California will visit Eugene today in search of its first win at Autzen Stadium since a 20-6 win in 1987. Though California leads the all-time series 36-29-2, the Bears have been outscored 86-57 in their last three trips to Oregon, including a 21-17 thriller in 2003. Previous to last season’s 28-27 loss to California in Berkeley, the Ducks had won eight of the last nine games in the series.
Oregon head coach Mike Bellotti is 6-1 against California, but is 1-1 against his former offensive coordinator and current Bears head coach Jeff Tedford.
“(Autzen Stadium) is a very difficult place to play,” Tedford said. “There are great fans there; they make it very hard on the visiting team.”
Both teams will enter Saturday’s game coming off bye weeks. Oregon, despite losing quarterback Kellen Clemens, sits at No. 15 in the Associated Press Poll, it’s highest national ranking since the 2003 season. The Ducks will also be in search of their fifth-straight win of the season, the longest streak since the 2002 season.
California is also nationally ranked at 23rd and, after starting the season 5-0, will be in search of its second-straight win after two consecutive losses. The Ducks and Bears are third and fourth, respectively, in the Pacific-10 Conference standings, setting up the crucial showdown on Saturday.
“Certainly, running the ball is going to be very, very important,” Bellotti said. “I think whoever controls the line of scrimmage is going to have the upper hand in this game.”
Demetrius Williams among national leaders
Wide receiver Demetrius Williams has hauled in 46 passes for 895 yards and eight touchdowns this season, which is good for fourth-best in the nation. His 895 yards places him eighth on Oregon’s list of most receiving yards in a season, just 40 yards short of seventh place – a mark Williams set in 2003 with 935 yards.
“Demetrius Williams is our best receiver and I think one of the best receivers in this conference, maybe in the nation,” Bellotti said. “He’s playing very well.”
Williams is also fifth in career receiving yards (2,496), career receptions (149), and career touchdown receptions at Oregon. He held a string of five consecutive games, dating back to last season’s Civil War game, with at least one touchdown catch. The streak, which tied Samie Parker and Justin Peele for second longest in school history, ended this year at Stanford.
“He continues to be a gigantic playmaker for us,” Bellotti said.
A key to Williams’ success this season has been the senior’s health. After catching 51 passes for 935 yards and eight touchdowns during his sophomore season, Williams was hampered by a nagging turf toe injury last year – a season in which he caught 47 passes for only 593 yards and two scores.
Anthony Trucks leads dominant defense
Senior strong safety Anthony Trucks continued his stellar play in Oregon’s last game, a 28-21 win against Arizona two weeks ago. Trucks recorded 2.5 sacks for a loss of 17 yards against the Wildcats, giving him the Pac-10 lead with eight sacks and 61 total tackles on the year.
He has helped anchor a defense that ranks third in the Pac-10 in total defense, yielding only 359.8 yards per game.

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