California Golden Blogs - Tosh Bowl I: Cal vs. Washington Game ThreadThe OG CGB team moved to WriteForCalifornia.com. Cal Golden Bears coverage by SBNation.https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/48267/cgb-fave.png2012-11-02T23:52:48-07:00http://www.californiagoldenblogs.com/rss/stream/33562672012-11-02T23:52:48-07:002012-11-02T23:52:48-07:00UW 21, Cal 13: Bears clinch a losing season
<figure>
<img alt="" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/iZRqTqSd59rIUpESDeH6jd0M6Gk=/0x964:3106x3035/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/2560827/155299156.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Ezra Shaw</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>In a game that featured eight turnovers and 18 penalties, Cal's mistakes proved to be more costly as the Bears lost to Washington for the fourth consecutive time</p> <p>Friday night at Memorial Stadium, Cal and Washington played one of those games that made you wonder what the heck that was, let alone what it was doing on national television. In a battle of "can you top <i>this</i> mistake," the Bears and Huskies traded assorted penalties, turnovers, and other errors. When the dust settled, Washington won the battle to be less inept and came away with a 21-13 victory over Cal. For Washington (5-4 overall, 3-3 Pac-12), it was its fourth straight win over Cal (3-7 overall, 2-5 Pac-12) in the series and its first road victory of the 2012 season.</p>
<p>The mistakes were unleashed from the getgo. Cal's first two possessions ended in turnovers, killing promising drives that should have resulted in points. On Cal's first offensive possession, the Bears drove 50 yards in five plays before Isi Sofele ruined an 8-yard gain by fumbling the ball away to the Huskies at the UW 21-yard line. After Washington parlayed that Cal turnover into a Bishop Sankey touchdown run to take a 7-0 lead, the Bears answered with another promising drive, marching to the 16-yard line due in large measure to a 36-yard pass play from Zach Maynard to Chris Harper. But that drive also ended in a turnover, as Brendan Bigelow fumbled the ball away after catching a bubble screen. The Huskies recovered inside the 10-yard line and another Cal threat was snuffed out</p>
<p>Despite shooting themselves in the foot repeatedly, the Bears managed to stay in the game. The defense enabled Cal to do that, as the Bears stepped up with big plays to kill Washington scoring threats. Despite the fact that Sankey burned the Bears to the tune of 189 yards on 29 carries on the night, Cal managed to stone Stankey twice on 4th-and-1 plays inside Cal territory to keep Washington from doing more damage on the scoreboard. And after Cal's offense finally broke through to tie the game late in the first half on a Chris Harper touchdown run on a reverse, the Cal defense made another big play to preserve the tie. With Washington poised to take the lead in the final minute of the first half, linebacker Nick Forbes intercepted a Keith Price pass to kill the Huskies' scoring threat and give Cal momentum heading into the second half. Tied at halftime, it seemed that the Bears had weathered the storm of their own ineptitude to stay in the game.</p>
<p><a href="http://cdn3.sbnation.com/imported_assets/1280419/oskifaceplant.jpg"><img alt="Oskifaceplant_medium" class="photo" src="http://cdn2.sbnation.com/imported_assets/1280419/oskifaceplant_medium.jpg"></a></p>
<p>via <a href="http://i562.photobucket.com/albums/ss65/Berkelium97/oskifaceplant.jpg">i562.photobucket.com</a></p>
<p>But the mistakes just kept on coming for both teams -- and for the Bears in particular. Cal managed to take a 13-7 lead in the third quarter on a pair of Vince D'Amato field goals, one of them set up by a 64-yard C.J. Anderson run on a 3rd-and-23 play and the other set up by a Sankey fumble recovered by Forbes inside Washington territory. In neither case, though, did the Bears capitalize with touchdowns, as Maynard could not connect with Harper on third down passes to the end zone. The red zone failures would ultimately bite Cal in the tookus when Washington's big tight end, Austin Sefarian-Jenkins, caught a touchdown pass from Price on a 3rd-and-goal <i>from the Cal 29-yard line</i>, a deflating play for the Bears' defense considering that it had moved the Huskies backward from what was originally a 1st-and-goal from the 9-yard line. On the touchdown, Sefarian-Jenkins, who caught eight passes for 152 yards in the game, outmaneuvered a much smaller defender in Cal's Steve Williams. The matchup of the 6'6" Sefarian-Jenkins and the 5'10' Williams begged the question of why Cal matched Williams up with Jenkins in the first place; indeed, earlier in the drive, Sefarian-Jenkins caught a 43-yard pass over Williams despite decent coverage. Though Williams is typically a good defender, asking him to guard the much bigger Washington tight end was...curious to say the least.</p>
<p>The Sefarian-Jenkins touchdown in the third quarter gave Washington a 14-13 lead that it would never relinquish. As hard as the Huskies tried to give the game back to the Bears, the Bears just would not take it. In a bizarre sequence, the teams combined for four turnovers in an 11-play span of the fourth quarter (including, for Cal, Bigelow's second lost fumble of the night). When the dust settled, Washington was the net winner on the turnover exchange, getting the ball at the Cal 28-yard line after the last turnover of the bunch--an interception and 33-yard return by former Cal recruit Shaq Thompson. Thompson's interception led to Sankey's second touchdown of the night, which gave Washington a 21-13 lead with 4:11 left in the game.</p>
<p>Though Cal had the time to mount a rally, it had to do it with without quarterback Zach Maynard, who left the game with an injury to his left knee, suffered on the first play of the following series. (Per tweets by Ryan Gorcey and Dan Greenspan, Maynard will undergo an MRI on Monday to determine the extent of the injury.) Backup quarterback Allen Bridgford completed only 2 of 7 passes for 26 yards, and finished with three straight incompletions from the Washington 25-yard line to turn the ball over on downs and essentially seal the game for Washington. When Bridgford's final pass, a wheel route intended for Anderson, went incomplete with virtually no chance at being caught, Cal's fate of a second losing season in three years became a cold reality. The Bears have assured themselves a losing season and no bowl game for the second time in three years, and (with seven losses already) are almost certain to lose more games this season than in any other season during Coach Jeff Tedford's tenure. With all of this season's gloom and doom, the likelihood that Coach Tedford will see a 12th season as Cal head coach becomes more remote with each poor performance the Bears turn in.</p>
<p>The game was not without some bright moments for the Bears. With fellow wide receivers Keenan Allen and Bryce Treggs out with injuries, freshman Chris Harper stepped up his game perhaps more than could have been reasonably expected. Harper caught seven passes for 101 yards and scored Cal's only touchdown of the game on a reverse. Both Harper and fellow freshman Darius Powe Jr. made incredible catches that are worthy of making an ESPN SportsCenter top 10 list. C.J. Anderson rumbled for 160 yards on 22 carries and had a career-long 64-yard run. The Cal defense gave up a disconcerting amount of rushing yards and had no viable plan for covering Washington's tight end, but still managed to keep the Bears close with three fumble recoveries and an interception. Forbes had an especially good night with two fumble recoveries and a key interception in the red zone.</p>
<p>But no amount of bright moments can take away the sting of yet another loss. Cal has dropped three straight and has seen its season spiral toward a crash-and-burn. It can only get worse, with Oregon coming to Berkeley next Saturday, they of the high-powered offense that can hang half a hundred on people without much of a sweat. With Cal already depleted and/or hobbled with injuries to key players such as Allen, Maynard, Bryce Treggs, Matt Summers-Gavin (who left Friday's game in the third quarter), Keni Kaufisi, Jalen Jefferson, and Kendrick Payne (who did not play Friday), the prospect of facing the Ducks is all the more daunting, with the potential for embarrassment high. And with the Big Game already behind us, and no Axe to try and win, one wonders whether the Bears will just play out the string, with little they can do to save the job of their beleaguered coach.</p>
<p>And with that, enjoy your weekend everyone.</p>
https://www.californiagoldenblogs.com/2012/11/2/3593990/washington-21-cal-13-u-g-l-yOhio Bear2012-11-02T21:36:04-07:002012-11-02T21:36:04-07:00Losing ugly: Grade the Bears' performance vs. UW
<figure>
<img alt="" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/tXwsqUTt8m-nWAmhb1p25IuxLhQ=/0x220:2666x1997/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/2475273/201210127_kdl_ai4_206.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Russ Isabella-US PRESSWIRE</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Report Card inside</p> <p>All of a sudden, I have a craving for some apple turnovers. Why is that?</p>
<p>Washington wins 21-13 in what can only be described as a derpfest. At the end, UW had less derp than Cal and therefore leaves Berkeley with its first road win of the season and its fourth straight over Cal.</p>
<p>All right, give us your grades for the game. Remember to hold your cursor over the survey to scroll down for the rest of the report card, but if you have trouble seeing it, you can also <a href="https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/viewform?fromEmail=true&formkey=dFJHaWhRdkVEV2lFdTRySEVkZUZjZXc6MA" target="_blank">access the report card here</a>.</p>
<p><iframe src="https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/embeddedform?formkey=dFJHaWhRdkVEV2lFdTRySEVkZUZjZXc6MA" width="760" height="1558" frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0">Loading...</iframe></p>
https://www.californiagoldenblogs.com/2012/11/2/3587504/11-2-12-cal-vs-uw-post-game-threadTheBuckeyeBear2012-11-02T20:30:59-07:002012-11-02T20:30:59-07:0011/2/12 Cal vs UW 4th Quarter Thread
<figure>
<img alt="" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/D302JnF89CPTwCnMPi_eNixUW4U=/0x150:2667x1928/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/2475015/201210127_kdl_ai4_209.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Russ Isabella-US PRESSWIRE</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>4th quarter thread: GO BEARS!</p> <p>Cal took the lead, but Washington got it back on a TD pass from Price to Sefarian-Jenkins. Sigh. Can Cal win the 4th quarter? </p>
<p>Here it is; one more quarter. GO BEARS!</p>
https://www.californiagoldenblogs.com/2012/11/2/3587490/11-2-12-cal-vs-uw-4th-quarter-threadTheBuckeyeBear2012-11-02T19:30:30-07:002012-11-02T19:30:30-07:0011/2/12 Cal vs UW 3rd Quarter
<figure>
<img alt="" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/GDoWvmVIgUL-JrrQZwXghB3wbA8=/0x0:4000x2667/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/2554643/155295043.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Ezra Shaw</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Halftime + 3rd Quarter discussion</p> <p>The second quarter was better than the first. Cal ties it up late in the half and then Nick Forbes preserves the tie with a red zone pick to kill a UW threat before halftime. It is a 7-7 game at the half.</p>
<p>Use this thread as your combo deal for halftime and the 3rd quarter. GO BEARS!</p>
https://www.californiagoldenblogs.com/2012/11/2/3587470/11-2-12-cal-vs-uw-3rd-quarter-open-threadTheBuckeyeBear2012-11-02T18:43:03-07:002012-11-02T18:43:03-07:0011/2/12 Cal vs UW 2nd Quarter Thread
<figure>
<img alt="" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/Oqn2E_IheFXzHcEL9iyjeQ__mhE=/0x310:2667x2088/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/2474429/201210127_kdl_ai4_262.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Russ Isabella-US PRESSWIRE</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Discuss the 2nd Quarter inside!</p> <p>Two promising Cal drives ended in fumbles deep in UW territory in the first quarter. Meanwhile, UW took advantage of its opportunity in the red zone and seized the early lead. Can Cal overcome the derp? Ready for the second quarter?</p>
https://www.californiagoldenblogs.com/2012/11/2/3587408/11-2-12-cal-vs-uw-2nd-quarter-open-threadTheBuckeyeBear2012-11-02T17:52:26-07:002012-11-02T17:52:26-07:0011/2/12 Cal vs UW 1st Quarter Thread
<figure>
<img alt="" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/JPHBBBC8z4VJWqnPcaSa0Tf3-OE=/0x0:3999x2666/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/2473727/201210127_kdl_ai4_211.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Russ Isabella-US PRESSWIRE</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Let's light this "Gold Out" candle. Discuss the 1st Quarter inside!</p> <p>Ready for some Friday Night Lights action? Tonight is "Gold Out" at Memorial Stadium, so let's do our best to keep the Golden Bear spirit alive online, too. Please remember to treat each other and our team with respect, and BEAT THE HUSKIES!</p>
<p>Or, if you prefer, HUCK THE FUSKIES! </p>
https://www.californiagoldenblogs.com/cal-uw/2012/11/2/3587346/11-2-12-cal-vs-uw-1st-quarter-open-threadTheBuckeyeBear2012-11-02T13:30:18-07:002012-11-02T13:30:18-07:00Friday night lights! Cal vs. UW pregame thread
<figure>
<img alt="" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/YhnoLQKSD5ocqgvJgd6dc2PE4ek=/0x0:4000x2667/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/2529717/153597106.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Jason O. Watson</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>In a rare Friday night game, Cal looks to knock off Washington in the inaugural "Tosh Bowl."</p> <p>It's Friday Night Lights, Berkeley style. In a rarity for Cal football, the Bears play on a Friday night. And for the first time I can remember, Cal is playing a <em>home</em> game on a Friday night.</p>
<p>For a long time, Cal fans had today's date circled on the calendar as the Tosh Bowl: after former Cal defensive line coach (and a former Cal defensive lineman himself) Tosh Lupoi left the Golden Bear coaching staff for Washington, <a href="http://www.californiagoldenblogs.com/2012/1/18/2715569/tosh-lupoi-washington-uw-huskies-steve-sarkisian-california-golden-bears-jeff-tedford">there were many hard feelings</a>, especially when Cal's ballyhooed recruiting class took a hit after Lupoi's defection. The day is finally here and, for some, the feelings of vitriol against Lupoi still linger. But for many other Cal fans, this game may have lost a little bit of its oomph due to the underwhelming results of Cal's season. The Bears are a dismal 3-6 (2-4 Pac-12), have already lost the Big Game, and must win out to even have a chance at a bowl game. (Insert snickers and laughter at mention of "bowl game" here.) The season has gone so poorly that it is all but a foregone conclusion that these next three games <a href="http://www.pacifictakes.com/cal-bears/2012/10/29/3571728/jeff-tedford-hot-seat-california-golden-bears-cal-football-2012">will be Jeff Tedford's last three as Cal's head coach</a>. Indeed, just this week, there has been no shortage of discussion on CGB about <a href="http://www.californiagoldenblogs.com/2012/10/31/3577556/who-do-you-think-should-be-considered-as-the-next-cal-football-head">Tedford's would-be successor</a>. </p>
<p>Add to all of that the latest bit of bad news learned this week: <a href="http://www.californiagoldenblogs.com/2012/10/31/3582298/keenan-allen-injured-washington-huskies">Cal WR Keenan Allen is out for tonight's game and possibly the rest of the season </a>after suffering an injury late in Cal's 49-27 loss to Utah last Saturday. It's like the hits just keep on coming this year, doesn't it? </p>
<p>With all the negativity surrounding the Cal program, will tonight be opposite day? Can the Bears somehow circle the wagons in a nationally televised game, overcome the loss of Allen, rally behind the<a href="http://www.calbears.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/103012aae.html"> "goldout"</a> at Memorial Stadium, and get an improbable win over a Washington team that is itself trying to find consistency? The Cal faithful can hope. </p>
<p>This is your pregame thread. Talk, vent, whatever until game time. Watch for the link to the first quarter thread as kickoff draws near. More game information below. Go Bears!</p>
<hr class="p-entry-hr">
<p align="center"><strong><a href="http://www.sbnation.com/account/setup?community_id=146" target="_blank">Register to comment on California Golden Blogs</a></strong><strong>! | <a href="http://www.facebook.com/GoldenBlogs" target="new">Follow CGB on Facebook</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/goldenblogs" target="new">Twitter</a> | <a href="http://goldenblogs.tumblr.com/" target="new">Tumblr</a></strong></p>
<hr class="p-entry-hr">
<p><a href="http://www.calbears.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/103012aae.html">BASIC GAME INFORMATION</a></p>
<blockquote>
<p><strong>Friday, Nov. 2, 6:00 p.m. (PT)</strong><br><strong> Cal (3-6, 2-4) vs. Washington (4-4, 2-3)</strong><br><strong> Memorial Stadium, Berkeley, CA</strong></p>
<p><strong>Live Coverage</strong><br> <strong>TV:</strong> ESPN2 - Carter Blackburn (Play-by-Play), Rod Gilmore (Analyst), Jemele Hill (Sideline Reporter)</p>
<p><strong>Cal Commercial Radio:</strong> KGO 810 AM (San Francisco) - Joe Starkey (Play-by-Play), Mike Pawlawski (Analyst, *Pregame Show), Todd McKim (Sideline, *Pregame Show), Lee Grosscup (^Postgame Show), Matt Foley (^Postgame Show) <strong>Postgame Show:</strong> Claremont Hotel Club & Spa, 41 Tunnel Road, Berkeley, CA <br> <strong>IMG College/Cal Radio Network Affiliates:</strong> *KFPT 790 AM (Fresno), KGO 810 AM (San Francisco), +KLAA 830 AM (Los Angeles), KRAK 910 AM (Los Angeles), KAHI 950 AM (Sacramento), KESP 970 AM (Modesto), KFIG 1430 AM (Fresno), XEPE 1700 AM (San Diego) <em>^Primary, *Secondary</em></p>
<p><strong>All-Access Radio:</strong> The Cal commercial radio broadcast of the Golden Bears' game vs. Washington can be heard on the Internet through the All-Access channel on CalBears.com. All-Access can be found under the Multimedia tab at the top of the page at CalBears.com.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Well isn't that nice? We're 3-6, we've already lost the Big Game, and we have Furd alum Rod Gilmore as our analyst tonight. Think there will be any Axe or Big Game mentions? (Groan...) </p>
<p>In last year's 31-23 Washington win over Cal in Seattle, Huskies' quarterback Keith Price torched the Bears for 292 passing yards and three touchdowns. Price ended up having a fine 2011 season and was expected to be one of the elite quarterbacks in the Pac-12 this season. It has not gone quite as well in 2012 for Price as it did in 2011. <a href="http://www.californiagoldenblogs.com/2012/11/1/3578310/know-your-enemy-previewing-the-washington-offense">ManBearCal previewed the Washington offense and assessed Price in particular</a>:</p>
<blockquote><p>Price has been up and down this year, but looked better last week. He's struggled with finding the open receiver, and his accuracy isn't near where it was last year. Sark has resorted to using lots of motions and even a diamond formation to try and get receivers into space for Price to find. And he has some very good targets in the receiving game. Many of his issues would seem to stem from having little time to survey the field. With improved OL play, Price should have more time to make better reads. It'll be on our front 7 to ensure that doesn't happen. I'd like to see us bring pressure whenever possible. Price's yards per attempt has dropped from 8.5 last year to 5.7, meaning Washington has reverted to more of a dink and dunk passing game. If we employ a conservative zone coverage and keep their wideouts in front of us while also disguising pressure, we should be able to force a turnover or two. At the very least, get some sacks and put Washington into less manageable downs. Can we? Sure. Will we? LOL.</p></blockquote>
<p>As for the Washington defense, Nick Holt is gone as the Huskies' defensive coordinator. These days, the DC is a familiar name for Cal fans--former Cal linebackers coach Justin Wilcox, who is highly regarded as head-coach-someday material. Can the Cal offense move the ball and score points against Wilcox's D? <a href="http://www.californiagoldenblogs.com/2012/10/31/3578638/roll-on-cal-washington-defense-preview-justin-wilcox">norcalnick previewed the Washington defense</a> and didn't sound optimistic:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>The last time I wrote a 100% doom-and-gloom preview, Cal went out and stomped UCLA. There are always reasons you can conjure up for why any given team might be successful, however unlikely. Here they are for this game:</p>
<p>Zach Maynard is not a perfect quarterback. But, on the right day, given the right circumstances, he can play well. Facing a team that can't constantly put him on his back, Zach has one of those days. He hits Keenan for a few big plays and he doesn't throw any interceptions. Meanwhile, Cal's offensive line plays well enough against UW's still inexperience defensive line, opening up holes in the running game. Cal's backs have trouble getting past UW's talented collection of safeties for big plays, but it's enough to keep the sticks moving.</p>
<p>That's not a crazy thing to expect. But it isn't the most likely scenario. It's more likely that Washington's secondary forced a turnover or three. It's more likely that the occasional mistake or negative play puts Cal in 3rd and long, and Maynard won't be able to convert plays like that. It's more likely that Cal can't control the ball, allowing Washington to control field position and wear down Cal's defense.</p>
</blockquote>
<p> </p>
<p>With that, have I left you thoroughly without expectation of victory? I hope not. Because it's Friday, the end of a long work week, and I want you to be happy. So be optimistic and happy tonight. </p>
<p>Toward that end, I leave you with a Keenan Allen highlight from last year's UW game. Thank you, KA. </p>
<p> </p>
<p><iframe src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/RMpi9BMi9Ck" frameborder="0" height="315" width="560"></iframe></p>
<p> </p>
<p>Now that's the way to convert 3rd and 20!</p>
https://www.californiagoldenblogs.com/2012/11/2/3591164/oh-my-tosh-cal-vs-washington-pregame-threadOhio Bear