Cal Unveils Surprising Strategies That Could Topple Oregon State in Showdown Rematch

By the time Cal and Oregon State kick off at 10:30 ET, I’m betting the couch cushions will be permanently molded from all the fans glued to their seats. Seriously, what better way to celebrate college football’s comeback than by cancelling every last plan and diving headfirst into chips, dips, and a few cold brews? Both teams stumbled last season, sure—but there’s something oddly thrilling about watching two squads with so much to prove slug it out under the lights. Can Devin Brown finally steer Cal’s offense onto steadier waters, or will Maalik Murphy’s arm light up the night for the Beavers despite a shaky line? Defense might be the real X-factor here, and honestly, it’s anyone’s guess if these offenses find their groove early or sputter until halftime. One thing’s for sure—this matchup isn’t just about who’s better on paper; it’s about which team can shake off last year’s ghosts and leave with a clean, hard-fought win. Ready to lock in on this one? LEARN MORE

Cal vs. Oregon State, 10:30 ET

I think by the time this game kicks off, the couch cushions should have very nice butt imprints from all of us. This is one of the later games on the schedule, and it still should be one of the better ones. College Football’s return is something that we should enjoy and there is no better way than canceling all plans, grabbing some dips, chips, and beers to enjoy it. Let’s cap off the day with a winning bet on the game between California and Oregon State.

California last year was not very good. They had a record of 6-7 for the season, and they were very bad in the conference, getting to 2-6. They did qualify for a Bowl game and played UNLV in the Art of Sport LA Bowl. They were taken down by the 24th-ranked team in the country, losing the game 24-13. They used their third-string quarterback in most of that game. They need to improve their offensive line from last year if they want to improve this season. Devin Brown is their quarterback now, and he was very highly regarded coming out of high school, but didn’t really do anything at Ohio State. Losing your quarterback and your running backs causes a lot of stability issues for a team, and this offense will definitely take some time to figure things out. One part of success for the team that will be hard to replicate is their defensive production from last season. Last year, they were second in the ACC in scoring defense, and they held a lot of teams to under 24 points per game. However, they lost a lot of players in the secondary, and that will certainly impact this team’s ability to get on a roll. 

Oregon State didn’t have a very good campaign last year either. They started out very strong, going 4-1, but then dropped five straight and six of their last seven games. They only faced two ranked teams last season, dropping games to Oregon and Boise State. They did have to use different quarterbacks during the season, and neither was successful. They turn their team over to Maalik Murphy, who was at Duke last year. He should be able to help stabilize the inconsistent offense from last season. He also gets to throw to a good group of receivers. The problem is that he might not have that much time to get to the receivers, as his offensive line is being rebuilt this year. On defense, there are even more questions. They have a couple of very talented defensive players, but they are surrounded by guys who probably aren’t that great. 

This is going to be a pretty tough game for either team to get away with a win. Cal struggled quite a bit last season, but they should be able to get their offense rolling eventually. Oregon State is one of those teams that I have some major concerns about for defense. The offense should be good, but it will also take a bit of time for them to get on a roll. This is one of those totals that could go either way. I think the offenses could be great against some questionable defenses. I could also see them struggling to get going and the second half opening up a bit. I think there is an edge here for Cal, I like their defense more, and I think the offenses are pretty even. Take Cal with the points. 

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