The Bears remain bowl-eligible, however, and will be ushered through what’s left of the season by interim coach Nick Rolovich, formerly of Washington State and Hawai’i.
Stanford will finish the year with a losing record, but in some ways, it feels like a successful season, given the circumstances.
The Cougars played James Madison tough for much of the game, but let it slip away. A win over Oregon State this weekend would go a long way toward easing the pain.
The Beavers hope the bye week will help them end their two-game losing skid with another win over Wazzu.
Here’s my take on all four teams heading into Week 13.
California
California’s loss to Stanford may be the best thing that’s happened to the program in a long time. Even though the Golden Bears have had a solid year under Justin Wilcox, they’ve lacked consistency.This move allows the program to start searching for its new Head Coach before the bowl season.
There are a lot of names to consider, and it’s too early, but DeSean Jackson would be a notable selection. Oregon defensive coordinator Tosh Lupoi is the current favorite, according to various sources.
Cal has already qualified for a bowl, but a win against SMU might get them into a bigger game. Currently, ESPN has them projected to play in the Hawaii Bowl.
But before the postseason begins, the Bears have an opportunity to play spoiler this week against the Mustangs. SMU secures a berth in the ACC title game with a victory against Cal.
If the Golden Bears want to pull off the upset, they’ll need to limit the Stangs’ passing attack, which ranks 14th nationally in yards per game.
In theory, the Bears match up well in this contest, but logic doesn’t apply to Cal games. Either way, this is an opportunity for them to show what they have to a potential new coach.
Notes
- Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele ranks fifth nationally with 412 passing attempts.
- Jacob De Jesus ranks third in the nation with 87 catches.
- Hezekiah Masses is tied third nationally with five interceptions.
- Justin Wilcox finished with a 48-55 record at Cal.
Stanford
What an epic win for Stanford. The Cardinal played well against Cal and secured a huge victory that should bolster their program going forward.Minus the Hawaii loss, Stanford has an impressive first season under the combination of Andrew Luck and Frank Reich.
Reich was only hired for one season, but they may consider re-hiring him for a second year. But before the offseason, the Tree do have one more contest against Notre Dame.
After their win against the Golden Bears, pressure has been removed from this rivalry. They can play free and throw the bag at the Fighting Irish.
The Cardinal is outmatched from a talent standpoint, but if they can replicate the way they played in the first half against Miami for four quarters, it’s possible.
If Stanford’s going to compete in this matchup, they must stop the rushing duo of Jeremiyah Love and Jadarian Price, who have. combined for 1,965 yards and 27 rushing touchdowns.
This might bode well for the Tree, which ranks 25th in rushing yards allowed per contest, and have a solid red zone defense.
The Cardinal will probably lose, but at least they have a fun matchup to end their campaign.
Notes
- Elijah Brown has thrown for 625 yards, three touchdowns, and one interception.
- CJ Williams is tied 35th nationally with six touchdown receptions.
- Micah Ford leads the team in rushing attempts, rushing yards, and rushing touchdowns with 145, 643, and four.
- Matt Rose is ranked 25th in the nation with 97 total tackles (Linebacker).
Washington State
Washington State needs to find a way to finish games next year. The Cougars played James Madison tough, but let the contest slip away in the second half.This also happened against Virginia earlier this season. From a holistic standpoint, the key to WSU’s year relies on beating Oregon State in their final game.
If the Cougs can knock off the Beavers, they’ll grab their sixth win and qualify for the postseason. A loss, and they’re 5-7 with two losses to one of the worst FBS teams in the country.
The result of this game dictates how Washington State’s season will be perceived by their fanbase.
The key to beating the Beavs this time around is scoring more than seven points. The Cougars defense could also do a better job stopping Anthony Hankerson, but that’s nitpicky.
Oregon State enters this contest with a complete lack of momentum.
Since upsetting the Cougs, the Beavs have lost to both Sam Houston State and Tulsa. There’s nothing else to say other than this is a must win for Washington State, a loss is catastrophic.
Notes
- Zevi Eckhaus has thrown for 1,563 yards, 11 touchdowns, and nine interceptions. He’s also added 274 yards and seven touchdowns on the ground.
- Josh Meredith is tied 94th nationally with 47 receptions.
- Kirby Vorhees leads the team in rushing attempts and rushing yards with 124 and 534 yards. He also added four touchdowns on the ground.
- Isaac Terrell is tied at 49th in the nation with 5.5 sacks (Defensive End).
Oregon State
Oregon State is in an interesting spot right now, but with hopes on the horizon.No one knows exactly what the Beavers’ next move is, but Brent Vigen was spotted in Portland, which means he’s probably interviewing for the coaching job. Vigen has been quiet about his trip, adding further intrigue.
As far as OSU’s next contest, they’ll look to get a repeat victory over Washington State. The Beavers defense played phenomenal in the first outing against the Cougars, and Anthony Hankerson chipped in 132 yards and the Beavs only touchdown via the ground.
It should prove more difficult in Pullman, especially with the Cougs seeking bowl eligibility. Oregon State also doesn’t have a an established starting quarterback entering this matchup. They’ve used three different signal callers this year.
Whoever gets the nod will need to be prepared against a WSU defense that ranks 37th in points allowed per game.
He’ll also need to take advantage of Washington State’s offense on third downs. The Cougars rank 101st in third down conversion percentage.
If the Beavs can beat the Cougs again, they’re Pac-12 champs. Maybe they can do it twice.
Notes
- Tristan Ti’a has thrown for 145 yards, two touchdowns, and no interceptions.
- Anthony Hankerson is tied third nationally with 231 rushing attempts.
- Trent Walker is 24th in the nation with 762 receiving yards.
- Aiden Sullivan is tied 15th nationally with three forced fumbles (Linebacker).
