Rusty Simmons
Maybe a little different perspective should be anticipated from Kevin Riley when it comes to this subject.
The quarterback was the goat of Cal's last-second loss to Oregon State in October 2007. So, he knows first-hand what it's like to be in the top 10 yet lose to a team that wasn't expected to provide a stiff challenge.
"This is a game we should win, and it's a game for us to go out and try to be as perfect as we can on the field," Riley said Tuesday, referring this time to Saturday's game when his newly ranked No. 10 squad plays Football Championship Subdivision (formerly Division I-AA) opponent Eastern Washington. "It's a huge game for them. It's their bowl game. They're going to come out with everything they've got." That was true of Oregon State in 2007, when the Beavers stole the title chances of the No. 2 Bears and started them on a 1-6 conclusion to the regular season. Riley led a valiant comeback attempt only to watch time expire after he was caught scrambling when he should have thrown the ball into the seats.
Cal hasn't been among the nation's top 10 since then, hasn't been in this position heading into Week 2 since 1951, and has been ranked this high during only 14 seasons in school history. "I think we're mature enough to handle it, because we've been down this road before and there's enough examples out there of what can happen when you're not ready to play," coach Jeff Tedford said.
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