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Football
Two-Minute Drill: Early Look at Cal
By Brandon Castel

COLUMBUS, Ohio — When Ohio State and Cal scheduled their home-and-home series for the 2012 and ’13 season, it looked like a marquee national out-of-conference bout in the early season.

Instead, the Buckeyes are coming off a 6-7 season a year ago and the Golden Bears come to Columbus having dropped their season-opener against Nevada. Ohio State is 2-0 under new head coach Urban Meyer, but the Cal defense is feeling confident this week, despite allowing 450 yards of offense to the Wolf Pack two weeks ago.

“I feel like we're more physical than them up front,” Cal defensive end Deandre Coleman said of the Buckeyes this week.

“I really don't see them being that good or anything.”

Injury Updates

* Cal's starting OLB Chris McCain (6-6, 225, So.) was injured against Southern Utah. Likely will be limited vs. Ohio State on Sat.

* Tedford has not ruled out the possibility former PSU LB Khairi Fortt could make his Cal debut against Ohio State this week.

* Fortt, who left Penn State after the Jerry Sandusky scandal, is recovering from minor knee surgery. Seems unlikely he would be able to play much, if at all, this week. Still possible redshirt.

* Cal's starting TE Richard Rodgers (6-4, 265, So.) is also questionable this week with a foot injury.

* Cal RT Matt Summers-Gavin missed the Southern Utah game with a knee injury. Sounds doubtful against Ohio State.

Dangerous Special Teams

* Cal WR Keenan Allen scored twice last week, once on a 19-yard reception and the other a 69-yard punt return.

* Allen currently ranks fourth in the nation and first in the Pac-12 conference in punt returns (22.17 ypg).

* Allen now has 155 receptions, 1,969 yards and 12 touchdown catches in 26 games played and 22 starts in just over two seasons at Cal.

* Bears also have a dangerous kick returner in Brendan Bigelow. Ranks 2nd in the Pac-12 and 19th in the country in kick return avg this year.

Coach Tedford

* Surprisingly, Cal is 5-1 under coach Jeff Tedford in games kicking off before 12pm PT. Saturday will be a 9am PT kick.

* Cal is 13-20 against nationally-ranked teams under Jeff Tedford. They have lost six in a row.

* Cal has no Ohio players on its roster, but the Bears do have Ohio connection. WR coach Wes Chandler was with the Cleveland Browns from 2007-08.

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