California Golden Blogs - Cal makes mistake after mistake in 45–40 loss to San Diego StateThe OG CGB team moved to WriteForCalifornia.com. Cal Golden Bears coverage by SBNation.https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/48267/cgb-fave.png2016-09-13T10:40:02-07:00http://www.californiagoldenblogs.com/rss/stream/124359472016-09-13T10:40:02-07:002016-09-13T10:40:02-07:00Cal-SDSU negatives: What annoyed you the most?
<figure>
<img alt="California v San Diego State" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/mu2cpConXj5A8PpOKjqGyBwp8vE=/0x0:3000x2000/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/50812479/602255186.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images</figcaption>
</figure>
<p><strong>What were the biggest negatives you take from the Aztec game, and what needs to be improved going forward? </strong></p> <p id="r9PG4C"></p>
<p id="CQv7RS"><strong>LeonPowe</strong>: Well, every single aspect of our team contributed to our loss - special teams gave up huge returns. Defense couldn't tackle. Offense with - what - two red zone turnovers? a pick six? Some questionable coaching decisions - going away from Enwere. Having Webb wing the ball - was it 71 times? </p>
<p id="AVekLh">Improvement needs - tackle. Stop throwing the ball to the other team. If we improve those two, we win easily going away tonight - but I don't know how you improve those two over the course of six days. </p>
<p id="laIWJL"><strong>boomtho: </strong>Hmm, again like LeonPowe, I don't think there's one phase that contributed in outsized fashion to the loss. The easy answer after reading the box score is the defense, because SDSU scored 45 points and Donnel Pumphrey is still dodging tacklers en route to a 1000 yard game. However, as we all know the 45 points is a bit deceiving, given 14 of them came on a special teams return and a pick six. So the defense truly surrendered 31 points, with turnovers from us... that feels a bit better. The tackling will definitely need to be cleaned up for us to compete with the best of the Pac-12, but we also knew that heading into the game.</p>
<p id="Z4Oqyn">Besides that, I'd say the special teams disappointed me as well. After Week 1 i was hoping we'd be at least neutral on this dimension... now it looks like another negative to go along with the defense.</p>
<p id="3l0n4d"><strong>Berkelium97: </strong>Every single phase of the game contributed to the loss, so at least there's plenty of room for improvement! What I found to be most disappointing is that we're getting more evidence that Webb is a streaky QB. When he's accurate the passing game is unstoppable, but he seems to several drives per game where his accuracy is off. We saw that early on against Hawaii and we saw that on several occasions this past weekend. We missed several sure TDs on overthrown passes, highlighted by what would have been the go-ahead TD to Hansen in the closing minute. He even overthrew a screen pass during his cold streak in the fourth quarter. </p>
<p id="mjKXSO">The defense continues to be bad, but at the same time just good enough to keep us in the game (a la 2015). We saw several of the same issues we saw last week against Hawaii and that we've seen for the past couple seasons: poor tackling, minimal pressure on the opposing QB. But our lack of outside contain really stood out in that game. We had many, many instances of one of the SDSU RBs charging up the middle and then bouncing outside past a Cal LB who went too far inside.</p>
<p id="g8f6OD">Matt Anderson has been a pleasant surprise over the past season, but everything else about Tommerdahl's special teams is a disaster. I don't know why he wasn't replaced last offseason.</p>
<p id="LUyIAt">Finally, I don't know what Sonny was thinking when we punted with 3 seconds left in the first half. We were at midfield with a strong-armed QB and an army of big, physical receivers. Why not go for the Hail Mary there? An interception wouldn't matter because the half was over and a pick six is all but impossible in that situation. It's essentially a no-risk play with potential for a big reward.</p>
<p id="EE8M28"><strong>Avinash: </strong>Tackling has been mentioned, but I'm getting really worried about whether the Bear Raid is going to regress back into every other typical Air Raid offense, where the run game is completely supplanted by the short passing game. The run-pass ratio is crazy, but short passes are technically supposed to be the same thing as runs in the Air Raid, so it's probably not as bad. That's fine in some respects--we have good wide receivers in the slot and they force defenses to guard us sideline to sideline. But Cal has a good running back trio and they shouldn't be neglected throughout an entire football game, particularly when the Bears are within a touchdown for most of the first half and fourth quarter.</p>
<p id="d1FMCD"><strong>Nik Jam</strong>: Too many turnovers. And it seemed like when the offense really needed to score in the second half they sputtered. The most demoralizing thing about the loss wasn't the defense but 3 failed 4th quarter drives with the chance to tie or take the lead. I believe in two of those situations (including after the SDSU fumbled snap) we didn't even get a first down! That has to change. Webb has to show better poise.</p>
<p id="CTUAFc"></p>
https://www.californiagoldenblogs.com/2016/9/13/12896910/california-golden-bears-sdsu-aztecs-football-2016-negativesBerkelium97Nik JamboomthoAvinash KunnathLeonPowe2016-09-13T07:30:03-07:002016-09-13T07:30:03-07:00The Pod Is On The Field - [2016.5 - SDSU Postgame]
<figure>
<img alt="California v San Diego State" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/GUn0Xdjsw2eRLxs7Kky5kxWv1s4=/0x0:4715x3143/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/50791791/602272952.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>In which we are not mad, just disappointed.</p> <p id="jsDuWX">In yet another edition of the most amazing, sensational, dramatic, heartrending, exciting, thrilling podcast in the history of Cal football, Nam and Scott go over the disappointment that was San Diego State, and talk about their usual grab bag of stuff. </p>
<p id="lwUYAu"></p>
<p id="vyjRrK">Schedule:</p>
<p id="XC1Fto">-Opening thoughts from Scott </p>
<p id="MQE24O">-Offense/Defense/General game things [30 mins total]</p>
<p id="Mmy9Si">-Texas preview - what to expect on offense and defense, game predictions</p>
<p id="42KUmM">-Is it time to make a move? </p>
<p id="TvNNnJ">-Which coaches would we take? - a discussion of where Sonny Dykes ranks in the Pac-12 hierarchy</p>
<p id="nfrFGy">-What are we drinking to? + Shoutouts</p>
<p id="Ks1HnK"></p>
<div id="aCL6g7"><div><div style="left: 0px; width: 100%; height: 400px; position: relative;"><iframe src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?visual=true&url=http%3A%2F%2Fapi.soundcloud.com%2Ftracks%2F282622118&show_artwork=true" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" webkitallowfullscreen="true" mozallowfullscreen="true" style="top: 0px; left: 0px; width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;"></iframe></div></div></div>
https://www.californiagoldenblogs.com/2016/9/13/12884286/cal-football-podcast-analysisNam LeScott Chong2016-09-12T19:23:37-07:002016-09-12T19:23:37-07:00Cal fans, did the SDSU loss change your season outlook?
<figure>
<img alt="NCAA Football: California at San Diego State" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/TXLvkkKiGsCT2fZW109CztHB-B8=/0x0:2403x1602/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/50812313/usa-today-9534944.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Jake Roth-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Did the San Diego State defeat change your outlook of the season for the better, for the worse, or not at all? Why or why not? </p> <p id="tmMT4t"></p>
<p id="HH5m5T"><strong>LeonPowe: </strong>Worse, because I thought SDSU was one of the toss up games we needed to win to get to six. It's gonna be tough sledding here on out.</p>
<p id="oOeZVv"><strong>boomtho:</strong> I think I'm in the same boat as LeonPowe. I actually think in a lot of aspects we outplayed SDSU. So in that respect, the loss is encouraging (as much as anyone can be) because my mental model for the heights this team can reach is a bit better than before the game. However, from a record perspective, this makes me downgrade my expectations to ~4-5 wins instead of 6, because I think this one of the games closer to 50/50 that needed to swing our way to hit 6-7 wins.</p>
<p id="2FVJ6W"><strong>Berkelium97:</strong> After the Hawaii game I had downgraded our win total from 6 to 5 and now I think it's somewhere between 4 and 5. A bowl isn't impossible, but it's tough to look at that schedule and see 5 more wins. Texas will be tough and ASU can apparently score at will against non-FCS teams, but wins against both in the next couple weeks will put us in a much better position to earn a bowl berth. It's a difficult road, but not impossible.</p>
<p id="aGxJ5K"><strong>Avinash:</strong> Didn't change my opinion at all. All the breaks went San Diego State's way and we still had a good chance to win. I doubt we get that unlucky that many times this season. Cal pretty much gifted the Aztecs 21 easy points on special teams and turnovers. A clean game and the Bears win by double digits, because if Cal was leading at half, I doubt the Aztecs have the comeback gene within them with a weak vertical passing attack. It was a brutal loss, but Cal's offense is capable of taking one back in the same way against a good team, so I still think we have a clear path. </p>
<p id="RGWXrG"><strong>Nik Jam: </strong>I'm with everyone else. I'm almost certain a bowl game is not going to happen this year. A Texas loss is pretty likely, so we needed a 2-1 non-conference at least to have a fighting chance at 6 wins... so Cal will have to redeem themselves by beating Texas. They haven't given me much reason to believe that will happen.</p>
https://www.californiagoldenblogs.com/2016/9/12/12896820/california-golden-bears-football-san-diego-state-aztecs-recapAvinash KunnathLeonPoweBerkelium97Nik Jamboomtho2016-09-12T05:05:03-07:002016-09-12T05:05:03-07:00Chad Hansen is the current FBS receiving leader
<figure>
<img alt="California v San Diego State" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/fB9uWWpQiuEZRt2ldbr91hE3r6A=/1x0:4483x2988/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/50796961/602272930.1473672359.jpg" />
<figcaption>Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Also, how did the players react to defeat? </p> <p id="htKbSC"><strong>Statistical notes</strong></p>
<p id="zA4WqQ"><strong>Cal wide receiver Chad Hansen is having himself a monstrous start to the season: </strong>Out of all the wideouts that came out of Cal the last five seasons, I never thought the Bear that would have a Keenan Allen-type start to the season would be Chad Hansen. But here he is, leading the FBS in both receptions (28) and receiving yards (350). </p>
<div id="nzuQ5w">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" align="center">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">The nation's leading receiver has 28 catches for 350 yards and three TDs ... in two games <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Pac12FB?src=hash">#Pac12FB</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NCAAFB?src=hash">#NCAAFB</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Cal?src=hash">#Cal</a> <a href="https://t.co/pbvaWVj4iw">pic.twitter.com/pbvaWVj4iw</a></p>— Cal Football (@CalFootball) <a href="https://twitter.com/CalFootball/status/775030775255183361">September 11, 2016</a>
</blockquote>
<script async="" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
</div>
<p id="mfM5Ax">Davis Webb and Hansen have had an instant connection.<a href="http://www.sfgate.com/collegesports/article/Chad-Hansen-emerges-as-Cal-s-go-to-receiver-9198747.php"> More from Connor Letourneau:</a></p>
<blockquote id="s2W6TN">
<p>Soon after arriving on campus in May, Texas Tech transfer <a href="http://www.sfgate.com/search/?action=search&channel=collegesports&inlineLink=1&searchindex=gsa&query=%22Davis+Webb%22">Davis Webb</a> invited Hansen to a morning 7-on-7 session at Memorial Stadium. On the first throw, a slant route, Hansen juked his defender at the line of scrimmage for a wide-open catch.</p>
<p>“I was like, ‘Dang, this guy is pretty good,’” said Webb, who was named Cal’s starting quarterback three days into camp.</p>
<p>Games of catch became a daily ritual for Webb and Hansen. Afterward, they often watched TV at Hansen’s off-campus house and talked about their goals for the coming season.</p>
</blockquote>
<p id="8KprnU">Hansen definitely has a lot of support.</p>
<div id="r8LuOe">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" align="center">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Chad Hansen's family is out in force <a href="https://t.co/06aQx7tCyp">pic.twitter.com/06aQx7tCyp</a></p>— GoldenBlogs (@GoldenBlogs) <a href="https://twitter.com/GoldenBlogs/status/774792037048676352">September 11, 2016</a>
</blockquote>
<script async="" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
</div>
<p id="X0Q7ZB">Webb made history of his own by throwing a record 72 attempts, most in Cal history (Jared Goff threw 64 in his Cal debut against Northwestern). His 41 completions came up short of the Cal record of 43, set by Rich Campbell against Florida. Webb's 522 passing yards rank third on Cal's all-time single game list(Goff threw 542 yards vs. Arizona State in 2015 and 527 yards at Washington State in 2014).</p>
<p id="HcvoyK"><a href="http://www.calbears.com/news/2016/9/11/football-cal-san-diego-state-postgame-notes.aspx">More fun Cal stats available via the postgame notes</a>. </p>
<p id="VioZOj"><strong>Twitter reactions</strong></p>
<p id="OI8EyW">Twitter is often more quiet from Cal players after a defeat than a victory, so not too many reactions, but the Golden Bears seem ready to move onto the next one and not dwell too much on opportunities missed. </p>
<p id="ksiLtS">Ray Hudson is ready for the next one. </p>
<div id="aSnsBz">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" align="center">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">No other team I'd rather go to war with. We will bounce back <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/GoBears?src=hash">#GoBears</a></p>— Ray Hudson (@rayhudson11) <a href="https://twitter.com/rayhudson11/status/774874111642263558">September 11, 2016</a>
</blockquote>
<script async="" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
</div>
<p id="TWfFbz">Dylan Klumph was extremely resolute, and had some great punts. </p>
<div id="mWfcl6">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" align="center">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">At the end of the night. I still had a 47.5 avg. I still go to the #1 school in the nation. I still wouldn't change my team for anything.</p>— Dylan Klumph (@Dylan_Klumph) <a href="https://twitter.com/Dylan_Klumph/status/774912492745089025">September 11, 2016</a>
</blockquote>
<script async="" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
</div>
<p id="7bva1S">Traveon Beck was happy to be back in his native SoCal</p>
<div id="n0Xhkb">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" align="center">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Seeing my family made my month. They always fill me up with so much inspiration</p>— TRAVEON BECK✨ (@HeyImTray) <a href="https://twitter.com/HeyImTray/status/774888262477291524">September 11, 2016</a>
</blockquote>
<script async="" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
</div>
<p id="xEGiMZ">Vic Enwere sought contemplation.</p>
<div id="Sc7SzI">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" align="center">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Praise God even in dark times rejoice even in sorrow Glory B to the most high</p>— Harambe™ (@A1_Pericoo) <a href="https://twitter.com/A1_Pericoo/status/774881192084590593">September 11, 2016</a>
</blockquote>
<script async="" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
</div>
<p id="lqabVq">Bug Rivera was thankful for the opportunity. </p>
<div id="HECWJL">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" align="center">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">The support from everyone is really wild. Haha thank you </p>— Vincent Bug Rivera (@okaybuug) <a href="https://twitter.com/okaybuug/status/775090777009467392">September 11, 2016</a>
</blockquote>
<script async="" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
</div>
<p id="DAG9G1">Aisea Tongilava reflects on the mistakes that cost Cal a victory. </p>
<div id="9NJue3">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" align="center">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">We put in too much work to make little mistakes. Especially training year round to compete on 12 days, at least.</p>— Jon Snow (@AiseaTongilava) <a href="https://twitter.com/AiseaTongilava/status/774940831610384385">September 11, 2016</a>
</blockquote>
<script async="" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
</div>
<p id="jU1nhv">Darius Allensworth is in recovery mode.</p>
<div id="N4YiNa">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" align="center">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">the day after the game is brutal..</p>— Darius Allensworth (@_MoneyDA) <a href="https://twitter.com/_MoneyDA/status/775194602018000896">September 12, 2016</a>
</blockquote>
<script async="" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
</div>
https://www.californiagoldenblogs.com/2016/9/12/12877696/california-golden-bears-san-diego-state-aztecs-football-2016Avinash Kunnath2016-09-11T11:47:59-07:002016-09-11T11:47:59-07:00Sonny Dykes: Too many mistakes to win
<figure>
<img alt="California v San Diego State" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/aR4dcF07H_MRFZ9cxodqkMGxFkk=/0x0:4715x3143/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/50785359/602272952.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Quick snippets from the postgame quotes.</p> <p id="BYGwDY"><strong>California head coach Sonny Dykes </strong></p>
<div id="u6Uomw"><div><div style="left: 0px; width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.2493%;"><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/zMtIQeruy-Y?wmode=transparent&rel=0&autohide=1&showinfo=0&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" webkitallowfullscreen="true" mozallowfullscreen="true" style="top: 0px; left: 0px; width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;"></iframe></div></div></div>
<p id="MjstIa"><strong>Opening Statement: </strong>“We played hard. I was proud of their effort, proud of the fact we hung in there; disappointed we just made too many mistakes. It’s like I told the guys afterwards, you can turn the ball over four times, give up a kickoff return and beat some bad teams, but you can’t do it against a good team and San Diego State’s a good football team. You know, just killing yourselves.” </p>
<div id="C2tJ2h">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" align="center">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Sonny: There's play after play after play where we'll look at it and say wow, we had a chance to win the ballgame. Maybe 25 plays.</p>— GoldenBlogs (@GoldenBlogs) <a href="https://twitter.com/GoldenBlogs/status/774864237944508416">September 11, 2016</a>
</blockquote>
<script async="" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
</div>
<p id="N05fLl"><strong>Thoughts on Cal’s tackling and San Diego State running back Donnel Pumphrey:</strong> “I’m always concerned about tackling, especially when you give up a lot of yards rushing. Pumphrey’s a good back, he’s a good running back. He makes people miss, makes everybody miss, he gets yards against everybody. We’ve got to do a better job of tackling and we will, but he’s a good back. You’ve got give him credit.” </p>
<div id="tFGZEL">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" align="center">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Sonny said Mekari had an ankle sprain, Robertson got into the game partly thanks to Singleton being out this week</p>— GoldenBlogs (@GoldenBlogs) <a href="https://twitter.com/GoldenBlogs/status/774864590886801408">September 11, 2016</a>
</blockquote>
<script async="" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
</div>
<p id="fBvPIn"><strong>California redshirt junior wide receiver Chad Hansen</strong></p>
<p id="Z1VPXD"><strong>On California head coach Sonny Dykes’ postgame message to the team</strong>: “He really loved our effort; we did really leave it out on the line. I know all of us; we knew what we had to do and didn’t execute as well we could have, but out effort was outstanding. He said that was the hardest any team has ever played under him. It’s no consolation, but we know we left everything on the line.” </p>
<p id="dBhc5Y"><strong>Thoughts on San Diego State running back Donnel Pumphrey:</strong> “The numbers he put up speak for themselves; I mean he’s a great player. Great, great player. We knew that coming in, we knew that he was going to be a force that we were going to have to be reckoned with. He turned out to make a few more plays than we could afford.” </p>
<p id="lXohNp"><strong>California senior quarterback Davis Webb </strong></p>
<div id="MpICPX"><div><div style="left: 0px; width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.2493%;"><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ycAc9NO0rXc?wmode=transparent&rel=0&autohide=1&showinfo=0&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" webkitallowfullscreen="true" mozallowfullscreen="true" style="top: 0px; left: 0px; width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;"></iframe></div></div></div>
<p id="t8u1Mz"><strong>Thoughts on having 70 pass attempts:</strong> “(My arm) feels good. I’ve done the same type of thing before. That was the game plan. We had a chance to throw some big boy throws and I hit some, but I missed a lot. That’s the reason why we lost. It was a tough game, obviously, I was really proud of my teammates for fighting hard until the end.” </p>
<div id="1QIEq5">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" align="center">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Webb very self-deprecating. Blamed a lot of the loss on his inability to make certain critical throws.</p>— GoldenBlogs (@GoldenBlogs) <a href="https://twitter.com/GoldenBlogs/status/774868598980481024">September 11, 2016</a>
</blockquote>
<script async="" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
</div>
<p id="0VGfmq"><strong>Thoughts on San Diego State’s pass rush:</strong> “They did a good job scheming us up. I think our coaching staff did a great job, put us in the best position to win. Got to give credit to San Diego State, they talked the talk and they walked the walk. They did a great job as a defensive team, you know, scheming us up and putting us in positions to be unsuccessful. But I thought we did a good job coming back … in that second half. We’ve got to close out this week and get it over with, get over it and get ready for Texas, because that’s going to be a tough one.” </p>
<p id="fRzzW0"><strong>Thoughts on San Diego State sophomore linebacker Ronley Lakalaka’s interception return for a touchdown:</strong> “They got me on that one; you know, the d-line did a great job reading the screen.</p>
<div id="fuUXQG">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" align="center">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Webb: I've never seen an onside kick get recovered before, personally.</p>— GoldenBlogs (@GoldenBlogs) <a href="https://twitter.com/GoldenBlogs/status/774867803836997632">September 11, 2016</a>
</blockquote>
<script async="" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
</div>
<p id="d121yX"><a href="http://sidearm.sites.s3.amazonaws.com/calberk.sidearmsports.com/documents/2016/9/11/FB16_California_Postgame_Quotes.pdf">You can read full quotes from the San Diego State Aztecs by clicking here for the PDF.</a></p>
https://www.californiagoldenblogs.com/2016/9/11/12880556/california-golden-bears-sdsu-aztecs-postgame-quotes-sonny-dykes-davis-webb-chad-hansenAvinash Kunnath2016-09-11T05:01:07-07:002016-09-11T05:01:07-07:00Cal video highlights vs. SDSU!
<figure>
<img alt="California v San Diego State" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/yNeaXqiudNUufx7p-U3oQ8SZeR8=/176x0:4334x2772/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/50781107/602258154.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Go Bears!</p> <p id="Vv59qp">Davis Webb isn’t having any trouble getting points on the football for the Bears. Despite the 45-40 loss, Webb acquitted himself by launching the football all over the field 72 times! Webb finished with 522 passing yards and five touchdowns (along with three interceptions). </p>
<p id="i9y7nU">Here are some of the video highlights we could find of Cal during the game. </p>
<div id="lRznkM"><div><div style="left: 0px; width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.2493%;"><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/fEiBNDPotvc?wmode=transparent&rel=0&autohide=1&showinfo=0&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" webkitallowfullscreen="true" mozallowfullscreen="true" style="top: 0px; left: 0px; width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;"></iframe></div></div></div>
<p id="HkcnM1">Webb got the scoring going by finding Bug Rivera deep behind the secondary for the first points of the night for Cal. </p>
<div id="tBYy31">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" align="center">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">TOUCHDOWN <a href="https://twitter.com/CalFootball">@CalFootball</a>! Webb ➡️ Bug Rivera = <br><br> : CBS Sports Network<a href="https://t.co/iU6hhyRBfW">https://t.co/iU6hhyRBfW</a></p>— Pac-12 Network (@Pac12Network) <a href="https://twitter.com/Pac12Network/status/774811402968195072">September 11, 2016</a>
</blockquote>
<script async="" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
</div>
<p id="mr7yyY">It’s hard to believe, but Ray Hudson got his first receiving touchdown as a Golden Bear!</p>
<p id="oWI1EQ"></p>
<div id="GTkYVp">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" align="center">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">First career TD for Ray Hudson?<br>OH YEAH <a href="https://twitter.com/CalFootball">@CalFootball</a> <br> : CBS Sports Network<a href="https://t.co/SAL29CrhgV">https://t.co/SAL29CrhgV</a></p>— Pac-12 Network (@Pac12Network) <a href="https://twitter.com/Pac12Network/status/774819791806750720">September 11, 2016</a>
</blockquote>
<script async="" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
</div>
<div id="HMstTs">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" align="center">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr"><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Cal?src=hash">#Cal</a> touchdown! Webb to Hudson 21-yards. Bears tie it up at 21 with 11:20 to go in the half. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/SDSU?src=hash">#SDSU</a> <a href="https://t.co/3sWy4i0rOC">pic.twitter.com/3sWy4i0rOC</a></p>— Emily Van Buskirk (@Emilnem) <a href="https://twitter.com/Emilnem/status/774817869209010176">September 11, 2016</a>
</blockquote>
<script async="" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
</div>
<p id="8IZW2d">Webb wasn’t done, finding Demetris Robertson going deep down the sideline for his first touchdown of his young Cal career.</p>
<div id="Q5JYB6">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" align="center">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">This is getting wild. <a href="https://twitter.com/CalFootball">@CalFootball</a>'s Davis Webb has 378 passing yards and 4 TD...it's still the 3rd quarter. <a href="https://t.co/tHyYYIyuq4">https://t.co/tHyYYIyuq4</a></p>— CBS Sports Network (@CBSSportsNet) <a href="https://twitter.com/CBSSportsNet/status/774840116732895236">September 11, 2016</a>
</blockquote>
<script async="" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
</div>
<p id="zixuYJ">Also, how about that onside kick? On a rough night for Cal special teams, they gave their offense a chance to win late!</p>
<div id="wuUgjO">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" align="center">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Cal executes a successful onside kick! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/CALvsSDSU?src=hash">#CALvsSDSU</a> <a href="https://t.co/TAI83OVi84">pic.twitter.com/TAI83OVi84</a></p>— RedditCFB (@RedditCFB) <a href="https://twitter.com/RedditCFB/status/774858472802230273">September 11, 2016</a>
</blockquote>
<script async="" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
</div>
<p id="E1ly5W">Those are some of the highlights from the Cal-San Diego State game. Unfortunately CBS Sports makes it hard to get easily accessible video from that game, so those are the only big ones we could find as of yet. </p>
<p id="Gk1Fke">Here’s the full highlight package from on the field produced by San Diego State, including Webb’s other two touchdown throws (one to Chad Hansen, plus his second to Ray Hudson) but also a lot of Aztec highlights as well.</p>
<div id="6Skvmu"><div><div style="left: 0px; width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.2493%;"><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/bhE4TrOQO4g?wmode=transparent&rel=0&autohide=1&showinfo=0&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" webkitallowfullscreen="true" mozallowfullscreen="true" style="top: 0px; left: 0px; width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;"></iframe></div></div></div>
https://www.californiagoldenblogs.com/2016/9/11/12877630/cal-football-video-highlights-vs-sdsu-davis-webb-throws-five-touchdownsAvinash Kunnath2016-09-11T03:01:07-07:002016-09-11T03:01:07-07:00San Diego State 45, Cal 40: Bears. Aztecs. The Recap.
<figure>
<img alt="NCAA Football: California at San Diego State" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/V0jyk-7sijmJjatbSOwxPS9FZsg=/0x0:3314x2209/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/50780871/usa-today-9534747.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Jake Roth-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>If you missed the game. Just read and don't watch.</p> <p id="iOTuKB">In the words of Bruno Mars, “Don’t believe me, just watch.” And yet, we believed and we watched, and we face-palmed,<s> and we threw the remote out the door, and we threw the phone out the door, and we threw the computer out the door, and we screamed off the balcony, and we poured ourselves a scotch,</s> and then we realized that we probably shouldn't have believed, and we probably shouldn’t have watched.</p>
<p id="ZU2ZrJ">The Bears took a bye week after returning home from Australia, and turned their attention to the Aztecs of San Diego State University. Preparation time? Check. Familiarity with opponents and personnel? Check. Game Plan Defense? Check. Game Plan Offense? Check. Execution? ... ... ... ... ... Hello?</p>
<p id="gQgiqQ">We begin in the first quarter.</p>
<h2 id="UZN3dI">The First Quarter: This is What You Came For</h2>
<p id="UILzxc">The beginnings of a shoot-out. Aerial Attack vs The Run. The Draw vs. The Play-Action. The Bears got off to a slow start on offense scoring their first TD with 4:19 left to play in the quarter. Davis Webb threw for 2 TDs in the first half, one to Bug Rivera and another to Chad Hansen. The defense could not hold SDSU, and the Aztecs got ahead earlier in the quarter and answered with 2 TDs of their own to end the quarter in a 14-14 deadlock.</p>
<h2 id="hte08H">The Second Quarter: Cheap Thrills or Cold Water or Work</h2>
<p id="8wDXxq">However you looked at this quarter, the Bears needed to either get stops or score. They seemed to do neither. Pumphrey scored on a 33 yard run, Lakalaka scored on a pick-6 and John Baron hit a 39-Yard FG. Cal scored early in the 2nd quarter with a 21 yard TD from Davis Webb to Ray Hudson, but that was the only points the could manage on what would end up being the point margin that Cal could not break. So Cal heads into the locker room down 31-21, but with the Aztecs ground game working so efficiently and smoothly against the Bears, There wasn’t much hope it could overturned in the second half.</p>
<h2 id="W8islH">The Third Quarter: I Hate U I Love U</h2>
<p id="5xSFwH">Donnell Pumphrey scored on a 57 yard run about 6 minutes into the third quarter and thats when it seemed to be over. SDSU led 38-21, our defense couldn't stop the run, our offense couldn’t move the chains. It seemed destined to be the exact opposite of the SDSU game in Berkeley last season. But do we forget the names of our top recruits and freshman? Demetris Robertson got himself on the scoreboard with a 56- yard Passing TD from Davis Webb, and so began his Cal Football career (after only playing a handful of snaps in Australia). Matt Anderson then hit a FGs from 45 yards after the defense provided the Bears with a TO. 38-31. We were alive.</p>
<h2 id="xWX82I">The Fourth Quarter: Don’t Let Me Down</h2>
<p id="NDG6jR">Crashing, hit a wall. Right now I need a miracle. and we got one with another TO created by the defense which leads to a 36-yard FG by Matt Anderson with 13:27 left to play in the quarter. 38-34. after trading possessions and flipping the field over and over and over again, the Aztecs punched a 4-yard TD in through the hands of Pumphrey. All seemed lost. </p>
<p id="OhfmZk">But the Bears drove down the field in a 2-Min drill and scored on a 2-yard Pass Play from Webb to Hudson. 56 Seconds Left. Cal goes for 2. Fails to convert. 45-40. Now we need an onside kick AND a TD. DO WE BELIEVE IN MIRACLES? Noah Beito with an OUTSTANDING kick and PERFECT bounce, allowed Derron Brown to recover the football. CAL BALL. THIS IS HAPPENING. Davis Webb leads the Bears down the field to the SDSU 22. Webb to Robertson, off the mark. Webb throws to Vic Wharton!!!!! And Damontae Kazee (Mountain West Defensive Player of the Year in 2015) tips the ball to himself and gets the INT. effectively ending the game with the exception of one SDSU QB Kneel. </p>
<p id="k4Wf4a">It was a roller-coaster of emotions. It was the face-palm moment of being a Cal fan. It was the inability to stop the run (Pumphrey ran for 281 Yards and 3 TDs). It was the inability to capitalize on turnover and keep the chains moving. It was a lot of things, but we know one thing. we can’t linger on this game too long, because the Longhorns are coming to town.</p>
<p id="Bl5qvt"></p>
<h3 id="MvvI4b">California Love. California Rising</h3>
https://www.californiagoldenblogs.com/2016/9/11/12877338/san-diego-state-45-cal-40-bears-aztecs-the-recapRob Hwang2016-09-10T23:51:08-07:002016-09-10T23:51:08-07:00Instareaction: Grade the 45–40 loss
<figure>
<img alt="California v San Diego State" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/Qr9vA_cvyiguLZA3E_pQJJyUK9U=/0x0:3895x2597/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/50780359/602254978.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Go Bears!</p> <p id="rjQRWr">The score is deceiving. The Cal defense did not play great (allowing Donnel Pumphrey to have the game he did is not good on any level), but they gave the offense a chance to win, conceding only 24 points in the run of the play. This came down to the four big mistakes. </p>
<ul id="C5OOjv">
<li>The 100 yard kickoff return for the touchdown</li>
<li id="hrK2bJ">The San Diego State interception on a screen that became an easy pick six</li>
<li id="0fzDas">The San Diego State fumble recovery in their red zone that became an easy touchdown</li>
<li id="DBQ2Pr">The Davis Webb interception in the end zone</li>
</ul>
<p id="19YxJ9">That’s 24 to 28 points of mistakes left on the field. If Cal doesn’t make one or two of those mistakes, they are going home 2-0. Simple as that. The Bears outplayed the Aztecs most of the rest of the game, but made execution errors that pretty much turn every football game. </p>
<p id="I166rz">And despite all that, Cal STILL HAD about four dozen chances or so in the fourth quarter to come back to win. That game was within reach multiple times, the Bears just missed the opportunities presented to them. A lot. </p>
<p id="6bDPJ1">It’s a brutal loss, but Cal has a lot to learn from this. Time to come home and mess with Texas. </p>
<p id="sL7xVX"><a href="https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSe4GpDqUmXG3TCHrzWwF1wtRZAK1T1UGsLwYtl6BR9xg2j42w/viewform?c=0&w=1">Report card is up (click here or submit through the form below).</a> Commiserate and live together. Recap shortly. </p>
<div id="Yf9OBS"><iframe src="https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSe4GpDqUmXG3TCHrzWwF1wtRZAK1T1UGsLwYtl6BR9xg2j42w/viewform?embedded=true" width="760" height="1200" frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0">Loading...</iframe></div>
<div id="mZ7m1q"><p><a class="twitter-timeline" href="https://twitter.com/GoldenBlogs/golden-tweeters" data-widget-id="378939009554055168" style="background-color: #ffffff;">Tweets from @GoldenBlogs/golden-tweeters</a></p></div>
https://www.californiagoldenblogs.com/2016/9/10/12400804/california-golden-bears-san-diego-state-aztecs-dykes-webb-watson-enwere-muhammad-pumphreyAvinash Kunnath