What you need to know before kick-off at Pullman

CAL in Washington State

records: Cal 3-1, 1-0 in Pac 12; Washington State 3-1, 0-1 at PAC 12

Starting: 2:30 p.m. Saturday at Jessa Stadium in Pullman, Washington

Television: Pac-12 شبكات Networks

radio: KGO (810 a.m.)

Series date: Cal leads 48-29-5 with teams winning the past six meetings. WSU won 21-6 last season at Berkeley. Their most recent scheduled game at Pullman, in 2020, has been canceled due to COVID-19 issues within the Cal program.

Kal storylines: The Bears will attempt to start 2-0 in Pac-12 for the first time since 2015. The victory sends them into a farewell week before they hit the road to face Colorado, the worst team in the Pac-12, on October 15. . . Cal exits a 49-31 win over Arizona as the Bears outplayed the Wildcats 28-7 in the second half. The 49 points is the most Cale has scored in a PAC 12 game in six seasons under coach Justin Wilcox. . . Cal ran a high 354 yards last week but the WSU defensive front is gritty so the Bears might need to throw the ball down to exploit the Cougars. Quarterback Jack Plummer passed for 245 yards and three touchdowns against Arizona and has eight flows against two interceptions on the season. . . . Cal is one of the FBS teams that still lacks any confusion this season and has only lost two in its past 19 matches, dating back to 2020.

Washington State storylines: The Cougars opened the season 3-0, including a 17-14 win on the road at the time. 19 Wisconsin. They held a 27-15 lead by entering the fourth quarter at home last week against Oregon before the Ducks scored 29 points in the fourth quarter to win 44-41. . . Coach Jake Dickert took charge in week seven of last season when Nick Rolovich was fired for failing to fulfill a mandate to vaccinate against COVID-19 for state employees. Deckert is the first WSU head coach with a defensive background since Bill Duba in 2003. . . Quarterback Cameron Ward, who passed for 4,648 yards and 47 touchdowns last season in the FCS Incarnate Word, already has 1,102 passing yards and 10 TDs for the Cougars. “He has magic on his hands,” Deckert said, referring to Ward’s improvisational skills. . . Another transfer, senior quarterback Diane Henley, leads the Pac-12 with 8.5 tackles to lose, and was recently predicted by ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. as a selection in the first round of the NFL next spring.

Important stats: Cal and WSU scored exactly 120 points and gave up identical totals of 82. . . WSU leads FBS with 38 tackles to lose and tied for fifth with 14 sacks. . . According to the College Football Film Room, 70 percent of Jaydn Ott’s 274 yards against Arizona came after contact.

from San Jose News Bulletin https://sjnewsbulletin.com/what-you-need-to-know-before-kick-off-at-pullman/