The QBs will Determine the Winner

Cal's QB, Nate Longshore, is a game time decision which means the Beavers may see a totally untested QB: Kevin Riley of Beaverton. Riley is the future at Cal, but other than practicing well he hasn't done anything. In fact, one national college football writer says that if Kevin Riley starts, then OSU wins:


Matt Hayes College Football Blog - The Sporting News

9. An injury away. I don't know if Cal can get away with playing backup QB Kevin Riley against Oregon State. But if possible, it has to be done.

Starter Nate Longshore took snaps Thursday with the first team, something he hadn't done since sustaining a high ankle sprain against Oregon two weeks ago. He's a game-time decision (read: the ankle hasn't healed and it's an issue), and really should rest the ankle at least another week.

The problem: Oregon State has won six of the past eight meetings against Cal, and is 13th in total defense. In fact, if the Beavers' offense could hold onto the ball -- 23 turnovers, last in the nation -- they wouldn't be 3-3.

Cal, meanwhile, leads the nation in turnovers lost with four in five games.

Tell me this isn't set up for one of those crazy irony stories.

Look, I'm not sayin' it, but I'm sayin' it: If Riley has to play, the 'Beavs are winning this game. And we can add yet another upset to this wacky season.

We all know where Sean Canfield is at and how the number of mistakes he makes could turn the game to the Bears no matter who is the QB.

After all the talk of the run defense and running games, it will be the team that gets better QB play who will win. If Canfield can have 2 or less interceptions and have an efficient game, then the pressure will be on the Cal QBs.

The question then becomes, will Longshore be mobile enough to avoid OSU's pass rush and keep Cal moving? Or will Riley be able to avoid the Ayoob-esque performance that Cal had in 2005 or Rodgers in 2003?

I know OSU fans don't want to hear this, but it comes down to the QBs. Who can step it up and lead their team to victory? Hopefully its Canfield.