GREG BEACHAM
Associated Press
BERKELEY, Calif. - Receiver Josh Hawkins and his Oregon State teammates were the last visitors to celebrate after a visit to Memorial Stadium - and last year, California made them pay for it. The Golden Bears (5-1, 2-1) haven't lost at home since the Beavers' 35-21 victory in 2003, but Cal thrashed Oregon State 49-7 in Corvallis last October, providing ample motivation for everyone involved in Saturday's rematch of what's shaping up as a compelling Pac-10 rivalry. Both defeats are fresh in the minds of the players still around to participate when 18th-ranked Cal defends its 10-game winning streak in Strawberry Canyon. The Bears have beaten all visitors to their charmingly dilapidated stadium since Oregon State's stinging victory, most in embarrassing blowouts. "The thing I really remember about that (2003) game was that Steven Jackson had 200 yards or something like that, and he basically demolished their defense," Hawkins said of the St. Louis Rams' star running back, who had 227 against the Bears. "I think that was probably a motivating factor for them last year." "We definitely remembered what they did to us at home the year before," Cal offensive tackle Ryan O'Callaghan said. "We went up there with a little extra motivation, and we played pretty well against them. Not payback, just a good game." Cal will need more than a good game to get past the second of five straight contests against probable bowl teams. The Bears' flaws on defense and special teams were exposed in a 47-40 loss at UCLA last week, snapping their 12-game regular-season winning streak and dropping them eight spots in the poll. Two years ago, Oregon State (3-2, 1-1) had a superior rushing attack. Cal dominates on the ground these days, with tailbacks Marshawn Lynch and Justin Forsett both averaging more than 100 yards per game behind a powerful offensive line. "They do things that other teams we've played don't try to do," said Beavers defensive tackle Sir Henry Anderson, an Oakland native. "They're going to try to run it down our throats, but I think that's the best game for us. When it comes to the smashing, we'll see what transpires. "This will be the best O-line we face all year, to be honest. They've run the ball well on every team they've played." But Oregon State, which has lost eight straight games to ranked teams, could be in an optimal situation for another upset. The Beavers have scored at least 30 points in every game this season, with both losses coming against ranked teams - and they had a bye last week, giving their coaches an extra week to fix a leaky defense allowing nearly 350 yards passing per game, the most in Division I-A.
While the Beavers rested, the Bears lost to UCLA. Cal's offense played well, racking up 545 total yards in quarterback Joe Ayoob's most polished game to date, but a series of big plays allowed the Bruins to score the game's final 19 points.
"They bounced back pretty well," coach Jeff Tedford said of his players. "They're a lot more resilient than the coaches." Oregon State's passing game should test every aspect of the Bears' defense. Mike Hass leads the nation with 166.2 yards receiving per game, and the Beavers aren't shy about throwing early and often. But Cal's passing game seems to be maturing along with the rest of the team. Ayoob has passed for 1,028 yards and 10 touchdowns, and the Bears' young receiving corps could be ready for a breakout game against Oregon State's suspect secondary. Both teams have an ample well of motivation from previous seasons. Tedford mentioned the 2003 loss as motivation, while Oregon State coach Mike Riley didn't need to remind his players about their 42-point home loss last year. "This year against ranked teams we've gotten blown out twice, so between that and last year, I think guys are getting tired of losing," Oregon State tackle Roy Schuening said. "Going down there and maybe pulling off an upset is a big factor this week in practice."
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