Cal Bears face another mighty challenge as high-flying Oregon Ducks come to town

BERKELEY — For the second week in a row, Cal will be up against the highest-scoring team in the Pac-12 Conference on Saturday.

The No. 10 Oregon Ducks, who took charge of the conference race with a 45-30 rout of previously undefeated UCLA, provide another big challenge for Cal after Washington’s visit to Memorial Stadium.

Cal’s 28-21 loss Saturday night was its third in a row, but the Bears  (3-4, 1-3)  showed signs of life on offense against Washington (6-2, 3-2). After scoring just one touchdown in each of their losses at Washington State and Colorado, the Bears reached the endzone three times in the second half against the Huskies after trailing 6-0 at the break.

“I think this team could beat anybody,” said sophomore wide receiver J.Michael Sturdivant, who accounted for two of the touchdowns in a career-best day of eight catches for 104 yards. “This was a game we let slip away. I think every game from here on out is definitely winnable.”

Oregon (6-1, 4-0) won’t be easy. The Ducks have won six in a row since losing 49-3 to No. 1 Georgia in Atlanta and lead the Pac-12 in scoring at 42.4 points per game.

Cal held a Washington offense that was averaging 42.1 points per game to a season-low total.

So yes, there was progress. Cal led in the third quarter (7-6) and the game was tied at 14 entering the fourth. It just didn’t add up to a victory.

“In the first half we didn’t quite get enough going on offense, and in the second half we needed one more stop,” Cal coach Justin Wilcox said.” We didn’t get it done. That’s the bottom line.”

Here are the takeaways:

OFFENSE STEPS UP: The Bears had just 83 yards and five first downs in a scoreless first half, giving them just two touchdowns over a span of 10 quarters. They awoke to pile up 223 yards and 13 first downs after halftime and scored touchdowns on their first two possessions of the third period.

“I thought the second half the offense played really well, but the first half we did not,” said quarterback Jack Plummer, who finished the night 21 for 34 for 245 passing yards with three touchdowns and no interceptions.

The O-line continues to be fluid, and the latest changes mean that no Cal lineman is playing the same spot he did in the season’s opening game.

“We’ll just keep building. Those guys are good players and they care,” said Plummer, who was sacked five times. “Yeah, they get shuffled around but I think they’ll mesh together and we’re still got a lot of football left.”

DEFENSE STARTS FAST, SLIPS UP: The Huskies, who had scored a touchdown on the first possession in each of their first seven games, were limited by Cal to a pair of field goals in the first half.

But quarterback Michael Penix Jr. got the Huskies revved up in the second half, scoring three touchdowns and a two-point conversion to secure the victory.

“I think there were some positives about how we played defensively. But it only matters if you win,” said senior linebacker Jackson Sirmon, a transfer from Washington who had 11 tackles against his former team. “First half was good. Second half, got to clean stuff up.”

Just like the offense, the Cal defense is searching for a complete-game performance. “When we do that,” Sirmon said, “the outcome will be a lot better.”

INJURY UPDATE: Wilcox announced after the game that fifth-year senior offensive lineman Matthew Cindric, a team caption whose 33 career starts are the most on the team, is out for the season.

Cindric began the season as the Bears’ center then was moved to right guard. He was injured early in the Colorado game a week ago.

“He’s an extremely tough guy,” Wilcox said. “He got injured early in the game last week and really didn’t mention it, just played the entire game. Unfortunately, it’s an injury that needs to be repaired. He is a warrior of a person.”

“A big loss,” Plummer called it.

Wide receiver Jeremiah Hunter and cornerback Lu-Magia-Hearns III, both starters, missed the Washington game but are expected back for Oregon. No word yet on junior wide receiver Mason Starling, who had his best game with four catches for 49 yards before being injured in the second half.