Week 5: Colorado State at California

The Golden Bears have had two weeks to rub the sleep from their eyes, their groggy state leaving them vulnerable in their most recent outing and 35-27 losers to an inferior Maryland team. Travel weary or nonchalant, Cal simply couldn’t get going until the fourth quarter, when sophomore quarterback Kevin Riley heaved touchdown passes on the team’s last three possessions inside the game’s final seven minutes.

The home team should be much more alert this time. For starters, Cal needs to defend the honor of the Pac-10, so far an embarrassing 0-5 against Mountain West teams, of which Colorado State is one. The Golden Bears also will take their prolific offense, generating 43.7 points per game, up against a defense that has been fairly porous for two seasons, now coughing up 28 ppg. The Rams must find a way to slow down Riley, something that hasn’t happened yet this season. Riley set a Cal record with 58 passing attempts at Maryland, with his 33 completions and 423 yards each ranking third in school history.

Colorado State should find the opposing team speed somewhat overwhelming to deal with. In just three outings this season, Cal sophomore tailback Jahvid Best has 86- and 80-yard scoring runs, and redshirt freshman Shane Vereen, Best’s backup, has chipped in an 81-yard sprint to the end zone. The Rams, rebuilding under new coach Steve Fairchild, barely finished in front of a couple of plodders, Sacramento State and Houston. Cal might resemble Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt hitting the tape, looking around for everyone else after this outing.

Notes:

Word to Colorado State: put in some work on your field-goal protection schemes. Cal has two blocked field goals returned for touchdowns this season, courtesy of Zack Follet and Bryant Nnabuife, with teammates Rulon Davis and Brett Johnson getting their hands on the ball first and credit for the deflections.

Cal and Colorado State have split two games, with each winning on the road. The Golden Bears took a 34-28 victory last year in Fort Collins, Colo., nearly blowing a 28-point lead; the Rams pulled out a 23-21 decision in Berkeley, Calif., in 2003.

While most of his teammates were sleepwalking through the Maryland game, Golden Bears senior linebacker Zack Follet took no plays off and will be another concern for Colorado State. He had five tackles, a sack, a forced fumble, a fumble recovery and a pass break-up against the Terps.

Previously little used Rams quarterback Billy Farris has some people asking why so inactive before? The senior has hit on 72 of 103 passes for 784 yards and four scores this season, with a 24-for-33, 276-yard, two-score performance in his most recent outing, a 28-26 win over Houston. He must be getting plenty of insights from new coach Steve Fairchild, a former Rams quarterback.

Key Player (Rams) – Tommie Hill, DE

If Colorado State has any hope of hanging with the Golden Bears, Hill needs to get into their backfield and bother Riley a lot. He’s capable. He has four tackles for loss, including three sacks.

Key Player (Bears) – Jahvid Best, RB

Cal’s speed burner took a nasty shot to the sternum at Maryland that left him gasping and hurting the rest of the game. He played on. He should be fully recovered and ready to roam the field again.

California by 14