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Jeremy Kahn on the NCAA
By Jeremy Kahn
October 19, 2008
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1. - Cal Bears (4-2), 2-1: The Arizona Wild Cats 5-2, (3-1) were unstoppable in the third quarter of the Saturday's contest in Tucson. After throwing for 218 yards for two touchdowns, an interception and going 18-37 Nate Longshore couldn't close the 21 point deficit. Kevin Reilly would fare no better going 7 for 19 for 97 yards and no touchdowns. Cal lost to Arizona last year and in much of the same fashion it turned their season spiraling downward. Do you see that happening with this game or is this a different Cal team built with a different M.O. and character?
Coach Jeff Tedford needs to decide on one quarterback, and not the two quarterback system. Both Nate Longshore and Kevin Riley are quality quarterbacks; however in my opinion, I would start Longshore; because he has done the job in the past and is indeed a quality quarterback. Arizona is one of the teams that upended the Golden Bears last season, when it looked they were possibly on their way to their first Rose Bowl since 1959.
2. - Stanford (4-4), 3-2: Are the Cardinal getting closer to being able to handle the tough teams or are they on the rebuild mode after only winning one game just two seasons ago and after letting one get away Saturday when the Bruins (3-4), 2-2 in the final drive score the winning TD, does that show you the Cardinal are on the rebuild to being a better team or do they have a long way to go and have a lot to learn about stopping teams late in the fourth quarter to seal the deal?
The Cardinal came within seconds of breaking a long losing streak at the Rose Bowl against the Bruins, but this is a much improved team and the rest of the PAC-10 better take notice of the Cardinal. Within two or three years, Jim Harbaugh will have this team near the top of the PAC-10.
3. UCLA is next for the Bears after watching the Bruins make a come back on the Cardinal what will the Bears have to mostly watch for when trying to beat the Bruins this coming Saturday?
This is a Bruins team that is still trying to find their identity for new Head Coach Rick Neuheisel. The Bruins are coming off a hard fought come-from-behind victory over a Cardinal team that is much improved. The Bruins are led by Kevin Craft, who is the starting quarterback after the injuries to top two Bruins quarterbacks.
4. The Cardinal host Washington State (1-7), 0-5. The Cougars are a troubled team and after losing a number of their top players to graduations or moving onto the pros there seems not much left for the Cougars. Do you chalk this one up as a W for the Cardinal on Saturday?
After the bye this week that the Cardinal have, they open the month of November against the Cougars team that has been absolutely shellacked by teams in the PAC-10, including a 69-0 loss at the hands of the USC Trojans at Martin Stadium. This was the first time since 1984 that the Cougars were shutout anywhere in the country, and the first time they were shutout at home in 52 years. To answer your question, I think that the Cardinal will have a good shot at making 4-0 at home this season.
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