WSU Football vs. Cal | Opposites attract

BERKELEY, Calif. — California and Washington State, two teams that could swap stories about losing streaks this season, will try to regain some ground at each other's expense tonight.

Cal (5-3 overall, 2-3 Pac-10) is a 14-½-point favorite in the 7 o'clock televised game against the Cougars (3-5, 1-4). One reason is that WSU will be without No. 1 running back Dwight Tardy.

Tardy is out for the season with a knee injury suffered on a 51-yard touchdown gallop in the final minute of the 27-7 energizing home victory last weekend over UCLA.

With backup Chris Ivory sidelined for a third consecutive game with a concussion, senior Kevin McCall will make his first start.

Cal has lost three consecutive games, ruining its chance for a national title. The Bears were ranked No. 2 and on the threshold of becoming No. 1 on Oct. 13, but then lost to Oregon State.

The defeat was followed by road losses to UCLA and Arizona State.

Cal now finds itself unranked and out of the Pac-10 race.

"There's no question, to go from the race that we were in to three losses can take an effect emotionally and mentally," said Cal coach Jeff Tedford.

Still, the Bears are favored to win easily tonight for a variety of reasons:

• Without Tardy, who had a breakout game of 214 yards last week, the WSU running attack doesn't scare anyone. Cal will concentrate on stopping the Cougars' passing game.

• Cal's offensive line appears to have the athleticism and experience to handle WSU's blitzing linebackers.

• The Cougars haven't played well on the road. They lost at USC 47-14, at Arizona 48-20 and at Oregon 53-7.

• Despite its recent struggles, Cal is flat-out good. Two scores for proof: California 45, Tennessee 31; Cal 31, Oregon 24.

• Quarterback Nate Longshore is slowed by an ankle injury but still is expected to start tonight. He has a strong receiving corps and a quality back in Justin Forsett, who has rushed for 889 yards and scored 10 touchdowns.

"Their speed is what concerns me as much as anything," said WSU coach Bill Doba.

Two Cougars have a chance to set school career records tonight.

Senior slot receiver Michael Bumpus needs five catches to become WSU's career leader with 177, passing Hugh Campbell who caught 176 from 1960 to 1962.

Quarterback Alex Brink, who has set a variety of school career passing records this season, needs two touchdown passes for 71 to top Jason Gesser.

Brink played well in his last trip to Berkeley. He threw five TD passes in a 423-yard performance in a 42-38 defeat in 2005.

The Cougars trailed 28-10 at halftime, then rallied with three TD catches by Jason Hill in the third period. WSU led 38-28 with less than seven minutes to go when a run on a fake punt was stuffed by the Bears and momentum shifted.

Co-captains Bumpus and Brink have worked to keep the team together during the recent four-game losing streak.

"We did have our fights, our individualities came out a little bit, but we're competitors and that stuff is going to happen," Bumpus said. "No team is perfect. Especially in times like this, there's going to be some conflict, but we found a way to pull together and keep this group tight."

Tonight that group will try to pull off another surprise.

Craig Smith: 206-464-8279 or csmith@seattletimes.com