Improved defense gives Washington State the edge over Cal

WSU's defense has looked much better over the past two games compared to earlier in the season. (AP)

WSU (2-3) vs. Cal (3-1)

• Kickoff: 7:30 p.m. Saturday
• Where: Martin Stadium
• Radio: 710 ESPN Seattle
• Line: Cougars by 3

What’s at stake: I’ll be honest, I’m still enjoying last week’s surprising 28-27 win over Utah and not quite ready to move on, but it’s encouraging to know that the Cal game is another possible step toward a bowl game.

After the Nevada game, no one was thinking about a bowl game, and if they were, it was one that would be played in 2015, not this year. The Cougars were 0-2 after losing to Rutgers and Nevada, and now we’re 2-3, one win away from a .500 record, which would also put us halfway to a bowl game.

You can call it a must-win game because I would, too. But here’s what’s encouraging: Every game left on our schedule is winnable, even Stanford next Friday. The Cardinal barely scraped out a 20-13 win over a mediocre
Washington team last Saturday.

After the Nevada game, I would’ve said every game left on our schedule was loseable, but that perspective has changed after seeing that teams such as Arizona State and Oregon State aren’t as good as I thought they were. And USC, as good as the Trojans have looked at times, lost to Boston College on the road and will have to play in Pullman in November.

Why the Cougs will win: What gives me a lot of hope is our defense. The same defense that was run over and/or pushed around by Rutgers and Nevada was more than respectable against Oregon and was really stout against Utah. We were flying around, gang-tackling, swarming to the ball, blitzing, doing all the things that good defenses do. We looked fast and quick and even had some swagger, particularly cornerback Daquawn Brown, who must use the Seahawks’ Richard Sherman as a role model.

Whatever the case, our defense has greatly improved, and what was great about that in the Utah game was that it gave the offense a chance to get untracked after a terrible start.

Unless I’m missing something – and I usually am – the difference in the game will be that our defense has a better chance of slowing down Cal’s offense than Cal’s defense has against our offense.

Why the Cougs could lose: No question, Cal has a great offense with quarterback Jared Goff averaging almost 17 yards per completion. The Cougars will also have to limit Cal on the ground. The Bears run more than they throw, and Daniel Lasco is averaging 86.7 yards on the ground, including a 123-yard game against Arizona.
But as potent as they are, averaging 47.5 points a game, Cal’s defense is susceptible, and that was blatantly evident in a 59-56 double-overtime win over Colorado last Saturday.

Cal is last in the Pac-12 in defense, giving up 478 yards a game. But the Bears are also the conference’s comeback team of the year thus far. After going 1-11 last year, the Bears are 3-1 and a Hail Mary away in Tucson from being undefeated.

Connor Halliday should have another big night as long as he’s aware of Griffin Piatt, who leads Cal with three interceptions.

If I were setting the line on this game, I would’ve favored the Cougs by 6. As it stands right now, the Cougs are favored by 3. Washington State has the home field and the better defense, which should be more than enough to beat Cal and cover the spread.

Prediction: Cougars 38, Golden Bears 24

Season record against the spread: 4-1

The Go 2 Guy also writes for SeattlePI.com and KitsapSun.com. You can reach Jim at jimmoorethego2guy@yahoo.com and follow him on Twitter @cougsgo.