[hoopsguy]

Sellout crowd again today. It is fun seeing 100,000+ as compared to some of the smaller venues in the Pac-10.

A holding call negates an 18 yard gain on 3rd and 12 - backup OT is whistled.
And we don't pick up 22. Punt.

We are whistled for a 15 yard facemask penalty - not a good start with the refs today.
QB Curvin Finley fires the ball into a very small window for an 11 yard gain on 3rd and 9, into field goal range.
DE Phil Patten leaves with a head injury - he has been snakebit this season.
CB Rulon Bowens leaves with a neck injury - all of a sudden we are thin there.
45 yard field goal is good for Cal. 3-0, 9:36 left in the quarter.

Rattay is sacked on 1st down.
Holding on 2nd down, but it is against the defense.
Morris has had two carries for -2 yards so far - not a good start.
Derrick Palmer eludes a tackler and goes for 17 on 3rd and 12.
21 yard run for Morris - maybe that can get him going.
Welcome back Kato Thelwell. 32 yard TD pass after he found a gaping hole in the secondary. 7-3, 6:15 left in the quarter.

3 and out for Cal on the next possession. Punt.

Gain of 9 to Morris on a swing pass, into field goal range.
12 to Martin on 3rd and 9 after a great route.
ILB Conrad Beach has been making plays all quarter long for Cal.
Dawson gets 9 on a draw, first and goal at the 6.
Morris runs it in from the 1. 14-3, 14:10 left in the half.
12 play drive for us - pretty rare as we have been scoring quickly most of the time this season.

HB Jim Runyan runs for 7, then 8 yards, to advance the ball to the 35.
WR Barlow runs for 16 on a reverse, up to midfield.
Three straight incompletions end the drive. Punt.

Morris gains one on 3rd and 1.
We are now 6-7 on 3rd down after an 8 yard completion to Thelwell.
6-8 after Martin drops a ball (2nd of day) on 3rd and 1.
4th and 1 on the 42, we go for it and get 5 on a screen pass.
RB Gannon Dawson is getting carries today - 11 yard pickup on this one.
Another 3rd down conversion, 8 yards to Palmer on 3rd and 5.
3rd and 2 from the 5, screen to Morris, TD. 21-3, 4:08 left in the half.
17 play drive that time - very different style of play so far today.

DE Mark Dickerson forces a fumble, but Cal recovers. However, they don't have enough yardage for a first down. Punt.

ILB Conrad Beach has his 2nd sack of the day.
Gain of 14 to Voight on 3rd and 10, into field goal range.
20 yard pass to Martin, down to the 5.
TD - 5 yarder to Palmer. 28-3, 1:02 left in the half.

Cleo Barlow takes the kick back 90 yards - at least it wasn't a punt return. 28-10, 0:56 left in the half.


Halftime Notes:
It just sucks giving up a kick return with that little time left in the half. We were completely controlling the game.
Rattay is really efficient this game, despite not hitting as many 20+ passes. He is 16-21 for 188 yards and 3 TDs.
No turnovers, no sacks - would like to see the defense make some big plays in the 2nd half to put this one away.
We only allowed 80 yards of offense to Cal, so it isn't that defense hasn't held up its end of the deal - just want to see some big plays as well.


Cal starts at our 44 yard line after a strong kick return.
But an illegal crackback block forces them back.
Interception for J.R. Jackson! The offense will start at the 49.

3 and out - we can't take advantage of a golden opportunity to put this one away.
Cal is forced to start from their 5 after a good punt.

Barlow makes a very good catch on the sideline for 30 yards.
He only had one catch in first half, but already has 3 this half.
And the Cal offense is rolling, as QB Curvin Finley hits another two receivers.
They bring in the backup QB for a play and he finds Barlow in the back of the end zone. 26 yards, 28-17, 9:14 left in the 3rd.
Cal drove 95 yards in 7 plays. Barlow is up to 99 yards on 6 catches.

WR Woodley Martin is knocked out of the game with a nose injury.
3 and out for the offense - Barlow really seems to have energized the Bears with his kick return.

The defense forces a 3 and out, but Cal runs a fake from our 43. No good, this could be a huge turning point.

21 yard pass to Thelwell.
We can't punch it in, so Ellis comes in to kick a 36 yarder. Good. 31-17, 3:33 left in the quarter.

Barlow returns the kick to the 41.
7 yard completion to Dennis Johnson on 3rd and 6.
QB Finley leaves the game with a finger injury.
And we force a fumble - for once we also recover it. DT Parsons falls on the ball.

We are stopped at the 50 and have to punt - bad possession.

J.R. Jackson makes another interception - offense takes over on the 32.

Rattay finds Palmer for a first down.
But the Cal defense stiffens. Ellis is in, and he kicks a clutch 40 yarder. 34-17, 11:37 to play. Nice to have the 3 score lead.

Barlow returns the kick to the 43. He is dangerous ...
Backup QB Luis Witherspoon looks pretty effective early, hitting guys in space against zone coverage.
DE Dickerson records a sack on 3rd down. And Cal misses a 41 yard field goal.
We are pleased when there is no flag down at the conclusion of the play.

After a torrid start on 3rd down conversions, we are now 9-18. Punt.

We just murder Barlow and get away with it - no call.
But there is a make-up call on 3rd down. Sigh.
Witherspoon has gone cold - 6 straight incompletions.
But on the 7th he gets 14 on 3rd and 10.
4th and 2 at our 41 - incomplete pass.

We can't get anything going on offense - punt.
Credit the Cal defense for playing a strong game in the 2nd half.

4th and 3 from our 35 - deep ball to Barlow is incomplete.

Morris has 71 yards on 27 carries - tough day at the office for him.
16 yard gain - that helps the numbers.

And we run out the clock. Tough game after a fast start.