Rankin carries Huskies over Bears

No Jake Locker meant more Louis Rankin for Washington.

And that caused more misery for free-falling California.

Rankin ran 21 times for 224 yards and a touchdown in less than three quarters as the Huskies shook off not having their dynamic quarterback and team leader to upset the Golden Bears, 37-23, on Saturday at Seattle. It was Cal’s fifth loss in six games.

Rankin’s second 200-yard day in three weeks for Washington (4-7, 2-6) made moot an ineffective day for backup quarterback Carl Bonnell. Locker, the exciting redshirt freshman who sprained his neck in a scary scene the previous week at Oregon State, apparently will return to start next week’s Apple Cup against Washington State.

“Jake will be ready next week,” offensive coordinator Tim Lappano said.

One week after USC rolled to 239 yards rushing against the Bears, Washington totaled 334. Even Rankin’s backup, freshman Brandon Johnson, gained 121 yards in 23 carries.

Justin Forsett ran for 141 yards for the Bears (6-5, 3-5), who got screamed at by Coach Jeff Tedford in the locker room afterward.

“It’s not hard to tell that we didn’t deserve to win today,” said Cal receiver Robert Jordan, who added his team currently lacks confidence. “What he’s saying is right.”

Since Oct. 13, Cal has dropped from No. 2 in the country with realistic hopes for the Bowl Championship Series title game to seventh in the Pac-10, clinging to one of the conference’s final spots in a minor bowl.

This is Cal’s worst stretch since it lost its first 10 games in 2001. That got coach Tom Holmoe fired and brought Tedford to Berkeley.

“It’s just baffling,” quarterback Nate Longshore said of the losing, adding the Bears are merely “trying not to let the wheels fall completely off” before the Big Game at Stanford Dec. 1.

Oregon State 52, Washington State 17 -- Yvenson Bernard ran for two touchdowns and the Beavers (7-4, 5-3) came up with seven interceptions in a rout of the Cougars (4-7, 2-6) at Pullman, Wash.

Lyle Moevao, James Rodgers, Clinton Polk and Matt Sieverson also ran for scores as Oregon State assured itself of a bowl game.

The Beavers came into the game with the best run defense in the nation at 62.1 yards a game. Washington State tried to let quarterback Alex Brink carry the offense, but he was intercepted six times, five in the first half. Backup Gary Rogers also threw an interception.

The Beavers came one interception short of a school record.

Making the best of his second career start, Moevao completed 15 of 28 for 202 yards, and threw for another touchdown.