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Washington State - Cal Game Played Despite Wildfire Smoke Pollution

BERKELEY (CBS/AP) -- The game between the Washington State Cougars and California Golden Bears went ahead as planned Friday night despite poor air quality from the fires in nearby wine country.

The Pac-12 said that the conference and schools decided Friday afternoon to play the game as scheduled at 7:30 p.m. The conference said the safety of players and fans drove the decision.

Washington State v California
The Golden Bears' Vic Wharton III looks to avoid the tackle of the Cougars' Jalen Thompson during the first quarter Oct. 13, 2017. (Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)

The NCAA Sports Science Institute says it's not safe to play when the air quality index is more than 200. In Berkeley, it was 154 in the middle of the afternoon -- still considered unhealthy.

Some security guards at Memorial Stadium were wearing masks -- a defense against an airborne opponent.

Stanford says its game Saturday night against Oregon also is on as scheduled and Sunday's Raiders-Chargers game is still on in Oakland.

Smoke didn't bother the Bears: Cal's dominant defensive performance stunned the Cougars 37-3 Friday night for the Golden Bears' first win in 14 years against a top-10 team.

TM and © Copyright 2017 CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2017 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report

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