Golden Nuggets: Cal-Stanford Score Predictions + Oregon-ASU Open Thread

Despite Stanford's 1.5-point advantage in Vegas, most of this week's predictions give Cal a narrow victory.

• Jon Wilner stands by his preseason pick of a Cal victory.

STANFORD (minus-1.5) at CAL: Tough to call rivalry games anytime but especially in mid-October, with both teams still works in progress. I picked Cal to win outright before the season and will stick with the prediction. The Bears lost by three points last year at Stanford, against Andrew Luck. Their prospects this time around are at least as bright. Pick: Cal.

• John Breech predicts a narrow Cal victory.

The game comes down to: Quarterback play. If Nunes and Maynard were playing darts on Saturday, everyone in Berkeley would take cover. That's the way the season has gone for both Bay Area quarterbacks. Both Nunes and Maynard have had games where each of their QB ratings were over 170 this year, but they've also both had two games each where their ratings were below 87. Maynard's been slightly more consistent than Nunes this season, so Cal gets a very, very slight edge.

Prediction: Cal 23, Stanford 20

• Phil Steele also predicts a 23-20 triumph of good over evil.

The Big Game which used to be the final game of the regular season but last year it was Stanford’s second-to-last game and this year makes the move to October. Last year’s game was played on a rain soaked field and Luck hit 20-30-257 yards while Maynard actually out-passed him with 280. Trailing 31-21, Cal went 74/10pl for a td with :14 left but Stanford recovered the onside kick. Cal had a 7-1 run from ‘02-’09 but SU has won the last two. SU is on the second of back-to-back away off a tough 20-13 OT loss at ND . The last time here SU handed Cal its worst loss in this rivalry since 1930. The Bears are off back-to-back impressive wins and playing with renewed confidence while the Cardinal HC Shaw and players found themselves questioning the officials in last week’s game and need to regroup.

PHIL’S FORECAST: CALIFORNIA 23 STANFORD 20

• 2 of 7 CBS writers pick Cal to cover the spread.

Links!

Football

• Keep liking those Cal Alumni Association photos on the CAA Facebook page. If you don't the Lobsterbacks win and baby Oski cries.
• Athlon previews the Big Game.
• Jon Wilner says this year's Big Game especially important because it will shape each team's trajectory in the second half of the season.
• Cal sits at 8th in Wilner's latest Pac-12 power rankings.
• Wilner predicts a 6-6 finish for the Bears and an appearance in the Fight Hunger Bowl.
• ESPN Pac-12 blog revisits its ultimate road trip and makes some minor itinerary changes.

Basketball

• Marcus Lee committed to the wrong Cal: Coach Calipari and the Kentucky Wildcats.

Golf

• The top-ranked men's team cruised to a 20(!)-stroke victory at the Alister MacKenzie Invitational.

Soccer

• Emily Kruger was named the Pac-12 Defender of the Week. The junior goalkeeper blocked six shots to preserve a shutout win over ASU.

Field Hockey

• Laura Krugel scored six goals last week and was named the NorPac Offensive Player of the Week.
• CalBears.com asks members of the women's team why they like playing their positions.