2006 Cal vs Texas A&M: 7th Best Non Big Game of the 2000s
by norcalnick on Jul 16, 2010 3:00 AM PDT
in All-Decade
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[We are ranking the best non Big Games of the 2000s. So far, we have #10 - Baylor, 2002, #9 - Washington, 2006, #8 - Michigan St. 2002]
I think just about every true Cal fan dreaded this game. The similarities to 2004 were just too obvious. Cal was again the 2nd best team in the Pac-10. Again they had lost a close, tough game to USC. Again, they would be facing a Big 12 also ran from the state of Texas. Again, only pride would be on the line in a game with no real national implications.
And for one drive, those fears seemed justified as a horrible sense of déjà vu washed over the Cal faithful. Texas A&M’s option attack badly gashed Cal as the Aggies scored the opening touchdown on a drive that looked disturbingly easy:
Goodson, Mike rush for 19 yards to the CAL42 (Bishop, Desmond).
McGee, Stephen pass complete to Riley, L'Tyd. for 12 yards to the CAL30 (Hampton, B.).
McGee, Stephen rush for 5 yards to the CAL25, PENALTY TA holding 10 yards to the CAL35.
Lane, Jorvorski rush for 9 yards to the CAL26 (Pimentel, M.;Hicks, Bernard).
Goodson, Mike rush for 7 yards to the CAL19 (Hughes, D.).
McGee, Stephen pass complete to Schroeder, Chad for 19 yards to the CAL0, TOUCHDOWN
19 yard run. 12 yard pass. 9 yard fun. 7 yard run. 19 yard pass. It was disturbingly easy. Each of A&M's 'three headed option monster' got in on the action. Cal was getting fooled by the pass, fooled by the option, and it didn't look like they were anywhere close to solving the A&M riddle.
So what transpired the rest of the way in the Holiday Bowl was one of the most pleasant surprises I’ve ever gotten in the Tedford era. There would be no repeats of the Texas Tech massacre. The 45-10 final score was an accurate representation of the beat down Cal game the Aggies. Marshawn Lynch and Justin Forsett ran wild. Nate Longshore found his trio of speedy wide receivers with frequency and accuracy. Desmond Bishop, Daymeion Hughes and Mickey Pimentel finished their Cal careers by leading a dominating, hard hitting performance against an offense rarely on the wrong side of a physical domination.
The matchup was interesting beyond football Xs and Os. You will be hard pressed to find two schools with more philosophical and cultural differences. Of course, none of this has any bearing on the football field, but it would have been depressing to lose to the Aggies and have to hear about how much softer West Coast football is than Big 12, Texas football for another long off-season. If nothing else, Cal fans should fondly remember the 2006 Bears for authoring comprehensive defeats of two prominent members of conferences that take their football just a tad too seriously at times.
Warning: Video contains both bad music and NSFW lyrics. But it DOES contain massive amounts of Marshawn, Justin and Desmond awesomeness. Gotta take the good with the bad
And Cal didn't beat A&M with sort of west coast, Pac-10 stereotype strategy. This was not a pass-happy, no-defense all-offense shoot-out. Cal ran the ball 32 times and passed the ball 24 times. Only one passing play went for longer than 28 yard, and none longer than 43. They gained 78 more yards on the ground in 6 less attempts and averaged 3.2 yards per attempt more. And after that first drive the defense stiffened and made every big hit and every big play. including three 4th down stops. HydroTech broke it down way better than I can:
For the final part of this analysis, I would like to talk about the common misconception that with Dunbar we abandoned our "smash mouth", and "physical" style of play for a finesse offense. Frankly, I hate hearing stuff like that said because it’s about as true as the whole "SEC owns the Pac-10" cattle excrement that we hear all the time.
The game didn't actually become a blowout until Cal scored on their first two offensive possessions of the 3rd quarter to expand a slim 14-10 halftime lead into a 28-10. Texas A&M wasn't a team built to come from behind, and Cal cruised in the 4th quarter, highlighted by some Steve Levy shenanigans as the Bears scored a late, not-approved-by-Tedford touchdown. But by this point everybody was too happy to care.
As for players of the game? That's a tough one. Nate Longshore had a quietly efficient night, spreading 19 completions to 8 different receivers. Desmond Bishop totaled 12 tackles and perhaps swung the game emotionally with a number of huge hits on Aggie QB Stephen McGee. And Marshawn Lynch metaphorically passed the running back torch to Justin Forsett as the duo gained 111 and 124 yards respectively. Forsett's yards came late in the game against a defense that was already tired and battered from trying to tackle a relentless Lynch.
Marshawn cares not for your attempt at 'tackling.'
In many ways, 2006 was a simpler time. A time before Marshawn Lynch had been arrested on multiple occasions. We sometimes forget how incredibly popular Beast Mode was back then. The Holiday Bowl would turn out to be his swan song in blue and gold, as most of us assumed at the time. He left us with many great memories, and he went out as only he could: Ghost Ridin' into the sunset:
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Strange
I didn’t dread this game at all. We lost to Tech mostly because of the Red Raider offense, which A&M was never close to reproducing. Even though the Aggies had some good skill-position players the offensive scheme was something I felt sure the Bears could handle. Further, we lost to Tech because we had runners and we refused to run them. I never thought for a minute that the coaches would be out of their league in this one, so nope - no dread here.
I dreaded it, mostly because of the way the offense had sleepwalked through late-season games against bad teams like Arizona and Stanford, and though the USC loss was not embarrassing, our offense hadn’t done much in that one either. To then come out and run up 45 points on what had been considered a pretty good defensive team was a very pleasant surprise.
Agreed
I can’t say I dreaded this game either. The only element I was worried about was Javorskie Lane. That guy was a 280 pound running wall. I wasn’t sure that our D would be able to contain the inside run and would then get burned on the outside (as we had many times that season—I know people love DeCoud but he muffed so many goddam run assignments I was happy to see him leave—but he does get props for that killer block that setoff a DJax punt). Anyways I digress. I was worried about Lane. And I remember the announcers were really high on him too. He was the star of the bowl game before Cal’s first possession.
Then Cal’s D laid the hammer. I don’t think I’ve been more pleased by a defensive effort (including the hit squad years). The pounding they gave all those A&M players was just brutal. I was hoping it would have been the start of a new era of Cal football, hard nose never give up style. Unfortunately all those dreams were dashed in a horrific 2007 Titantic-like disaster.
by PlayClassyBears on Jul 16, 2010 9:54 AM PDT up reply actions
Not right
I have to see this awesomeness? How the hell am I going to survive the next 7 weeks?
What a game… I blame Mr. J. Daniels for my lack of comprehensive memory of the in person affair, but the highlights were great!
Anyone know if there is a video of the very end of the game? I had a friend try and rush the field… unsuccessfully… he may or may not have hung out at a correctional facility that evening as a result…
"Remember the Maine! TO HELL WITH STANFORD!"
Javorskie Lane
Yes I remember hearing so much about how big he was. Then he got the ball and instead of lowering his shoulder for the 1st down against our safety he cut left and tried to get the corner. Cost A&M a 1st down and revealed that the fat man didn’t want to get hit.
The national media was killing Cal before this game and I agree it was our best defensive effort in a long while. Desmond Bishop personally beat the snot out of McGee who looked physically and mentally beaten by the end of the game.
Side Story on the 2006 Holiday Bowl
The 2006 Holiday Bowl is a game I will remember 20 years from now because of the last 28 seconds of that game.
Cal TD 0:28 BRYAN SCHUTTE 3 YD RUN (TOM SCHNEIDER KICK)
Drive info: 3 plays, 5 yards.
Some of you might remember this because, if you remember watching the replay, it was the only time I had seen Tedford actually get pure emotionally angry on the sideline during the game. (It would happen again, though, during Oregon State 2007) Tedford was apparently calling in for Steve Levy to take a knee to end the game at 38-10 after Sean Young picked off an A&M pass with about two minutes to play. Levy refused to kneel, got sacked on the first play, then handed off twice to get to the end zone and bump the score to 45-10. In fact, there had been some talk at the time about whether this was unsportsmanlike and if people should be punished for running up the score.
I remember this moment because I played high school football with Schutte. Schutte got admitted to Cal and then walked on to the football team. He only played in one other game that year – Portland State – in which he made an absolutely ridiculous catch. I’m pretty sure this was his last time on a football field in a Cal uniform. But, with thirty-eight seconds left, Cal Football got personal again – a guy who worked his ass off to even get his name on the jersey got a trip to the end zone.
For the first time, Cal Football wasn’t just a minor obsession – it became personal to me. In the stands, my sister and I were pretty much the only people screaming like maniacs after that touchdown, and I’m pretty sure we looked like complete idiots to everyone around us. And maybe they felt like the TD was in poor taste, too. But, for me, it was one of my favorite Cal Football memories.
Was Tedford angry at Schutte or just Levy? I could see him being angry at Levy for not following his orders, but perhaps Schutte was just following Levy’s order?
CGB's Jimmy Carter
www.CaliforniaGoldenBlogs.com
I'm guessing he was angry at Levy
Read my Cal blog: http://since59.blogspot.com/ Go Bears!
Ryan Verdugo, my adopted son, is back on the "Alex Hinshaw lefty" career plan.
When the game was over, you could also tell that Tedford was apologizing to A&M coach Dennis Franchione when the two met to shake hands. Also clear was that Franchione was telling Tedford it was cool, no big deal.
Yes, I am an Old Blue. Now get off my lawn.
If not for Tedford yelling at Levy on the sidelines, I wouldn’t have even thought that Schutte’s TD was running up the score. I mean, it was the 3rd team offense, handing it to the fullback up the middle. It’s not like we were throwing bombs like Pete Carroll did to UCLA. That was probably Franchione’s feeling too.
Well, yes. But I never thought running basic plays with the 3rd team was a breach of sportsmanship, even after the game was well in hand.
Point shaving, son
You can go to jail for that shit. Why take a chance?
SWEEP THE LEG!
"Well, if that ain't a show, I'll kiss your ass." - Gov. Jim Folsom Sr. (D-AL), 1948-52
Great write-up, norcalnick.
I enjoyed this game because we took a supposedly more physical team and beat the living crap out of them. For all the pre-game hype, “J-Train” Lane was a non-factor.
Irate Toothmonger - Will get all up in your business for food
I loved that touchdown because it was pure Steve Levy, a guy who shoulda played about three games earlier than he did when Ayoob was killing us. BTW, I actually liked the guy who used to put those Cal vids together. Whatever happened to him?
by BlackandOldGold on Jul 16, 2010 2:42 PM PDT reply actions
Cool post
We were there with the whole family… 3 generations in the RV…cultural dfferences were mentioned… Sheesh, most of their student section was in military uniform … We should have recruited themfor help with the tree sitters …. Great game, great post
"It's on the ROOF, oh yeah, one hundred PROOF, oh yeah....."
by TKE Prytanis 79 on Jul 16, 2010 5:48 PM PDT via mobile reply actions
This was a satisfying win
All signs seemed to point A&M’s way in this one. As I recall, A&M had defeated Texas in the final game of the season and were ranked pretty close to us in the top 25. A&M had momentum. On the other hand, Cal had lost 2 of its last 3, with the one win — the Big Game — a lackluster performance. The fan atmosphere, whatever that’s worth, was a very confident Texas A&M fanbase and a pessimistic Cal fanbase (at least that’s what it felt like at Bear Insider, or whatever it was called back then, which was where I spent most of my Cal fan time).
Then the game started, and it looked like we were going to get worked. We go 3 and out and punt; Texas A&M scores on its first possession REALLY easy and we’re down 7-0 just like that. I won’t lie: I feared it would be a Texas Tech redux.
But then, the tide turned. Oh boy, did it turn. On the ensuing possession, we did this:
C 1-10 C20 CALIFORNIA drive start at 11:13 (1st).
C 1-10 C20 Longshore, Nate pass complete to Ta’ufo’ou, Will for 9 yards to the
CAL29 (Gregg, Devin).
C 2-1 C29 Lynch, Marshawn rush for 5 yards to the CAL34, 1ST DOWN CAL
(Bullitt, Melvin), PENALTY TA offside declined.
C 1-10 C34 Longshore, Nate pass complete to Jackson, DeSean for 11 yards to the
CAL45, 1ST DOWN CAL (Gorrer, Danny;Dodge, Mark).
C 1-10 C45 Lynch, Marshawn rush for 4 yards to the CAL49 (Harrington, C.).
C 2-6 C49 Longshore, Nate pass complete to Hawkins, L. for 14 yards to the TA37,
1ST DOWN CAL (Dodge, Mark;Warren, Justin).
C 1-10 T37 Longshore, Nate pass complete to Jordan, Robert for 10 yards to the
TA27, 1ST DOWN CAL (Peterson, Jord.).
C 1-10 T27 Longshore, Nate pass complete to Stevens, Craig for 26 yards to the TA1,
1ST DOWN CAL (Newton, Brock).
C 1-G T01 Longshore, Nate rush for 1 yard to the TA0, TOUCHDOWN, clock 07:52.
Schneider, Tom kick attempt good.
=====
TEXAS A&M 7, CALIFORNIA 7
=====
-—————— 8 plays, 80 yards, TOP 03:21-——————
And we kind of took off from there. We moved te ball well for the rest of the 1st half, but only had a 14-10 lead to show for it. (Nate threw an INT on one drive and then Schneider missed a FG right before the half ended.) But then on its first drive of the 2nd half, Texas A&M helped us out with a 0 yard punt. We took that field position gift, coverted it into a Beast Mode TD, and then the rout was pretty much on.
For those who think Coach Tedford has gotten more conservative over the years and not gone for the throat enough, I will perhaps add fuel to the fire by mentioning this. But this was a signature moment in the game and one that brought a huge smile to my face. The score was 21-10 Cal, late 3rd quarter, when we began a drive on our own 28. We went on one of those long, sustained, spirit-killing drives. We moved all the way down to the red zone, where this ensued:
C 1-10 T13 Longshore, Nate pass complete to Lynch, Marshawn for 5 yards to the TA8
(Reed, Bryce;Dodge, Mark).
C 2-5 T08 Lynch, Marshawn rush for 3 yards to the TA5 (Bennett, Mich.).
C 3-2 T05 Lynch, Marshawn rush for 1 yard to the TA4 (Heard, Kellen;Jack, Jason).
C 4-1 T04 Longshore, Nate pass complete to Hawkins, L. for 4 yards to the TA0,
1ST DOWN CAL, TOUCHDOWN, clock 02:00.
Schneider, Tom kick attempt good.
=======
TEXAS A&M 10, CALIFORNIA 28
=======
-—————— 9 plays, 72 yards, TOP 04:46-——————
4th and 1 at the TAMU 4 — we went for the throat.
Yes, I am an Old Blue. Now get off my lawn.
For those who think Coach Tedford has gotten more conservative over the years and not gone for the throat enough, I will perhaps add fuel to the fire by mentioning this.
Burn baby, burn.
We went on one of those long, sustained, spirit-killing drives.
Anyone else really miss these?
4th and 1 at the TAMU 4 — we went for the throat.
Right in the neck! The neck! The neck!
Irate Toothmonger - Will get all up in your business for food
This was my first Cal bowl game
Back in the day, there were only 168 bowl games, so the Bears didn’t get to go as often as now. It was fun, and you felt the Bears were giving it their all the entire time.
First time I saw Erin Andrews in person. We tried to get her autograph; turns out she runs to the tunnel in heels really fast (and, I think, doesn’t like to give autographs…..).
I'd like to smell the Roses before I die.
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Pacific-12 Conference Standings
(updated 1.2.2012 at 11:12 PM PST)
| North | Conf | Overall | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| W | L | W | L | |
|
Oregon Ducks
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8 | 1 | 12 | 2 |
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Stanford Cardinal
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USC Trojans
|
7 | 2 | 10 | 2 |
|
UCLA Bruins
|
5 | 4 | 6 | 8 |
|
Utah Utes
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4 | 5 | 8 | 5 |
|
Arizona St. Sun Devils
|
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Arizona Wildcats
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2 | 7 | 4 | 8 |
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Colorado Buffaloes
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