You can only make so many mistakes.

Cal found that out the hard way at home for homecoming, struggling on the offensive line with injuries ravaging the front. Devon Modster missed a handful of throws. The Bears had defensive lapses at the wrong time, including a 20 yard run by Artavis Pierce on a late 3rd and 10. Greg Thomas missed a field goal. Modster got injured. Spencer Brasch had a pass tipped for a game killing interception. Cal couldn't get a 4th and 1 stop on a Jake Luton QB sneak. Brasch took a sack on the final drive. The list goes on.

All that adds up to is a 21-17 loss to Oregon State, spiking the Bears to 4-3 and leaving Cal with all kinds of questions heading to Utah in a week.

Cal's offense struggled in the first half, having four opportunities inside the Oregon State 40 and coming away with all of three points, including the missed 39 yard field goal by Thomas, who hit the ball off the right upright.

Oregon State sustained three drives throughout the game where they scored, as Justin Wilcox pointed to those three drives as to the final score.

"We played poor on three drives (on defense), and that cost us big time," Wilcox said.

That's not all of it, as the Bears allowed nine sacks to a team that had a grand total of 12 all year. Most of their rushing yardage came on scrambles by Modster, as he had a career high in rushing, with 76 yards (a 37 yard run being the Bears' longest run of the year).

Wilcox noted that the Bears were in a 'Bear' defense, covering every gap on the final pivotal 3rd and 10, one where they had a chance to make a stop. They didn't, Pierce busted free for 20 yards, and it gave OSU their shot.

A Handful of Notes:

- Jordan Duncan hauled in a 33 yard touchdown pass to put the Bears ahead 17-14 in the third quarter. Duncan's catch was his second touchdown reception of the year, the second touchdown by Modster, and it was the first time where the Bears were able to make the Oregon State defense pay for sending as much pressure as they did

- By playing Spencer Brasch, Cal has now played 6 different QBs over the last 20 games, some of that due to injury.

- This was only the second game all year where Cal played five guys on the offensive line the whole game.

- Cal scored 14 points in the 3rd quarter after being held to a field goal in the first. They allowed a season high in tackles for loss, with 14.

- Non-QB runs: 22 carries, 50 yards, 1 TD. Just over 2 yards per carry.

- At this point, there have to be some questions about what needs doing on offense. This was 14th consecutive game where the Cal defense held a team to under 24 points. Execution on offense was poor. There were missed blocks, missed holes in the run game, and just a handful of issues. At the end of the day, that comes back to coaching.