Ranking The Big Games Of The Decade: #10 2007 Big Game

by TwistNHook on Mar 30, 2010 3:00 AM PDT in All-Decade

[Over the next few months, CGB's editors will be taking a look back at the best moments in Cal sports from the past decade, particularly in football and hoops. There'll be plenty of lists ready for your weekly consumption to pass the time between spring and fall, and we'll give you the chance afterwards to submit your own lists. Then we'll figure out what Cal fans think were the best performances, players, and games of the decade.

We are taking a look at the Big Games of the 2000s. Which was the Best? Which was the Worst? Which was the 6th Best? We start off with, by far, the worst Big Game of the Decade. Don't worry, it gets better from here on in]

Head down, face down, the grass must have felt so nice, then. Considering he had spent most of the in this position, it must have felt so natural. And what's waiting a few extra moments before getting up, hoping against hope that somehow his myriad injuries would heal themselves.

As the twilight faded into sparkling night, Nate Longshore lay motionless on the ground at Stanford Stadium. He appeared to be injured beyond repair. Considering that he had been playing with bone spurs in his ankle for months now, it was not unexpected. Considering that he had been playing behind the amusement park turnstile that was his offensive line, further injury was just plain expected. If only they had left that "You Must Be This Tall To Sack The Longshore" sign at home. The talented, but inexperienced backup Kevin Riley started warming up on the side line in anticipation of spelling Nate Longshore. The fans were cheering wildly. But why? Trying to inspire Nate Longshore to his feet. No. Not even close.

They were cheering the newest injury. Cheering the thought that Longshore would be gone. Cheering the thought that Riley would come in. Even though the last time he played a down (emphasis on the word down), people had cursed his name like he owed them money.

Much to the frustration of the freezing cold Cal fans in the upper region of the erector set known as Stanford Stadium, Longshore stood up. Despite those frantically and sarcastically cheering for his exit, he proceeded to throw the game-tying TD pass. Twice. Both of which were promptly dropped. Then, right on time, came the Back Breaking, Soul Crushing Nate Longshore 4th Quarter Game Losing Interception (TM, All Rights Reserved). The sort of back breaking, soul crushing interception you could set your watch to. You knew it was coming, each and every game.

And they always say that the Big Games are special.

In the story of the 2007 Big Game, what jumps out is the total ridiculousness of the loss. The only loss of the Tedford era to Stanford. With one of the most talented Cal teams (on paper) in the Tedford era. The season, which started like a modern day fairy tale, had turned into a Dickensian hellscape well before the Big Game. The Big Game was the last chance to salvage the seemingly lost season. Finally, those new Cal fans from 2002 on could experience the glory of the old saw "Even if Cal only wins the Big Game in a season, it'd be a successful season." Cal fans were hoping to put that theory to the test.

Looking at the 2007 Cal team, it seemed like the modern day update to a classic Dickensian turn of phrase:

Fog everywhere. Fog in the canyon, where it flows among green aits and meadows; fog down the canyon, where it rolls defiled among the tiers of protest and the waterside pollutions of a great (and dirty) city. Fog on the People's Park marshes, fog on the Tilden heights. Fog creeping into the cabooses of offensive linemen; fog lying out on the yards and hovering in the rigging of tree houses; fog drooping on the hulls of stalled construction equipment. Fog in the eyes and throats of veteran football players, wheezing by the shaped iron of their gym; fog in the stem and bowl of the afternoon pipe of the wrathful skipper, down in his Memorial Stadium office. Chance people on the West Side peeping over the parapets into a nether sky of fog, with fog all round them, as if they were up in a balloon and hanging in the misty clouds.

The 2007 team was one that by mid-season seemed covered in a fog, perhaps of their own doing. It started with such promise. Momentum from the Holiday Bowl Winning Season of 2006. The high point of the Tedford era, to date. A revenge match against SEC super power Tennessee. Back cracking hits by Zack Follett. Streaking receptions by any number of talented receivers. An Exclamation Point to the start a season that looked to be an Exclamation Point itself. Top of the morning TO CAL!

A few simple victories over weaker teams led to the match up against Oregon. In Oregon. A tough road team for Cal to face. One of the strongest criticisms of Coach Tedford had been (has been) that his teams cannot succeed on the road. That they lose to weaker competition on the road for whatever reason.

Thus, the stunning and epic victory over the hated Ducks in 2007 seemed to mark a sea change in this team. Finally, Cal had passed the test. Perhaps things were different. Perhaps this was the year. It was, ultimately, a Pyrrhic victory. Near the end of the game, an unfortunate hit on Nate Longshore led to an ankle injury that would completely alter the trajectory of not only his collegiate career, but also the 2007 season, the 2008 season, Longshore's potential NFL career, and even the way people viewed Coach Tedford himself. Could one moment encapsulate so much?

At that time, though, we did not know all that. We just knew that on national television, DeSean Jackson had just made his star brighter, Coach Tedford had just vanquished another set of demons, and anything seemed possible.

Then, the fog. That damnable fog. I'll spare you the unimaginably brutal details of the post-Oregon game slide. Needless to say, only a 3 point victory over a hapless Washington State team by our, in theory, hap-full Golden Bears kept Cal from being on a rather lengthy losing streak heading into the Big Game in 2007. Things had gotten so bad behind the scenes that for reason not clearly enunciated, several key players, such as DeSean Jackson were not playing in the Big Game. Injuries were claimed, but all seemed dubious.

But, it was OK, though. Even without DeSean Jackson, we'd beat Stanford. That's just what Tedford teams do. They beat Stanford. Even in 2005, the last time our team seemed imperfect, Cal had dispatched Stanford behind the beer stein smashing leadership of one Steve Levy.

Which is why it came as quite the shock when Stanford near immediately jumped out to a 7-0 lead. The hero of the Stanford-USC upset earlier that year, Mark Bradford caught a TD pass from T.C. Ostrander just a few minutes into the first quarter. For a Cal team that wanted to prove it hadn't quit yet, this was a ominous omen, indeed.

Fortunately, Cal rebounded going 91 yards in 7 plays, culminating in this:

    07:20 CAL - Jordan, Robert 46 yd pass from Longshore, Nate (Kay, Jordan kick)
                                                 7 plays, 91 yards, TOP 3:24, CAL 7 - STAN 7

Tied up! And pretty much the sole highlight of the day for Cal.

Avinash: I think the first ominous sign was when Longshore was sacked and fumbled the ball on Cal's first possession. It set the tone for the ugliest offensive game of the Tedford era up to that point. No flow. No rhythm. No continuity. Kind of like the Farm's marching band. In between our second offensive score (a Kay FG) and our third, our possessions went like this:

FG miss, punt, punt, punt, punt, punt, INT. All five punts were three and out by the way. We might as well have been the Baylor Bears during the stretch. Longshore passed the ball 13 of those 18 plays on the final six drives. The result? 2 completions, 9 incompletions, 1 interception, 1 sack. Excuse me for my voice, because I'm trying to hold down the puke. It was the absolute low of Nate's time at Cal.

TwistNHook: Cal and Stanford traded field goals for the next few quarters. The high point was when Cal was again tied up 10-10 with Stanford. Yes, Cal never led. But at two points they were tied with the 4-8 Stanford team that had lost 4 games heading into the 2007 Big Game. So, bully for us!

That first TD strike a handful of minutes into the first quarter was, ultimately, the only TD scored that day by Cal. They did get another field goal to score 13 solid points. Not enough.

Avinash: He did manage to rally us at the end though, when our team seemed at the point of unraveling. Two drives that brought us into red zone territory in the 4th quarter, the first one leading to a field goal that made it a touchdown game. Follett made a huge assist when he stripped Stewart of the ball and set up that final, fateful drive. Longshore made two huge throws to Jordan, one on 4th and short, that put us into range of winning.

And then came the drops.

You know how you're watching a movie with good guys versus evil stuff, and you subconsciously pick characters you hope that live, and when they fall, you get really, really sad? Well, Hawk was the ultimate good guy. He made huge plays against Oregon State and USC to keep us in it. He picked up the slack when secondaries began double teaming Desean with impunity. And we thought he'd have one final storybook finish in this season of pain.

Longshore runs a fade...finds Hawk wide open for the tying score...hits his facemask and drops to the ground.

Longshore runs the same play, throws it a little higher so Lavelle can get a better look at it...harder catch to make, but still catchable...squirts through his fingers.

It was tragic. That it happened to one of our truest Blues too made it even more depressing. Lavelle was crying after the game and apologizing about how he'd let everyone down. It was the nadir of a 2007 season that had already gone through low after low.

We almost didn't need to see the next play. We'd already seen that script before.

TwistNHook: Looking at the stats shows how close this game was. Cal actually outgained Stanford by 44 yards.

                                  CAL     STAN

FIRST DOWNS...................       17       20
  Rushing.....................        6        5
  Passing.....................       11       11
  Penalty.....................        0        4
NET YARDS RUSHING.............      108      120
  Rushing Attempts............       24       39
  Average Per Rush............      4.5      3.1
  Rushing Touchdowns..........        0        0
  Yards Gained Rushing........      141      135
  Yards Lost Rushing..........       33       15
NET YARDS PASSING.............      252      196
  Completions-Attempts-Int....  22-47-2  21-33-1
  Average Per Attempt.........      5.4      5.9
  Average Per Completion......     11.5      9.3
  Passing Touchdowns..........        1        2
TOTAL OFFENSE YARDS...........      360      316

Cal had a solid, if unspectacular, day out of Justin Forsett:

Rushing              No Gain Loss  Net TD Lg  Avg
-------------------------------------------------
Forsett, Justin      19  109   13   96  0 21  5.1

Unfortunately, it was the two costly turnovers by Nate Longshore (including the one at the tail end of the game) and the poor completion percentage (46.8%) that did Cal in.

Passing              Att-Cmp-Int Yds TD Long Sack
-------------------------------------------------
Longshore, Nate        47-22-2   252  1   46    2

The 2007 Big Game was a game that turned on a few key plays. Cal had its chances to at least tie up the game and, perhaps, win in OT. Cal had its opportunities, but just seemed to not care. An offense that had torn a Tennessee team that would go 6-2 in the SEC apart was impotent against the Stanford D. Cal scored 1 TD and a smattering of field goals against a D that had given up 47 to UCLA, 55 to Oregon, 41 to Arizona State, and 33 to that same hap-free WSU team. It was truly stunning and, to this day, still somewhat unexplained.

Best part of the game?

Don't worry, it only gets better from here. We'll take a look at the other 2 Cal losses of this decade (Holmoe's last 2 years in 2000 and 2001) and then start the discussion in earnest with the 7 wins. I predict the discussion surrounding the #1 team will be quite spirited.

After the disastrous decade that was the 90s for Cal, even given the epic pain that was the 2007 Big Game, I think we can all agree that this series will be a joy to go through. Unless I write all the rest of these posts in the same stilted and overwrought purple prose that I used for this post. Which I will. GO BEARS!

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An offense that had torn a Tennessee team that would go 6-2 in the SEC apart

The English language called, and asked that you quit raping it.

Costs STILL assessed against Twist

by CALumbus Bear on Mar 30, 2010 9:02 AM PDT reply actions

Slightly more serious and less douchebaggy comment:
Couldn’t agree more, though, that this was the worst Big Game of the decade. I wonder if stanfurd would rank this as their second fave (behind 2000), and if they would rank 2009 as their worst. Let’s ask their sports blog… oh, no, wait.

Costs STILL assessed against Twist

by CALumbus Bear on Mar 30, 2010 9:33 AM PDT up reply actions

Can we just do a top 7?

Things to Remember: Girls usually don't like it when you yell out "Beast Mode!" when switching to doggy style. - TFLN

by CruzinBears on Mar 30, 2010 9:34 AM PDT reply actions

The next two losses are not quite as painful. Well, 2000 is pretty painful, but I don’t think anywhere quite on the level.

CGB's Jimmy Carter

www.CaliforniaGoldenBlogs.com

by TwistNHook on Mar 30, 2010 9:39 AM PDT up reply actions

So you are saying you’re going to combine them in a fan post and publish them some where over here -———>
So no one has to revisit those losses, and we can move on to happy times of Tedford domination again?
Perfect, thanks!

Things to Remember: Girls usually don't like it when you yell out "Beast Mode!" when switching to doggy style. - TFLN

by CruzinBears on Mar 30, 2010 9:46 AM PDT up reply actions

No, we have them coming up soon.

CGB's Jimmy Carter

www.CaliforniaGoldenBlogs.com

by TwistNHook on Mar 30, 2010 9:52 AM PDT up reply actions

rats…

Things to Remember: Girls usually don't like it when you yell out "Beast Mode!" when switching to doggy style. - TFLN

by CruzinBears on Mar 30, 2010 10:16 AM PDT up reply actions

Flag’d for making me cry.

"We lose to Stanford in many sports, but if you want to make a Cal team quit, bring a weapon."
--Coach Clark

by carp on Mar 30, 2010 10:05 AM PDT reply actions

Playing ~~stanfurd~~ devil’s advocate:
07 made us enjoy 09 that much more

Costs STILL assessed against Twist

by CALumbus Bear on Mar 30, 2010 10:10 AM PDT up reply actions

The 90’s already took care of that need in my life… I don’t think we should ever lose the Big Game, ever again, its our axe anyways…

Things to Remember: Girls usually don't like it when you yell out "Beast Mode!" when switching to doggy style. - TFLN

by CruzinBears on Mar 30, 2010 10:16 AM PDT up reply actions

True, those of us who lived through the 90’s will always enjoy a furd beatdown in the Big Game, while other, more spoiled Cal fans might get bored and think an SC win is a million times more enjoyable.

Costs STILL assessed against Twist

by CALumbus Bear on Mar 30, 2010 10:18 AM PDT up reply actions 2 recs

other, more spoiled Cal fans

I assume you mean the Tedford generation here. As for me, I’m old enough to still be giddy over wins against ucla. I can’t even imagine the complete delirium I’d have if we beat all three in the same season. But it would be nice to find out next year.

Careful, man. There's a beverage here!

by SoCal Oski on Mar 30, 2010 10:45 AM PDT up reply actions

Indeed. I still recall sitting at Cafe Strada before a game in 08 where some asshat was giving me the “fire Tedford, he sux, can’t win the big game/national championship” spiel. I tried to impart context on this misguided soul.

Costs STILL assessed against Twist

by CALumbus Bear on Mar 30, 2010 10:52 AM PDT up reply actions

By “context,” you mean a 2×4, and “soul” = face, I hope.

by Kodiak on Mar 30, 2010 11:26 AM PDT up reply actions

Shhhhhh this is when JuJu gets his most rest out of the whole year… don’t awaken him early or he’ll begin to seek vengeance on our off seasons…

Things to Remember: Girls usually don't like it when you yell out "Beast Mode!" when switching to doggy style. - TFLN

by CruzinBears on Mar 30, 2010 10:52 AM PDT up reply actions

I was there and got taunted by Furd players

It was a miserable day

In other words, Go Bears!

by royrules22 on Mar 30, 2010 11:12 AM PDT reply actions

Where did “novelist Twist” come from?

by paleodan on Mar 30, 2010 12:52 PM PDT via mobile reply actions

Not being “moderator Twst” anymore helps.

CGB's Jimmy Carter

www.CaliforniaGoldenBlogs.com

by TwistNHook on Mar 30, 2010 2:24 PM PDT up reply actions

I agree 100%, worst loss of the decade, no doubt. Inexcusable. Baffling. Sad.

Am I known as Cugel the Clever for nothing?

by Cugel on Mar 30, 2010 1:02 PM PDT reply actions

Well written...thanks Twist

You’re getting me fired up and ready to go…sheesh even giving serious thought to going to the Spring Game thing on the 17th….back to the 07 big game, it was neither..rather the sad ineveitable culmination of that wierd sad year…no mas

"It's on the ROOF, oh yeah, one hundred PROOF, oh yeah....."

by TKE Prytanis 79 on Mar 30, 2010 1:04 PM PDT reply actions

Near the end of the game, a brutal sack on Nate Longshore led to an ankle injury that would completely alter the trajectory of not only his collegiate career, but also the 2007 season, the 2008 season, Longshore’s potential NFL career, and even the way people viewed Coach Tedford himself. Could one moment encapsulate so much?

Correction: Nate was not sacked on the play, but instead had a Duck defender roll into his leg late, after the pass was gone.

by sycasey on Mar 30, 2010 1:40 PM PDT reply actions

Thanks for the correction, sycasey.

CGB's Jimmy Carter

www.CaliforniaGoldenBlogs.com

by TwistNHook on Mar 30, 2010 1:40 PM PDT up reply actions

Nice. There weren’t any other games after that Oregon one, right?

by sycasey on Mar 31, 2010 5:05 PM PDT up reply actions

Not that I’m aware of.

CGB's Jimmy Carter

www.CaliforniaGoldenBlogs.com

by TwistNHook on Mar 31, 2010 5:11 PM PDT up reply actions

I remember being in the stands and cheering for Riley.

Longshore heard us, and got up quickly. DAMN YOUR INSURMOUNTABLE DRIVE AND HARDHEADEDNESS.

no cal bear? no care

by EchoOfSilence on Mar 30, 2010 2:17 PM PDT reply actions

Well done,

But I can’t say I enjoyed reading it. It did make my first Big Game (2008) amazing to be at. There was a lot of hatred in the air.

by mgumpert on Mar 30, 2010 3:03 PM PDT reply actions

Dickens must have written about the 2007 season more than once, because I found another quote:

It was the worst of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of foolishness, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Darkness, it was the season of Darkness, it was the winter of despair, it was the winter of despair, we had nothing before us, we had nothing before us . . .

Exit, Pursued By A Bear

by CalBear81 on Mar 30, 2010 4:03 PM PDT reply actions

sounds like Timmy and Tommy from the Sandlot were writing about the 2007 season too…

“The colossus of clout” “the colossus of clout!”

Things to Remember: Girls usually don't like it when you yell out "Beast Mode!" when switching to doggy style. - TFLN

by CruzinBears on Mar 30, 2010 4:23 PM PDT up reply actions

This game still gets me aggravated every time I think back to this horrendous day. The first Big Game at the cheap new furd stadium, a glorified high school field.

I’ll never forget being there that day with my fiance sitting next to a man (class of 1938) and his daughter (class of 1959). I kept thinking how amazing it was for this guy to be out there when he is at least 90 years old. He was in good shape too for his age, having climbed many stairs just to reach that first row in the upper deck.

Nate Longshore had a horrendous game. Everyone could see that something just wasn’t right with him. Everyone but Tedford, that is. Usually the older fans aren’t excessively reactionary, but on that day even a fan who had witnessed Cal’s last Rose Bowl victory (in 1938!) and over 70 seasons of Cal Football was visibly upset with Tedford’s decision to keep Longshore in the game. I think this was the game when Tedford lost his wonder coach status with most of us. I think as bad as this game (and season) was, it forced some changes which have been beneficial.

That dropped pass by Lavelle Hawkins still hurts though. Right in the corner where we were sitting.

California Football. At home in Strawberry Canyon since 1923.

by CaliforniaEternal on Mar 30, 2010 4:08 PM PDT reply actions

As awful as we played, we were a Lavelle Hawkins dropped pass away from tying the game in the 4th quarter.

Gawd, stanfurd sucked in 2007. What an utterly embarrassing defeat.

I am a Vereenian.

by Ohio Bear on Mar 31, 2010 8:47 PM PDT up reply actions

I get a job, I buy a new iPod because the one I had was a broken down POS, I am in one of the better moods in a long while and I come home to read this.

wtf guys

"Today's weather, excessively violent with a chance of dismemberment. Tune in later for our 5-day forecast!"
~ Three Dog - Fallout 3

by Swamphunter on Mar 30, 2010 6:12 PM PDT reply actions

Hey, we have to be intellectually honest in ranking the games. If we are going to include 2002, we have to include 2007!

CGB's Jimmy Carter

www.CaliforniaGoldenBlogs.com

by TwistNHook on Mar 30, 2010 7:01 PM PDT up reply actions

Okay, fiiiiine~

It’s just… why go there at all. :-(

"Today's weather, excessively violent with a chance of dismemberment. Tune in later for our 5-day forecast!"
~ Three Dog - Fallout 3

by Swamphunter on Mar 30, 2010 8:49 PM PDT up reply actions

It’s a Big Game. In the 2000s.

CGB's Jimmy Carter

www.CaliforniaGoldenBlogs.com

by TwistNHook on Mar 30, 2010 8:56 PM PDT up reply actions

I flagged this article with an enthusiaism unknown to mankind!

by LeonPowe on Mar 31, 2010 12:29 AM PDT up reply actions

That was a pretty good half time show.

by CaliforniaBone on Mar 31, 2010 12:45 AM PDT reply actions

Flagged

For not combining the stanfurd Big Game victories of the decade into just one post so we don’t have to relive them on three separate days.

The 2007 game was a craptastic crapfest craptacular.

I am a Vereenian.

by Ohio Bear on Mar 31, 2010 8:45 PM PDT reply actions

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