdowns.
- Sam Roush has 37 receptions and 409 yards receiving. He also has two touchdown receptions.
- Scotty Edwards has 47 tackles, 2.5 sacks, and 3.5 TFL’s at safety. He also has one forced fumble.
The Cougars are still in the beginning of the Jimmy Rogers era, but they lack offensive talent outside of Joshua Meredith, WSU doesn’t have any skill position players who can win one-on-one matchups.
And Meredith isn’t a true No. 1.. Oregon State was able to stymie Washington State with man-to-man defense.
To round out the regular season, WSU will need a player like Tony Freeman or Carter Pabst to make a few tough plays, or they’ll need their offensive line to make space.
Kirby Vorhees will probably be a standout next year, but he doesn’t have the explosive speed to be considered a game-changer yet.
Washington State’s defense has shown it can play with any team in the country, so they should be able to limit their final three opponents. They’ve only allowed 17 points their last two outings.
The Cougars could still finish 7-5, but a bowl game would be a solid landing spot for Rogers in year one. WSU has a bye before hosting Louisiana Tech the following week.
Notes
- Zevi Eckhaus has thrown for 1,246 yards, nine touchdowns, and eight interceptions. He’s also added 192 yards and four touchdowns on the ground.
- Kirby Vorhees leads the team with 397 yards rushing; he also has three rushing touchdowns.
- Joshua Meredith leads the team with 39 receptions and 516 yards through the air. He also has two touchdown receptions.
- Isaac Terrell leads the team with 4.5 sacks and 9.5 TFL’s at defensive end. He has 18 total tackles.
Oregon State treated its matchup against the Cougars like a rivalry game, and it gave hope to their fanbase. If the Beavers can keep playing defense the way they did against WSU, they could win out.
Their offensive line will also need to continue to move bodies. The Beavs host Sam Houston State this week in a matchup where they are favored by 19.5 points. They should get the dub.
The other story line surrounding the program is the search for their next Head Coach.
While it feels unlikely that Robb Akey will be the candidate, he’s making a case for himself. He’ll likely have to win out to receive consideration, but wins in two out-of their final three might prove enough.
Akey’s quirky energy is providing life in Corvallis. Oregon State has Senior Night this week against the Bearkats, before traveling to Tulsa and Pullman to round out their schedule.
The Beavers are still floating.
Notes
- Maalik Murphy has thrown for 1,749 yards, nine touchdowns, and eight interceptions.
- Anthony Hankerson leads the team with 803 yards rushing and seven touchdowns.
- David Wells Jr. leads the team with three receiving touchdowns. He has 293 yards receiving and 28 receptions.
- Aiden Sullivan leads the team with three forced fumbles at linebacker. He also has 56 tackles, 4.5 TFL’s, and one sack.
