Re: Bear Territory : California CF25
Re: Bear Territory : California CF25
MIAMI GARDENS, FL - After three big wins the AP have recognized Cal as the top team in the nation, and they would need that going into Hard Rock Stadium to face Miami for their ACC opener. Now that Cal are defending ACC champions, teams like Miami will need to up their game in an attempt to knock them down a peg.
The Hurricanes did a great job of establishing themselves as title contenders with their opening drive, grinding out 60 yards in 12 plays to get down to Cal’s 15. The Golden Bears defense would be up to the challenge, halting them on the 15 and forcing a K Christian Trout 35-yard FG.
All the bravado of the hosts would be tested on Cal’s first drive, just three plays in and QB Duane Dinson would hit WR Darryl Hawkinson for a 56-yard TD.
Cal’s next drive would seem to flip the momentum to the hosts, with Cal getting down to the Miami 15 before failing to convert a 4th & 3 rather than attempt a FG. With the stadium volume at its peak, QB Judd Anderson would come out and promptly throw an interception to ROLB Jabari Uwaezuoke and put Cal on Miami’s 44.
Once again, a turnover would result in a Cal score. Dinson would hit WR Kyion Grayes for a 4-yard TD and a 14-3 lead.
The 2nd quarter, considering the final score, turned out to be fatal for Miami’s hopes of taking this game. LOLB Taylor Webb would pick off Anderson and put Cal on their own 31. That would lead to a 13-yard TD pass to Hawkinson, continuing Cal’s ability to capitalize off turnovers.
The Hurricanes would manage to get far enough on the next drive to set up a Trout 53-yard FG, and on Cal’s next drive they would get them into a 4th & 1 at Miami’s 46. Unfortunately, the Hurricane’s defense would blow the chance and turn a short 1st down pass reception into a 46-yard Hawkinson TD.
Mario Cristobal would be furious with his side, seen chiding them for losing focus with the game getting out of hand. The speech must have worked, as Miami put together their best drive of the game and left Cal with less than 2:00 to go in the half. A 10-play 76-yard drive would give Miami their first TD of the game, a 10-yard pass to HB Chris Johnson Jr. out of the backfield.
It would turn out to be a mistake to leave the Golden Bears with so much time, Dinson would bring Cal down the field quickly by hitting TE Vai Bush up the middle twice, and Hawkinson would dive into the endzone with 0:09 left in the half for his fourth TD of the day.
The Hurricanes would have little to answer back in the second half, coming out down 35-13 they completely folded in the 3rd quarter. Two TD passes to WR George Cheeseman and a Dinson 1-yard TD run, coming off another Webb interception, would put the score completely out of reach.
Anderson would find some solace very late in the game thanks to a hail mary, the Hurricanes QB would hit WR Joshua Trader for a 75-yard TD on just about the final play of the game. Luckily for them, the 0:11 left on the clock was not enough for Cal to score again.
THE TAKEAWAY
The Golden Bears offense is up and running, scoring 70 or more points in three straight games. Roughing up a very talented Miami team by 50 points puts them in a position to sweep the ACC once again. Dinson managed to get it done by spreading the ball around despite completing 22 passes to Cheeseman. Hawkinson (11 receptions) did the most with what he was given, scoring 4TD, and Bush (6 receptions, 164 yards) was able to keep the Hurricanes from locking down on Cal’s talented wideouts.
UP NEXT
California : Home against Iowa.
The Hurricanes did a great job of establishing themselves as title contenders with their opening drive, grinding out 60 yards in 12 plays to get down to Cal’s 15. The Golden Bears defense would be up to the challenge, halting them on the 15 and forcing a K Christian Trout 35-yard FG.
All the bravado of the hosts would be tested on Cal’s first drive, just three plays in and QB Duane Dinson would hit WR Darryl Hawkinson for a 56-yard TD.
Cal’s next drive would seem to flip the momentum to the hosts, with Cal getting down to the Miami 15 before failing to convert a 4th & 3 rather than attempt a FG. With the stadium volume at its peak, QB Judd Anderson would come out and promptly throw an interception to ROLB Jabari Uwaezuoke and put Cal on Miami’s 44.
Once again, a turnover would result in a Cal score. Dinson would hit WR Kyion Grayes for a 4-yard TD and a 14-3 lead.
The 2nd quarter, considering the final score, turned out to be fatal for Miami’s hopes of taking this game. LOLB Taylor Webb would pick off Anderson and put Cal on their own 31. That would lead to a 13-yard TD pass to Hawkinson, continuing Cal’s ability to capitalize off turnovers.
The Hurricanes would manage to get far enough on the next drive to set up a Trout 53-yard FG, and on Cal’s next drive they would get them into a 4th & 1 at Miami’s 46. Unfortunately, the Hurricane’s defense would blow the chance and turn a short 1st down pass reception into a 46-yard Hawkinson TD.
Mario Cristobal would be furious with his side, seen chiding them for losing focus with the game getting out of hand. The speech must have worked, as Miami put together their best drive of the game and left Cal with less than 2:00 to go in the half. A 10-play 76-yard drive would give Miami their first TD of the game, a 10-yard pass to HB Chris Johnson Jr. out of the backfield.
It would turn out to be a mistake to leave the Golden Bears with so much time, Dinson would bring Cal down the field quickly by hitting TE Vai Bush up the middle twice, and Hawkinson would dive into the endzone with 0:09 left in the half for his fourth TD of the day.
The Hurricanes would have little to answer back in the second half, coming out down 35-13 they completely folded in the 3rd quarter. Two TD passes to WR George Cheeseman and a Dinson 1-yard TD run, coming off another Webb interception, would put the score completely out of reach.
Anderson would find some solace very late in the game thanks to a hail mary, the Hurricanes QB would hit WR Joshua Trader for a 75-yard TD on just about the final play of the game. Luckily for them, the 0:11 left on the clock was not enough for Cal to score again.
THE TAKEAWAY
The Golden Bears offense is up and running, scoring 70 or more points in three straight games. Roughing up a very talented Miami team by 50 points puts them in a position to sweep the ACC once again. Dinson managed to get it done by spreading the ball around despite completing 22 passes to Cheeseman. Hawkinson (11 receptions) did the most with what he was given, scoring 4TD, and Bush (6 receptions, 164 yards) was able to keep the Hurricanes from locking down on Cal’s talented wideouts.
UP NEXT
California : Home against Iowa.
Comment
Re: Bear Territory : California CF25
lawdy the Golden Bears are cooking
the only thing that might be keeping Dinson from the Heisman is the production of Cheeseman
lawdy the Golden Bears are cooking
the only thing that might be keeping Dinson from the Heisman is the production of Cheeseman
Comment
Re: Bear Territory : California CF25
BERKELEY, CA - A game that had appeared to be a big deal before the start of the season had turned sour thanks to Iowa’s rough start to the season. This could have been an important ACC-Big 10 matchup between two ranked teams, but instead it would be the Golden Bears licking their chops at a 1-3 team headed for a long season.
It wouldn’t take long to see why Iowa was 1-3, and rapidly heading toward 1-4, with the 1st quarter giving a taste of what the Hawkeyes had in store. Any Hawkeye fans that traveled from Iowa City and wore gold could hide themselves amongst the Golden Bears fans if running for the exits wasn’t an option.
Cal’s opening drive quickly turned into a 66-yard TD pass from QB Duane Dinson to WR Darryl Hawkinson. A quick three-and-out from Iowa put Cal on their own 20, but six plays later Hawkinson would take one 26 yards for his second TD.
Iowa QB Mike Werner would pilot his best drive of the game, getting his side into Cal territory before being forced into a long field goal attempt. K Ahmad Slayton was up to the task, nailing a 52-yard attempt and putting the Hawkeyes on the board. Any momentum gained by avoiding a shutout would be quickly wiped out. A potential three-and-out for Cal, with the Golden Bears facing 3rd & 14 from their own 21, would turn to disaster with Hawkinson beating his man deep and walking in on a 79-yard TD pass.
Hawkinson was perfect on his receptions to TD ratio.
It’s hard to believe that watching Cal’s #2 WR catch three passes and take all of them for a TD wouldn’t be the lowest point of the game for Iowa. Werner, already struggling to deal with Cal’s secondary while watching their rushing attempts get stoned, would go through two possessions from Hell.
Cal would make it 28-3 on a 1-yard HB Deuce Linwood run to start the 2nd quarter, and then Werner would live out a nightmare. Moving Iowa the farthest into Cal territory all game, Werner would try to hit WR Kylan Brantley on a deep out but fail to see SS Tremayne Landman in a position to cut off the throw. An interception on Cal’s 19 would unfold into an 81-yard pick six. The next drive, again nosing into Cal territory, would end with an interception by MLB Josh Sanford and put Cal on their own 44. The field position would help, but an all-out blitz on 3rd & 2 would make things worse. Linwood would sneak through a lane between his LT and LG and scamper 32 yards to the endzone without anyone within 10 yards of him.
A WR George Cheeseman TD catch would make it 49-3 at the half, and Werner would not come back out to finish the game.
A switch to QB Branden Carney did little good, but at least Iowa moved away from their moribund running game. Werner left the game 8/16 for only 60 yards, it was clear that Iowa needed to push the ball downfield if they were going to make things more respectable.
Carney didn’t do much, but he did manage to keep Cal off the field. It wouldn’t result in more points for the Hawkeyes, but it did limit the Golden Bears to two TD in the 3rd quarter. Cheeseman’s second TD catch and a short Linwood run.
The 2nd quarter was the worst of the game, but Carney wouldn’t escape unscathed despite his limited success. A 72-yard TD run from Linwood would end his day, along with most of Cal’s starters on offense. That was bad, but Iowa had more bad luck coming their way. A deflected pass would drop for LE Karl Haggan to intercept it, his third interception in three games, and put Cal on Iowa’s 36.
A 2-yard Dinson run would turn that interception into a TD, but neither side was done yet. Carney, as if expending the last amount of life in him, would finally guide the Hawkeyes on an 8-play 75-yard scoring drive. Brantley, the target of Landman’s pick-six, would not be undercut on a 2-yard TD pass to make it 77-10.
Cal attempted to run the clock out, but Dinson seems to smell a Heisman coming his way and couldn’t stop himself. A drive that mostly consisted of HB Larry Hall trying to reestablish himself in the team would see Dinson break free for a 24-yard TD run and a humiliating 84-10 scoreline.
Carney would try one more drive, getting the ball back with less than 2:00 to play, but he’d end up equalling his predecessor’s interception total with a last second heave into the endzone that would find FS Scoot Henderson instead.
THE TAKEAWAY
Don’t turn the ball over against Cal, the Golden Bears were 4/4 in converting turnovers to touchdowns. What might be more frightening for the rest of the nation is that Cal continues to be deadly even when they are trying to run down the clock. 35 points while mostly running the ball with backups is hard to deal with. It’s getting harder and harder not to see them as heavy favorites to win the national title.
UP NEXT
California : Home against Georgia Tech.
It wouldn’t take long to see why Iowa was 1-3, and rapidly heading toward 1-4, with the 1st quarter giving a taste of what the Hawkeyes had in store. Any Hawkeye fans that traveled from Iowa City and wore gold could hide themselves amongst the Golden Bears fans if running for the exits wasn’t an option.
Cal’s opening drive quickly turned into a 66-yard TD pass from QB Duane Dinson to WR Darryl Hawkinson. A quick three-and-out from Iowa put Cal on their own 20, but six plays later Hawkinson would take one 26 yards for his second TD.
Iowa QB Mike Werner would pilot his best drive of the game, getting his side into Cal territory before being forced into a long field goal attempt. K Ahmad Slayton was up to the task, nailing a 52-yard attempt and putting the Hawkeyes on the board. Any momentum gained by avoiding a shutout would be quickly wiped out. A potential three-and-out for Cal, with the Golden Bears facing 3rd & 14 from their own 21, would turn to disaster with Hawkinson beating his man deep and walking in on a 79-yard TD pass.
It’s hard to believe that watching Cal’s #2 WR catch three passes and take all of them for a TD wouldn’t be the lowest point of the game for Iowa. Werner, already struggling to deal with Cal’s secondary while watching their rushing attempts get stoned, would go through two possessions from Hell.
Cal would make it 28-3 on a 1-yard HB Deuce Linwood run to start the 2nd quarter, and then Werner would live out a nightmare. Moving Iowa the farthest into Cal territory all game, Werner would try to hit WR Kylan Brantley on a deep out but fail to see SS Tremayne Landman in a position to cut off the throw. An interception on Cal’s 19 would unfold into an 81-yard pick six. The next drive, again nosing into Cal territory, would end with an interception by MLB Josh Sanford and put Cal on their own 44. The field position would help, but an all-out blitz on 3rd & 2 would make things worse. Linwood would sneak through a lane between his LT and LG and scamper 32 yards to the endzone without anyone within 10 yards of him.
A WR George Cheeseman TD catch would make it 49-3 at the half, and Werner would not come back out to finish the game.
A switch to QB Branden Carney did little good, but at least Iowa moved away from their moribund running game. Werner left the game 8/16 for only 60 yards, it was clear that Iowa needed to push the ball downfield if they were going to make things more respectable.
Carney didn’t do much, but he did manage to keep Cal off the field. It wouldn’t result in more points for the Hawkeyes, but it did limit the Golden Bears to two TD in the 3rd quarter. Cheeseman’s second TD catch and a short Linwood run.
The 2nd quarter was the worst of the game, but Carney wouldn’t escape unscathed despite his limited success. A 72-yard TD run from Linwood would end his day, along with most of Cal’s starters on offense. That was bad, but Iowa had more bad luck coming their way. A deflected pass would drop for LE Karl Haggan to intercept it, his third interception in three games, and put Cal on Iowa’s 36.
A 2-yard Dinson run would turn that interception into a TD, but neither side was done yet. Carney, as if expending the last amount of life in him, would finally guide the Hawkeyes on an 8-play 75-yard scoring drive. Brantley, the target of Landman’s pick-six, would not be undercut on a 2-yard TD pass to make it 77-10.
Cal attempted to run the clock out, but Dinson seems to smell a Heisman coming his way and couldn’t stop himself. A drive that mostly consisted of HB Larry Hall trying to reestablish himself in the team would see Dinson break free for a 24-yard TD run and a humiliating 84-10 scoreline.
Carney would try one more drive, getting the ball back with less than 2:00 to play, but he’d end up equalling his predecessor’s interception total with a last second heave into the endzone that would find FS Scoot Henderson instead.
THE TAKEAWAY
Don’t turn the ball over against Cal, the Golden Bears were 4/4 in converting turnovers to touchdowns. What might be more frightening for the rest of the nation is that Cal continues to be deadly even when they are trying to run down the clock. 35 points while mostly running the ball with backups is hard to deal with. It’s getting harder and harder not to see them as heavy favorites to win the national title.
UP NEXT
California : Home against Georgia Tech.
Comment
Re: Bear Territory : California CF25
BERKELEY, CA - After watching Cal light up their opponents, Georgia Tech would walk into this game with quite a mountain to climb. The 4-1 Yellow Jacks started the season well, and more importantly were 2-0 in the ACC. With the turbulence in the ACC, this game could be a preview of the conference title game.
“We’ve started strong like this before, and we plan on keeping it up” said Georgia Tech first year head coach Marcus Coleman. “We’ve seen the score, so we know what we have in front of us.”
Coleman opened with the typical bravado of a coach working to keep his team focused, but for the first time since the opener against Florida it wasn’t just hot air.
It only took seven plays for Cal to get on the board after receiving the kickoff, making it 7-0 on a 15-yard TD pass to WR George Cheeseman. Over the past few games, this is where things started to get out of hand and Cal would head into the 2nd quarter with a sizable lead. This time, Georgia Tech managed to respond with a solid drive of their own. QB Graham Knowles led an 8-play 75-yard TD drive that ended when he hit WR Zion Taylor with a 5-yard pass.
Of course the Golden Bears would not be done, specifically Cheeseman would not be done, a 45-yard TD pass from QB Duane Dinson would be his second of the game and restore a seven point lead.
It would be the 2nd quarter where things started to get away from the visitors. A Yellow Jackets three-and-out would turn into a Cal scoring drive, Cheeseman would catch his third TD of the game, before Cal would force another punt and turn the following possession into a 6-play 80-yard monster and a WR Darryl Hawkinson 10-yard TD pass.
Knowles would come back with Georgia Tech’s best drive of the game, something they desperately needed with Cal jumping out to a 28-7 lead. The Yellow Jackets would grind out a 9-play 75-yard drive, constantly beating Cal’s secondary for 3rd down conversions, and capping it off with a 1-yard TD run by HB Evan Dickens.
28-14 didn’t seem all that bad, Georgia Tech would just need to keep producing those drives and keep Cal off the field. Despite the boost in momentum, Justin Burke and Scott Symons would have some tricks up their sleeves.
28-14 quickly ballooned to 42-14 thanks to a long drive and a 2-yard TD pass to TE Vai Bush. Georgia Tech looked to have escaped the first half, punting the ball to the Cal 12 yard line with just 0:11 left in the 2nd quarter and the kickoff coming to them to start the third. Somehow Coleman did not think that Dinson would take a shot at the endzone, and the defense was totally unprepared for Cheeseman to catch his fourth TD of the half with an 88-yard bomb down the sideline.
Georgia Tech would open the 3rd quarter with a decent drive, but would need to settle for a 21-yard FG from K Paul Kelly. That would not be enough as Cal slowly started to put the game away. A Bush TD catch and a SS Nyshawn Sapp interception in the endzone would follow.
Georgia Tech would find the endzone to start the 4th quarter, but Cal would come back with three rushing TD. HB Larry Hall, Dinson, and finally HB Deuce Linwood would all carry the ball in and finish off the game with yet another 70-point performance.
THE TAKEAWAY
The Golden Bears have scored at least 70 points in five straight contests, this team looks unbeatable and nobody seems to have an answer for them. Dinson is looking unstoppable with all the options around him, passing for 547 yards and rushing for 71. Cheeseman (241) and Hawkinson (204) would both have more than 200 receiving yards, no team has managed to figure out a way to deal with these two.
UP NEXT
California : Away at Louisville.
“We’ve started strong like this before, and we plan on keeping it up” said Georgia Tech first year head coach Marcus Coleman. “We’ve seen the score, so we know what we have in front of us.”
Coleman opened with the typical bravado of a coach working to keep his team focused, but for the first time since the opener against Florida it wasn’t just hot air.
It only took seven plays for Cal to get on the board after receiving the kickoff, making it 7-0 on a 15-yard TD pass to WR George Cheeseman. Over the past few games, this is where things started to get out of hand and Cal would head into the 2nd quarter with a sizable lead. This time, Georgia Tech managed to respond with a solid drive of their own. QB Graham Knowles led an 8-play 75-yard TD drive that ended when he hit WR Zion Taylor with a 5-yard pass.
Of course the Golden Bears would not be done, specifically Cheeseman would not be done, a 45-yard TD pass from QB Duane Dinson would be his second of the game and restore a seven point lead.
It would be the 2nd quarter where things started to get away from the visitors. A Yellow Jackets three-and-out would turn into a Cal scoring drive, Cheeseman would catch his third TD of the game, before Cal would force another punt and turn the following possession into a 6-play 80-yard monster and a WR Darryl Hawkinson 10-yard TD pass.
Knowles would come back with Georgia Tech’s best drive of the game, something they desperately needed with Cal jumping out to a 28-7 lead. The Yellow Jackets would grind out a 9-play 75-yard drive, constantly beating Cal’s secondary for 3rd down conversions, and capping it off with a 1-yard TD run by HB Evan Dickens.
28-14 didn’t seem all that bad, Georgia Tech would just need to keep producing those drives and keep Cal off the field. Despite the boost in momentum, Justin Burke and Scott Symons would have some tricks up their sleeves.
28-14 quickly ballooned to 42-14 thanks to a long drive and a 2-yard TD pass to TE Vai Bush. Georgia Tech looked to have escaped the first half, punting the ball to the Cal 12 yard line with just 0:11 left in the 2nd quarter and the kickoff coming to them to start the third. Somehow Coleman did not think that Dinson would take a shot at the endzone, and the defense was totally unprepared for Cheeseman to catch his fourth TD of the half with an 88-yard bomb down the sideline.
Georgia Tech would open the 3rd quarter with a decent drive, but would need to settle for a 21-yard FG from K Paul Kelly. That would not be enough as Cal slowly started to put the game away. A Bush TD catch and a SS Nyshawn Sapp interception in the endzone would follow.
Georgia Tech would find the endzone to start the 4th quarter, but Cal would come back with three rushing TD. HB Larry Hall, Dinson, and finally HB Deuce Linwood would all carry the ball in and finish off the game with yet another 70-point performance.
THE TAKEAWAY
The Golden Bears have scored at least 70 points in five straight contests, this team looks unbeatable and nobody seems to have an answer for them. Dinson is looking unstoppable with all the options around him, passing for 547 yards and rushing for 71. Cheeseman (241) and Hawkinson (204) would both have more than 200 receiving yards, no team has managed to figure out a way to deal with these two.
UP NEXT
California : Away at Louisville.
Comment
Re: Bear Territory : California CF25
Its looking like the only thing that can stop the Golden Bears is themselves this season. Its going to take more than a few turnovers by Dinson to let any team back in a game
Its looking like the only thing that can stop the Golden Bears is themselves this season. Its going to take more than a few turnovers by Dinson to let any team back in a game
Comment
Re: Bear Territory : California CF25
A wild start to the season in Berkeley has drastically altered this list, and at the rate things are going the Golden Bears can’t miss on landing their third Heisman in a row. It’s even wilder that we don’t really know which Golden Bear it will be, but knowing how much the voters love passers it’s hard to think that George Cheeseman is going to join Archie Griffin as a two-time winner.
TOP CONTENDERS
California QB Duane Dinson
Total Points : 64 (First Place Votes : 10)
Fears of Dinson’s lack of experience have quickly dissipated in Justin Burke’s offense. Dinson is getting things done with his arms and his legs, and it doesn’t look like anyone can slow him down with all of the offensive weapons on hand. On paper he might not look that dominant on first glance, leading the nation with 2,888 passing yards (467 more than 2nd), but the rate at which he’s doing it is eye watering. His 481 yards per game is 140 more than the next highest qualified passer, and when you add in his 33 TD's it’s starting to paint a picture that looks a lot like the usual Heisman winner. Unless he becomes dependent on a single receiver, it’s hard to see voters looking past him.
Heisman Moment : There have been so many in just half a season, but the 105-6 blowout of Arizona State really stands out as an individual performance. 422 yards through the air with 6TD is impressive, but he added 144 yards and 4TD on the ground. He looked good in the Week 1 win over Florida, but this was the game that turned heads and forced him into the Heisman conversation.
Key Stat : Pick one, he’s dominating the nation in all of the important passing stats.
ESPN BET Heisman Odds : -110
Trend : Steady
California WR George Cheeseman
Total Points : 58 (First Place Votes : 4)
Cheeseman is having an incredibly unlucky follow up campaign, but in the best way possible for his team. Last year he wasn’t targeted in an imbalanced way, but he managed to do so much more with the ball in his hands that it would look that way on paper. This year, he’s got another player lining up on the opposite side of the field that’s doing a similar thing. Cheeseman and his WR2 Darryl Hawkinson are 1-2 in receiving yards and 1-2 in receiving TD, both of them are on pace to pass 2,000 receiving yards during the regular season. If it weren’t for Dinson spreading the ball around, and Hawkinson being so talented as well, this might be Cheeseman’s race to lose.
Heisman Moment : Like Dinson, he’s had many. His last game, a 15-catch 241-yard 4TD performance, is probably a good example of the kind of season he’s been having.
Key Stat : 14TD and 196.3 yards a game, tops in the nation and quite a bit more than his teammate.
ESPN BET Heisman Odds : +110
Trend : Rising
South Carolina WR CJ Adams
Total Points : 43 (First Place Votes : 0)
Adams shot up this list as the season started thanks to a keen partnership with another name on this list, he jumped up to 13TD receptions and caught everyone’s eye as a potential spoiler to Cal’s attempt(s) at winning their third in a row. His production has waned slightly, but his primary issue is that Cheeseman and Hawkinson have caught him in the TD department while already outpacing him in receiving yards. If he can’t find a scoring burst soon he’s going to be looking up at three Golden Bears.
Heisman Moment : 121 receiving yards on 8 receptions and 2TD against Alabama in a 49-21 win to stay on top of the SEC.
Key Stat : 13TD, the Gamecocks’ top receiver is tied for 2nd in the nation.
ESPN BET Heisman Odds : +450
Trend : Falling
California WR Darryl Hawkinson
Total Points : 40 (First Place Votes : 0)
Perhaps it isn’t all that surprising considering the kind of offense Cal has had under Justin Burke, but nobody could have predicted this kind of production out of the redshirt freshman while Cheeseman continued to put up Heisman worthy numbers. Dinson has done an incredible job spreading the ball around, and teams are clearly struggling with planning around two extremely fast receivers that might break for a long TD on even the shortest of pass catches. If this trend continues, Hawkinson should pass Adams soon.
Heisman Moment : 170 yards on 11 receptions against Miami, his 4TD helped the Golden Bears hang 70 on the Hurricanes in Hard Rock Stadium. He also had an incredible performance against Georgia Tech, all three of his receptions went for a TD on his way to 171 yards.
Key Stat : 13TD, second in the nation as well as on his own team.
ESPN BET Heisman Odds : +500
Trend : Steady
South Carolina QB LaNorris Sellers
Total Points : 38 (First Place Votes : 0)
Sellers is putting together a classic voter bait season that’s helping him overcome is less than stellar stats. Yes, he’s putting up good passing numbers along with some rushing production that puts him in line with recent winners like Jalen Milroe, but he’s being blown out of the water by a number of other passers. He is getting a massive boost by being the engine driving the undefeated Gamecocks. Being undefeated, ranked in the Top 5, leading the SEC, it’s like he’s working from Milroe’s playbook. The only issue he has at the moment is that Dinson is doing almost the same thing, just putting up stats on a record-breaking pace.
Heisman Moment : A 49-21 win over Alabama with four total TD, two passing and two rushing. 394 passing yards, most of which went to CJ Adams, and no interceptions sent the Crimson Tide back out to sea.
Key Stat : 214.1, Sellers’ QB Rating is the highest in the nation outside of California. He isn’t leading in any one category, but he’s putting together a very solid season.
ESPN BET Heisman Odds : +1000
Trend : Steady
TOP CONTENDERS
California QB Duane Dinson
Total Points : 64 (First Place Votes : 10)
Fears of Dinson’s lack of experience have quickly dissipated in Justin Burke’s offense. Dinson is getting things done with his arms and his legs, and it doesn’t look like anyone can slow him down with all of the offensive weapons on hand. On paper he might not look that dominant on first glance, leading the nation with 2,888 passing yards (467 more than 2nd), but the rate at which he’s doing it is eye watering. His 481 yards per game is 140 more than the next highest qualified passer, and when you add in his 33 TD's it’s starting to paint a picture that looks a lot like the usual Heisman winner. Unless he becomes dependent on a single receiver, it’s hard to see voters looking past him.
Heisman Moment : There have been so many in just half a season, but the 105-6 blowout of Arizona State really stands out as an individual performance. 422 yards through the air with 6TD is impressive, but he added 144 yards and 4TD on the ground. He looked good in the Week 1 win over Florida, but this was the game that turned heads and forced him into the Heisman conversation.
Key Stat : Pick one, he’s dominating the nation in all of the important passing stats.
ESPN BET Heisman Odds : -110
Trend : Steady
California WR George Cheeseman
Total Points : 58 (First Place Votes : 4)
Cheeseman is having an incredibly unlucky follow up campaign, but in the best way possible for his team. Last year he wasn’t targeted in an imbalanced way, but he managed to do so much more with the ball in his hands that it would look that way on paper. This year, he’s got another player lining up on the opposite side of the field that’s doing a similar thing. Cheeseman and his WR2 Darryl Hawkinson are 1-2 in receiving yards and 1-2 in receiving TD, both of them are on pace to pass 2,000 receiving yards during the regular season. If it weren’t for Dinson spreading the ball around, and Hawkinson being so talented as well, this might be Cheeseman’s race to lose.
Heisman Moment : Like Dinson, he’s had many. His last game, a 15-catch 241-yard 4TD performance, is probably a good example of the kind of season he’s been having.
Key Stat : 14TD and 196.3 yards a game, tops in the nation and quite a bit more than his teammate.
ESPN BET Heisman Odds : +110
Trend : Rising
South Carolina WR CJ Adams
Total Points : 43 (First Place Votes : 0)
Adams shot up this list as the season started thanks to a keen partnership with another name on this list, he jumped up to 13TD receptions and caught everyone’s eye as a potential spoiler to Cal’s attempt(s) at winning their third in a row. His production has waned slightly, but his primary issue is that Cheeseman and Hawkinson have caught him in the TD department while already outpacing him in receiving yards. If he can’t find a scoring burst soon he’s going to be looking up at three Golden Bears.
Heisman Moment : 121 receiving yards on 8 receptions and 2TD against Alabama in a 49-21 win to stay on top of the SEC.
Key Stat : 13TD, the Gamecocks’ top receiver is tied for 2nd in the nation.
ESPN BET Heisman Odds : +450
Trend : Falling
California WR Darryl Hawkinson
Total Points : 40 (First Place Votes : 0)
Perhaps it isn’t all that surprising considering the kind of offense Cal has had under Justin Burke, but nobody could have predicted this kind of production out of the redshirt freshman while Cheeseman continued to put up Heisman worthy numbers. Dinson has done an incredible job spreading the ball around, and teams are clearly struggling with planning around two extremely fast receivers that might break for a long TD on even the shortest of pass catches. If this trend continues, Hawkinson should pass Adams soon.
Heisman Moment : 170 yards on 11 receptions against Miami, his 4TD helped the Golden Bears hang 70 on the Hurricanes in Hard Rock Stadium. He also had an incredible performance against Georgia Tech, all three of his receptions went for a TD on his way to 171 yards.
Key Stat : 13TD, second in the nation as well as on his own team.
ESPN BET Heisman Odds : +500
Trend : Steady
South Carolina QB LaNorris Sellers
Total Points : 38 (First Place Votes : 0)
Sellers is putting together a classic voter bait season that’s helping him overcome is less than stellar stats. Yes, he’s putting up good passing numbers along with some rushing production that puts him in line with recent winners like Jalen Milroe, but he’s being blown out of the water by a number of other passers. He is getting a massive boost by being the engine driving the undefeated Gamecocks. Being undefeated, ranked in the Top 5, leading the SEC, it’s like he’s working from Milroe’s playbook. The only issue he has at the moment is that Dinson is doing almost the same thing, just putting up stats on a record-breaking pace.
Heisman Moment : A 49-21 win over Alabama with four total TD, two passing and two rushing. 394 passing yards, most of which went to CJ Adams, and no interceptions sent the Crimson Tide back out to sea.
Key Stat : 214.1, Sellers’ QB Rating is the highest in the nation outside of California. He isn’t leading in any one category, but he’s putting together a very solid season.
ESPN BET Heisman Odds : +1000
Trend : Steady
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Re: Bear Territory : California CF25
Tosh Lupoi may have already pulled off Cal’s greatest class in the ESPN300 era, and he’s still hitting the recruiting trail hard. Signing not just their first 5-star prospect, but four of them, pushed Cal firmly into the Top 5 classes. Adding top end players at key positions, specifically DT and QB, sets up the team to maintain an elite level of talent going forward.
Outside of the 5-star prospects, Tupoi has landed a number of players that scouts love and see as early contributors. CB Jordan Rosewood Jr. is incredibly quick and excellent in man coverage, and LOLB Max van den Brande could come in and compete for a starting spot or at least avoid being redshirted.
ESPN 300 Commits : 12
Top Offensive Prospect : QB T.J. Gold
Top Defensive Prospect : DT Richard Calcaterra
Current Ranking : 3rd
TOP TARGETS
Outside of the 5-star prospects, Tupoi has landed a number of players that scouts love and see as early contributors. CB Jordan Rosewood Jr. is incredibly quick and excellent in man coverage, and LOLB Max van den Brande could come in and compete for a starting spot or at least avoid being redshirted.
ESPN 300 Commits : 12
Top Offensive Prospect : QB T.J. Gold
Top Defensive Prospect : DT Richard Calcaterra
Current Ranking : 3rd
TOP TARGETS
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Re: Bear Territory : California CF25
LOUISVILLE, KY - A rainy and overcast L&N Federal Credit Union Stadium would be waiting for #1 Cal as they traveled across the country to face a familiar foe. Both of these teams have moved in different directions since the Cardinals topped Cal twice to take the ACC title, but that wouldn’t make the hosts any less dangerous.
“We aren’t looking at records,” said Cal HC Tosh Lupoi prior to the game, “we know what Pierce [Clarkson] can do, and we can’t let him beat us.”
The primary concern with Louisville’s mobile QB was how to deal with him while respecting their passing game, the Golden Bears continually have issues with scrambles turning a punting situation into a first down. The opening drive of the game, with the Cardinals receiving the ball, would be an excellent example of those problems.
Clarkson would start out the game very well, marching the Cardinals 61 yards in 13 plays before the Golden Bears would force them into a short FG. Clarkson could not be stopped, picking up three first downs with his legs on that opening drive alone. Cal would either need to find a way to contain him, or outpace their offense.
Turns out Lupoi was going to go for the second option.
The 1st quarter would feature two TD catches by WR George Cheeseman, one from 23 yards out and one from 76 that left the Cardinals with little to do but watch him sprint for the endzone.
The 2nd quarter wouldn’t be any better, with QB Duane Dinson running an 8-play 74-yard drive that would end with him taking off for an 18-yard TD run. Louisville wasn’t the only team with a QB that could take off and run. Dinson would add a third passing TD, this time to WR Darryl Hawkinson, before being denied a fourth before the half. MLB Derek Lemon would snatch a pass over the middle intended for TE Vai Bush and put the Cardinals on their own 4.
The Cardinals spread hurry-up offense caused issues all game until they started to approach Cal’s 35. DC Scott Symons had his secondary playing hard and fast with passes, putting big hits on receivers and knocking the ball out over and over while completely shutting down Clarkson’s ability to throw deep.
Tiffin wouldn’t be the only Cardinal getting hit hard in the secondary.
Cal’s bend-but-don’t-break approach was working about as well as it possibly could, setting them up for a 28-3 halftime lead. The 3rd quarter basically put this game away, if having a 25-point lead wasn’t enough.
Three TD passes to Hawkinson, one of them a 91-yard bomb after a great punt pinned Cal deep, and Dinson’s second TD run of the game would double the score to 56-3 and make way for the backups.
The Cardinals had nothing left in the tank, with their best scoring drive of the game dying on 4th & Goal from the six and ending with a K Jamerson Mallory 23-yard FG.
THE TAKEAWAY
The scoreline didn’t show it, but Clarkson shredded Cal’s defense on the ground. Symons needs to figure out a way to contain scramblers, Clarkson carried the ball 17 times for 47 yards and they were lucky it wasn’t worse. Symons bemoaned “spectators” as Cal’s defenders did little until Clarkson was a few yards down the field. Things would have been worse if not for Cal logging four sacks, two of them from RE Marvin Wile.
Hawkinson continues to shine, finishing his day with 292 yards and 4TD on 12 receptions. It seemed like all of this happened during the 3rd quarter, with Louisville focused on containing Cheeseman once it was too late (221 yards and 2TD).
UP NEXT
California : Home against Duke.
“We aren’t looking at records,” said Cal HC Tosh Lupoi prior to the game, “we know what Pierce [Clarkson] can do, and we can’t let him beat us.”
The primary concern with Louisville’s mobile QB was how to deal with him while respecting their passing game, the Golden Bears continually have issues with scrambles turning a punting situation into a first down. The opening drive of the game, with the Cardinals receiving the ball, would be an excellent example of those problems.
Clarkson would start out the game very well, marching the Cardinals 61 yards in 13 plays before the Golden Bears would force them into a short FG. Clarkson could not be stopped, picking up three first downs with his legs on that opening drive alone. Cal would either need to find a way to contain him, or outpace their offense.
Turns out Lupoi was going to go for the second option.
The 1st quarter would feature two TD catches by WR George Cheeseman, one from 23 yards out and one from 76 that left the Cardinals with little to do but watch him sprint for the endzone.
The 2nd quarter wouldn’t be any better, with QB Duane Dinson running an 8-play 74-yard drive that would end with him taking off for an 18-yard TD run. Louisville wasn’t the only team with a QB that could take off and run. Dinson would add a third passing TD, this time to WR Darryl Hawkinson, before being denied a fourth before the half. MLB Derek Lemon would snatch a pass over the middle intended for TE Vai Bush and put the Cardinals on their own 4.
The Cardinals spread hurry-up offense caused issues all game until they started to approach Cal’s 35. DC Scott Symons had his secondary playing hard and fast with passes, putting big hits on receivers and knocking the ball out over and over while completely shutting down Clarkson’s ability to throw deep.
Cal’s bend-but-don’t-break approach was working about as well as it possibly could, setting them up for a 28-3 halftime lead. The 3rd quarter basically put this game away, if having a 25-point lead wasn’t enough.
Three TD passes to Hawkinson, one of them a 91-yard bomb after a great punt pinned Cal deep, and Dinson’s second TD run of the game would double the score to 56-3 and make way for the backups.
The Cardinals had nothing left in the tank, with their best scoring drive of the game dying on 4th & Goal from the six and ending with a K Jamerson Mallory 23-yard FG.
THE TAKEAWAY
The scoreline didn’t show it, but Clarkson shredded Cal’s defense on the ground. Symons needs to figure out a way to contain scramblers, Clarkson carried the ball 17 times for 47 yards and they were lucky it wasn’t worse. Symons bemoaned “spectators” as Cal’s defenders did little until Clarkson was a few yards down the field. Things would have been worse if not for Cal logging four sacks, two of them from RE Marvin Wile.
Hawkinson continues to shine, finishing his day with 292 yards and 4TD on 12 receptions. It seemed like all of this happened during the 3rd quarter, with Louisville focused on containing Cheeseman once it was too late (221 yards and 2TD).
UP NEXT
California : Home against Duke.
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Re: Bear Territory : California CF25
BERKELEY, CA - Halloween week has proved to be a good time for Cal in recent seasons, and with a 3-5 Duke coming to town it figured to be a similar outing. The Blue Devils are on a bit of an uptick against the past few years, but they haven’t shown enough to make people think they could surprise Cal at home. One thing in their favor would be Cal traveling to Florida State next week, Duke fans might have hoped this could be a trap game with Cal looking ahead.
Duke’s opening drive would fall flat, ending in a quick three-and-out, but at least their defense looked to put up a better fight in Cal’s opening possession. Duke would manage to keep Cal from scoring too quickly, forcing a 7-play 75-yard drive before QB Dwanye Dinson would find TE Vai Bush deep over the middle for a 27-yard TD.
Duke QB Terrance Kush would improve on their opening drive, this time finishing with a 27-yard FG to get on the scoreboard. Cal would come right back with a second TD pass to Bush, this time from 22-yards out. Duke’s defense would pick up on the pattern the next time Cal had the ball, MLB DeMarco Ahmed would pick off Dinson in the endzone while trying to hit Bush a third time.
Unfortunately Ahmed would make the mistake of trying to run the ball out, the Blue Devils would end up starting the 2nd quarter on their own 2 yard line. Perhaps it was that mistake, or something else all together, but with the momentum swinging their way everything would fall apart and leave them in a deep hole at the half.
The next drive would end with Dinson finding Bush a third time, forcing the safety to pick between Bush or WR Darryl Hawkinson in a lose-lose coverage scenario. Cal’s next possession would be a grinding 9-play 80 yard effort that would result in a 17-yard TD pass to Hawkinson to go up 28-3.
Another stunted drive would see Kush leave the field dejected, forcing an incredible punt by Duke that would pin Cal on their own 2. That would barely hinder Cal’s explosive offense, just four plays would be needed for Dinson to hit Hawkinson for a 75-yard TD pass.
Duke’s K Brayden Moore would close out the half with a 26-yard FG, but the damage had been done. Dinson would head into the locker room with 446 passing yards, not something Duke’s improving defense would be happy to see.
The Blue Devils would show some life, coming out of the half with more energy than at any other point during the game. Their first possession would be a 7-play 74-yard TD drive that would end with Kush scrambling and taking it into the endzone himself. All of that would be wiped out right away, with Dinson hitting Hawkinson for another long TD. Kush came back on the field, with Duke’s body language showing they were ready to get back into the game, but a 40-yard pick six would follow. LOLB Taylor Webb would snatch a swing pass to HB Marquise Collins and take it all the way back with little resistance.
Duke would get back into the endzone to close out the 3rd quarter, with Collins running 3 yards for a TD, but just matching Cal at this point would be too little too late.
With most of Cal’s backups in they would trade TD drives in the 4th quarter, but Duke’s 2nd quarter collapse would doom them to a Halloween defeat.
THE TAKEAWAY
Only eight games in and it feels like Dinson has the Heisman locked up, he has Cal’s offense looking like an unstoppable force with little to no weaknesses.
UP NEXT
California : Away at Florida State.
Duke’s opening drive would fall flat, ending in a quick three-and-out, but at least their defense looked to put up a better fight in Cal’s opening possession. Duke would manage to keep Cal from scoring too quickly, forcing a 7-play 75-yard drive before QB Dwanye Dinson would find TE Vai Bush deep over the middle for a 27-yard TD.
Duke QB Terrance Kush would improve on their opening drive, this time finishing with a 27-yard FG to get on the scoreboard. Cal would come right back with a second TD pass to Bush, this time from 22-yards out. Duke’s defense would pick up on the pattern the next time Cal had the ball, MLB DeMarco Ahmed would pick off Dinson in the endzone while trying to hit Bush a third time.
Unfortunately Ahmed would make the mistake of trying to run the ball out, the Blue Devils would end up starting the 2nd quarter on their own 2 yard line. Perhaps it was that mistake, or something else all together, but with the momentum swinging their way everything would fall apart and leave them in a deep hole at the half.
The next drive would end with Dinson finding Bush a third time, forcing the safety to pick between Bush or WR Darryl Hawkinson in a lose-lose coverage scenario. Cal’s next possession would be a grinding 9-play 80 yard effort that would result in a 17-yard TD pass to Hawkinson to go up 28-3.
Another stunted drive would see Kush leave the field dejected, forcing an incredible punt by Duke that would pin Cal on their own 2. That would barely hinder Cal’s explosive offense, just four plays would be needed for Dinson to hit Hawkinson for a 75-yard TD pass.
Duke’s K Brayden Moore would close out the half with a 26-yard FG, but the damage had been done. Dinson would head into the locker room with 446 passing yards, not something Duke’s improving defense would be happy to see.
The Blue Devils would show some life, coming out of the half with more energy than at any other point during the game. Their first possession would be a 7-play 74-yard TD drive that would end with Kush scrambling and taking it into the endzone himself. All of that would be wiped out right away, with Dinson hitting Hawkinson for another long TD. Kush came back on the field, with Duke’s body language showing they were ready to get back into the game, but a 40-yard pick six would follow. LOLB Taylor Webb would snatch a swing pass to HB Marquise Collins and take it all the way back with little resistance.
Duke would get back into the endzone to close out the 3rd quarter, with Collins running 3 yards for a TD, but just matching Cal at this point would be too little too late.
With most of Cal’s backups in they would trade TD drives in the 4th quarter, but Duke’s 2nd quarter collapse would doom them to a Halloween defeat.
THE TAKEAWAY
Only eight games in and it feels like Dinson has the Heisman locked up, he has Cal’s offense looking like an unstoppable force with little to no weaknesses.
UP NEXT
California : Away at Florida State.
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Re: Bear Territory : California CF25
Back-to-back dominating performances, both at home and on the road
Back-to-back dominating performances, both at home and on the road
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