SEATTLE (AP) - This is the opposite of what No. 19 California did two years ago.

Back in 2007, the Golden Bears were on the cusp of taking over the top spot in The Associated Press Top 25 when they suffered a 31-28 loss to Oregon State. That started the Bears on a spiral of six losses in seven games, a stunning flop to conclude that season.

California appears to have learned from its past mistakes heading into its season finale on Saturday at Washington.

After dropping its first two Pac-10 Conference games this season by a combined 72-6, the Bears have rallied with five wins in their last six games to jump back into the Top 25 and assure themselves another holiday season of football.

"We stuck together, that's for sure. A lot of times you can place blame and poke fingers at each other, but we stuck together and believed, played hard every game, and some of those games were fights," California quarterback Kevin Riley said. "We've just got to continue to do that this week. ... We knew we could play better and just had to do it. We just knew we were a better team than we played those two games."

While this season finale would seem to have nothing at stake for either team, with Washington (4-7, 3-6) unable to reach bowl eligibility and the Bears' (8-3, 5-3) bowl fate a decision among mid-tier Pac-10 bowls, California does have some redemption at stake from its last trip to Seattle.

Part of the Bears' collapse in 2007 was a 37-23 drubbing at Washington where the Huskies ran for 334 yards against the Cal defense, the second-highest total produced by the Huskies ground game since 2000.

"It's been in my head since '07," Cal fullback Brian Holley said. "That loss sticks out in my mind pretty bad. It definitely will be a good chance to go back up there and redeem ourselves."

The improved play of Riley is a big reason why California didn't go through a similar slide this season. In the Bears' eight victories, Riley has a pass efficiency rating of 157.9 with 15 touchdowns and just four interceptions, leading the Cal offense with smart throws and not making mistakes.

In Cal's three losses, Riley's pass rating is 84.9 with just one touchdown and two interceptions.

But just as important as Riley has been the workload accepted by running back Shane Vereen since the scary injury to Jahvid Best against Oregon State. Best won't play again this week as he continues to recover from the severe concussion he suffered when he fell on the back of his head after scoring a touchdown against the Beavers.

In his two starts since Best's injury, Vereen has put together the two most impressive games of his career. He ran for 159 yards and a touchdown against Arizona, then followed up with an astounding 42 carries for 193 yards and three touchdowns in the 34-28 Big Game win against Stanford.

"He's the same guy. He always has great focus. He's so versatile with what he does," Cal coach Jeff Tedford said. "He can run it, he pass protects very well, he can catch it, you can put him out at receiver, he runs routes at all different levels, he has the speed to break it, so he's an excellent running back, but he hasn't changed at all just with his role being increased."

The main story line for Washington after the Huskies' 30-0 Apple Cup win over Washington State last week is the future of quarterback Jake Locker, who continues to be touted by NFL draft pundits as a potential high first-round pick if he leaves after his junior year. Locker has improved his passing dramatically in his first season under coach Steve Sarkisian, but the lack of wins has some believing Locker will return for one more shot at a bowl game.

Washington almost reached that goal this year. If the Huskies offense doesn't struggle on the goal line at Notre Dame and scores a touchdown, doesn't give up a last second 50-yard TD at Arizona State, or doesn't throw an interception while driving for a possible winning score at UCLA, then Saturday would be a shot at bowl eligibility for the Huskies.

As it stands, the finale against Cal is an opportunity to finish with more than four wins for the first time since going 6-6 in 2003. Ending Sarkisian's first year at Washington with a five-game turnaround from last year's 0-12 mockery would make the Huskies just the 11th Football Bowl Subdivision team since 1946 to win five games the year after going winless.

"It's been an up-and-down season, but I think through all of it the one thing that stays consistent is this team's attitude, this team's approach to every game," Locker said. "... I think we've gotten stronger if anything and I'm just really proud of how we've responded week in and week out even with close losses."