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The Cal Bears (5-4) look to snap their four-game losing streak when the Oregon State Beavers (2-7) descend upon Berkeley this weekend. Check out the Oregon State vs. Cal prediction and game preview.

Oregon State vs. Cal Prediction & Preview

Broadcast

Date: Saturday, November 14
Game Time: 10:30 ET
Network: Pac-12 Networks

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Why You Need To Care

For the fifth straight game, Cal looks to become bowl eligible, ending a four-year postseason drought. This is a critical game for the Bears, which made a Top 25 cameo by beginning the year 5-0. If they stumble on Saturday, the pressure to nab win No. 6 will be immense in season-ending games with Stanford and Arizona State. Oregon State continues to limp to the 2015 finish line, losers of six straight. The Beavers expected to rebuild in Gary Andersen’s debut, but the situation has actually been worse than anticipated.

Why Oregon State Will Win

The pressure is beginning to mount for Cal, which has entered must-win territory. The Bears’ biggest failing over the last month has been the defense, which is no longer creating a mess of turnovers and is routinely getting stampeded for big plays. And while the Beavers are floundering with the ball, this could be the right opponent to pop some big plays on the ground from RB Storm Barrs-Woods and the nimble quarterbacks.

Why Cal Will Win

Right opponent at the right time as far as the Bears are concerned. After playing Utah, UCLA, USC and Oregon in succession, a visit from the floundering Beavers is rather timely. Oregon State is doing little right these days, coming within two touchdowns of just one opponent since Sept. 19. This is a good spot for Jared Goff to resume performing like a first-round quarterback, peppering OSU with darts to receivers Kenny Lawler and Bryce Treggs.

Player Who Matters

For the Cal offense to be scary again, it needs to achieve a higher level of balance to support Goff. And that means more explosiveness from a running game that’s fizzled since erupting on Texas in Week 3. Speedy Daniel Lasco is back from injury, while Vic Enwere brings assertiveness between the tackles. Sonny Dykes needs to get both backs involved this Saturday, so that they’re clicking in time for The Big Game at Stanford.

What’s Going To Happen?

Cal has holes, none of which Oregon State is positioned to exploit Saturday night. The Bears are set to unleash a month’s worth of frustration on the lowly Beavers, jumping out to an early lead behind Goff before pinning their ears back to harass the overwhelmed OSU quarterbacks. If this one isn’t over before the end of the third quarter, Cal’s problems are even worse than imagined.

Oregon State vs. Cal Prediction

Prediction: Cal 41, Oregon State 17, Line: Cal -20, o/u: 57
Must See Rating: 5: Spectre … 1: The 33 … 2