AP: No. 10 California looking for first win in Pullman since 1979

By JOHN K. WILEY

SPOKANE, Wash. -- Nate Longshore has heard the stories. The sophomore quarterback for No. 10 California has never been to Pullman's Martin Stadium, where a Golden Bears team has not won since 1979. But he's heard tales of loud and rowdy Washington State fans who can make life difficult for visitors.  He'll have a chance to change that Saturday, when California (5-1, 3-0 Pacific-10 Conference) is favored by 8 points over Washington State (4-2, 2-1). "I heard that before the season even started," Longshore said of the Martin Stadium jinx. "I've never been there, but I've heard the stories. Great crowd, beautiful scenery. Hopefully it will be worth the trip."  Cal linebacker Zack Follett also has heard the stories.

"No one on this team has played there. I heard it's a big college town and a lot of fun," he said of rural Pullman, about 75 miles south of Spokane. "We're going up there for only one reason, though."  It will be Cal's first trip to Pullman since 2001, when the Bears were routed 51-20 by the Cougars' Sun Bowl team. Last year in Berkeley, the Bears came from behind to beat WSU 42-28. Cal coach Jeff Tedford said he has tried to prepare his team for what they might encounter in Pullman.

"I know it's a hostile environment; I've already warned our kids about that," he said. "There are a lot of things said to them that aren't very nice. We have to make sure not to get into a sparring match that way." And that's just the fans.  The game pits Cal's balanced and high-scoring offense against an improving Cougars defense that leads the nation in quarterback sacks, with 27, or nearly five a game.

"I'm sure they're going to have a good pass rush, but I'm confident our offensive line is going to do what they do every week," said Longshore, who leads the conference with 17 touchdowns and 1,410 yards.  "I don't know if we'll have a game where there's destructive pressure," he said. "I think our offensive line is too good for that."  Cal tailback Marshawn Lynch is the Pac-10's leading rusher with 605 yards, 100.8 yards per game and 142 all purpose yards. He has been hobbled by an ankle sprain, but is expected to play against WSU.  The Bears' wide receiver DeSean Jackson leads the conference with 10 TD receptions and Longshore also has talented receivers in Lavelle Hawkins and Robert Jordan.

"Jackson is one of the fastest kids we've seen," WSU coach Bill Doba said. "The scariest thing of all is just their speed. Break a tackle and they're gone. They have both phases on offense with the running game and passing game."  The Cougars' leading pass catcher, senior wide receiver Jason Hill, was limited in practice this week after suffering a shoulder sprain in a 13-6 victory at Oregon State. Doba said he will likely decide at game time Saturday whether Hill is fit to play.  The Cougars are thin at tight end after starter Cody Boyd injured an ankle. Starting right tackle Charles Harris is considered doubtful for Saturday's game after spraining an ankle in practice.

California is the third team ranked 10th or better the Cougars have played in six weeks. The Bears are coming off a 45-24 rout of then-No. 11 Oregon, the Cougars' next opponent.  WSU quarterback Alex Brink acknowledged the Cougars are 0-2 against Top 25 teams this season, but said the team improved from a season-opening loss Sept. 2 to then-No. 4 Auburn to a close 28-22 loss to No. 3 USC.  "We were hoping to show improvement from Auburn to USC. I think the next step is to improve enough to beat a Top 10 team," he said. "We realized against USC you can play really well and that's still not enough because they were playing pretty close to perfect."

That could be more difficult this week with Hill's injury.  "It's obviously going to have an impact on us. He's one of the best receivers in the nation," Brink said. "But we're fortunate to have depth at that position."  The loss of starting tight end Boyd to a sprained left ankle and reserve tight end Been Woodard with a right knee sprain leaves Jed Collins as the only healthy starter and could have a bigger affect than Hill's injury, Brink said.

"That is something a little more important," Brink said. "It not only has an effect on the passing game, but the running game."  WSU rotates running backs Dwight Tardy, DeMaundray Woolridge and Derrell Hutsona. None has yet had a 100-yard game, but they combine for 162.5 yards per game.

In the series since 1979, WSU has beaten the Bears in Martin Stadium nine times and once in Seattle. The teams did not play each other in 1991-92 and 2003-04, and played to a 17-17 tie in the 1987 Coca Cola Bowl in Tokyo.