Oregon-California
Preview
By ALAN FERGUSON (STATS Writer) | The Associated Press – Wed, Nov 7, 2012 12:39 AM EST
Kenjon
Barner's record-setting night helped Oregon pass one major test and move closer
toward a spot in the BCS championship game.
The
second-ranked Ducks have a couple more tests on the horizon but first they have
to avoid an upset during Saturday night's visit to struggling California, which
may not have its starting quarterback available.
Barner
rushed for a program-best 321 yards and scored five times on the ground,
matching a Pac-12 mark, to lead Oregon to a 62-51 win at then-No. 18 Southern
California this past Saturday. Marcus Mariota also threw for four touchdowns
and the Ducks gained 730 yards while matching a school record with their 12th
straight victory.
Barner's
performance surely boosted his Heisman Trophy candidacy, and he'll try to add
to his resume Saturday.
"It's
a blessing. It's an honor," Barner said. "But I don't really worry
about it. I can't worry about that, I can't focus on that right now because
there's still a lot of football left and anything can happen."
More
importantly, his effort helped the Ducks move past Notre Dame for third in the
BCS standings.
Oregon
(9-0, 6-0) trails second-place Kansas State by .0152 and could get a boost with
wins over No. 16 Stanford and No. 13 Oregon State to wrap up the season. Before
they get to those games, the Ducks have to get past Cal (3-7, 2-5).
"I
think we're going to get everyone's best shot no matter who we play,"
linebacker Michael Clay said. "They're going to come out fired up and
ready to get at us. So we just have to be ready for that, especially on road
games. We have to weather the storm."
Oregon has
won three straight over the Golden Bears after losing three in a row, but the
Ducks trailed at halftime in last season's meeting before pulling away for a
43-15 win. Oregon erased a one-point deficit by scoring 29 unanswered points on
Oct. 6, 2011.
During its
previous visit to Berkeley on Nov. 13, 2010, Oregon needed a punt return
touchdown and another score early in the fourth quarter for a 15-13 win.
"It
was a dogfight," Clay said. "They missed a field goal, but it was a
dogfight. It'll be another one down there."
This time,
the Ducks will face a Cal team that's lost three straight and might not have
starting quarterback Zach Maynard available. Maynard is dealing with an injured
left knee and Allan Bridgford could start in his place.
Bridgford
has attempted a combined 48 passes for the Bears and hasn't thrown for a touchdown
in his six games. He started in the season opener against Nevada on Sept. 1
when Maynard was disciplined for missing a tutoring session but completed only
two of nine passes for six yards.
The junior
went 2 of 7 for 26 yards after Maynard got hurt against Washington on Nov. 2
and couldn't lead Cal to a tying score in a 21-13 defeat.
"It
would be different if it were my first time playing a college football game but
it's not," Bridgford said. "I've played a number of games. I've
thrown a handful of passes. I'm not overly nervous. I'm just ready to have fun
and waiting to have my shot."
Maynard,
though, doesn't have ligament damage in his knee and coach Jeff Tedford will
likely wait to see how the injury heals before choosing a starter.
"It's
totally dependent on how he's moving and what he feels like," Tedford
said. "Each day it gets a little bit better. It's kind of out of our
control. He'll get as much rehab as he can and it's just how he responds to
that."
Along with
its three game win-streak in the series, Oregon has taken 11 of the past 15
meetings. Cal, though, holds a 39-33-2 all-time lead and a 26-15-2 edge on home
matchups.
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