Bear Territory : California CF25

**xboxxerx** · 12-03-2024, 03:40 PM

Re: Bear Territory : California CF25

Are you looking to see the Cal dynasty all the way through or any thoughts of going else where?

Sent from my SM-S928U using Operation Sports mobile app

**bayers3** · 12-03-2024, 04:15 PM

Re: Bear Territory : California CF25

Originally posted by xboxxerx

Are you looking to see the Cal dynasty all the way through or any thoughts of going else where?

Sent from my SM-S928U using Operation Sports mobile app

I'm trying hard to make it at least 10 years, will not be moving schools. After this season I'm going to try a little change to the format, it's taking a long time to do each season. I haven't played the game in a month and I still have to post 2029!

**bayers3** · 12-03-2024, 07:04 PM

Re: Bear Territory : California CF25

ATLANTA, GA - The College Football Playoff committee have put Cal on the path to revenge, after a 56-13 win over Florida State the committee decided that they were not as high on the 9-0 Golden Bears as the AP. Cal opens the playoff rankings at #2 after hold their #1 preseason ranking through nine wins.

“I’m not concerned with rankings,” said Cal head coach Tosh Lupoi “I’m just focused on winning all of our games.”

A visit from 4-4 Georgia Tech wouldn’t prove much of a barrier to Lupoi’s focus, though they made it look like they would put up a better fight as the game started.

After giving up a 17-yard TD pass to WR Darryl Hawkinson on the opening drive, Georgia Tech would put together a solid 11-play 76-yard drive that would end with a HB Alex Wilkins 12-yard TD run.

Not that Cal needed much motivation, but the Yellow Jackets’ TD would send them on a tear that would leave the visitors in the dust by halftime. Hawkinson would catch his second TD of the 1st quarter, and then Georgia Tech would spend almost the entire game on their heels.

Cal would start off the 2nd quarter with a strip sack by LE Karl Haggan, giving them a short field and making a 31-yard TD pass to WR George Cheeseman very easy. Hawkinson would catch two more TD before the half, with one of them a 1-play 80-yard bomb to bring his total to 4 on the day.

Georgia Tech would threaten to score a TD again, getting to Cal’s 5 before a Haggan sack would make it 4th & Goal from the 15. K Paul Kelly would hit a 31-yard FG as time expired to escape the half down 35-10.

The 3rd quarter, with Cal looking to just run the ball for the rest of the game, would be a disaster for Georgia Tech. They would receive the second half kickoff, but turn the ball over on their own 23 thanks to a LOLB Taylor Webb interception. HB Deuce Linwood would profit from the turnover, scoring a 3-yard TD run.

The next drive would see Georgia Tech QB Graham Knowles throw another interception, this time to CB Jamison Dyer in the endzone. Cal would go back 80 yards and score with an 18-yard scamper by Linwood.

Georgia Tech made it easy for Linwood to find the endzone.

Georgia Tech would find the endzone a second time in the 4th quarter against Cal’s backups, with Knowles hitting WR Ronnie Philips for a 6-yard TD. They would really grind for that score, using a 16-play 74-yard drive to get there. Cal would eat up the rest of the half with an all-run slog, going 83 yards in 18 plays to finish the game with a HB Larry Hall 3-yard TD run.

THE TAKEAWAY

Cal QB Duane Dinson made this look easy, going 23/24 for 400 yards and 5TD. Haggan had a great day on defense, logging 11 tackles and 3 sacks to force a miserable outing by Knowles. The Golden Bears are looking good heading into The Big Game.

UP NEXT

California : The 135th Big Game against Stanfurd.

**bayers3** · 12-04-2024, 01:17 PM

Re: Bear Territory : California CF25

BERKELEY, CA - Cal head coach Tosh Lupoi has regularly made it clear that he doesn’t focus on rankings, and doesn’t like to get into the discourse, but after today it’s hard to say the Golden Bears didn’t have a chip on their shoulder. The fact that Stanfurd came into this game 4-6, one loss from being eliminated from a bowl, probably added to what was about to happen. It’s almost hard to believe this game actually happened.

Cal came into the week #2 after a bye, a bye that saw them remain the only undefeated Top 25 team while a 9-1 Georgia jumped them into the #1 spot. They must have taken that personally.

The game started as you might expect a Cal game to start, taking the opening kickoff the Golden Bears would score when QB Duane Dinson hit WR Andre Onwenu for a 44-yard TD. That would be followed by a Stanfurd drive that would end with the perfectly named K Joey Stanford hitting a 44-yard FG. After that, everything would be turned on its head.

It started very innocently, with WR George Cheeseman catching a 20-yard TD pass. A Stanfurd punt would pin Cal on their own 3, but the next play would be a 97-yard TD pass to Cheeseman. Amazing, but not something Cal fans haven’t seen before.

LE Karl Haggan would nearly single handedly destroy Stanfurd on their next possession, forcing a punt and putting Cal on their own 37. The next play, a 63-yard TD pass to Cheeseman would be his third TD in three touches and three plays run. Now it was starting to get crazy.

Cal would get the ball one more time in the 1st quarter, this time starting on their own 39, but it wouldn’t matter as Cheeseman would once again score a TD on their first play, making it 4TD in four straight touches.

The 2nd quarter would get underway, with Stanfurd punting it away yet again, and for the fifth straight time Cheeseman would catch the first play and take off for a TD. This time it would be a 55-yard scamper, with all five of these TDs coming on passes that never cross the line of scrimmage. Stanfurd’s defense was so bad, it just couldn’t stop Cheeseman from slipping through.

Stanfurd’s next drive would end unpleasantly, and quickly, as QB Elijah Brown would try to take off running and slam right into SS Tremayne Landman and FS Scoot Henderson. The hit would dislodge the ball and see Henderson fall on it to give Cal the ball Stanfurd’s 21. A few plays later, none of them a pass to Cheeseman, HB Deuce Linwood would score a 1-yard TD run.

Cal’s next possession, starting on their own 39, would have a predictable if not unbelievable results. Running the same RPO concept, once again leaving Cheeseman as the best option, would end with a 63-yard TD on Cheeseman’s sixth touch in a row.

Two more turnovers, two TD passes to WR Darryl Hawkinson, and a 7th to Cheeseman would finally bring a close to the first half with Stanfurd down a dizzying 77-3.

Cheeseman had the game of a lifetime.

This game was clearly over, but there was still half a game to play and a desperate Stanfurd looking to try and get in the endzone at least once. They would take the second half kickoff, but end up punting it away into the endzone to start Cal on their own 20.

The Golden Bears would go into “all run” mode, but the Cardinal would just keep making it easy for them. After a 12-play 80-yard drive would end with a Linwood 12-yard TD run, backup QB Kevin Crow would come on with the apparent mission of throwing the ball as recklessly as possible.

CB Joey Eddie would pick off Crow in the endzone, leading to another Lindwood TD drive. ROLB Jabari Uwaezuoke would pick off Crow on Cal’s 6, but Stanfurd would conspire to allow Cal a quick score rushing attack. Just a few plays later Linwood would break through for a 72-yard TD run.

With the clock running down to under 1:00, and most of Stanfurd’s fans either long gone or crying into their hands, Crow would make his biggest mess of the day. Eddie would intercept the Stanfurd passer for the second time, but this time it would turn into a 42-yard pick-six and push the score to 112-3. Mercifully, Crow would run out of time to throw more interceptions and this historic beating would come to an end.

THE TAKEAWAY

Just unbelievable, how can something like this happen? Cal would absolutely shatter the record for largest margin of victory in a Big Game (109), mostly thanks to Dinson and Cheeseman breaking some long standing single-game records. Dinson would go 20/20 for 758 yards, a new record, with 10TD. The vast majority of the credit for that should go to Cheeseman, he would finish with 15 receptions for 560 yards and 7TD. The 560 yards is a new single-game record, with the 7TD tying the existing one. Stanfurd head coach Jon Carroll is going to be spending a lot of time trying to figure out how he could let that happen.

UP NEXT

California : Awat at SMU.

**bayers3** · 12-05-2024, 11:58 PM

Re: Bear Territory : California CF25

DALLAS, TX - The Golden Bears would be coming off one of the biggest blowouts in college football history, and SMU had already qualified for a bow game, so this game couldn’t have had less excitement around it. Cal wouldn’t even need to win to stay in the College Football Playoff, with a spot in the ACC title game locked in this game couldn’t have had smaller stakes for both teams.

SMU would appear to be motivated to win this one, taking the opening kickoff and putting together an excellent drive. Just two plays would derail that start, with back-to-back sacks by LE Karl Haggan and RE Marvin Wile pushing SMU into 4th & 22 on Cal’s 33. K Taulia Luani would be up to the task, hitting a 49-yard FG to open the game up 3-0.

SMU’s relationship to Cal’s defense would be rough for the rest of the game, specifically for QB Eric Cookus. After QB Duane Dinson hit WR Darryl Hawkinson for a 15-yard TD, Cal would get the ball right back thanks to a big hit on Cookus from SS Tremayne Landman. DT Ben Nicholson would recover the fumble at SMU’s 21, and it would turn right into a 21-yard TD pass to TE DeShaun Peters.

To close out the 1st quarter CB Joey Eddie would jump over WR Willie Major and pick off Cookus in the endzone. Cal would make their way 80 yards before HB Deuce Linwood would score a 1-yard run right at the start of the 2nd quarter.

Once again Cookus would reconnect with Haggan, with a sack turning a potential FG opportunity into a 4th & 20 at the 42. Luani would stay on the sidelines as SMU punted the ball away, and then they would have to watch WR George Cheeseman take a pass 55 yards for a TD.

SMU and Cal would trade a 50-yard Luani FG and a 1-yard Linwood TD before Cookus’ day somehow got worse. SMU would get to Cal’s 5 before Cookus would try to escape the pocket and have Wile knock the ball out of his hand. Landman would again find himself in the middle of it all, scooping up the ball and running it back 95 yards for a fumble-six.

Landman’s fumble-six would further add to his legend.

With little time left in the half, Cookus would attempt a hail mary but find Cal’s SS Carter Schultz in the endzone to end the half.

The second half wouldn’t be much better for SMU or Cookus, who had been very efficient all day outside of the passes caught by Cal. The Golden Bears would score after receiving the second half kickoff, a 1-yard run from Linwood, before more trouble from Cookus. Getting the ball to Cal’s 38, Cookus would find Landman once again for an interception that would be run back 62 yards for a crushing pick-six.

With all of Cal’s backups in, and in all running mode, SMU just really couldn’t get out of their own way. Cookus would throw his fourth interception in the endzone, this time to CB Jeremiah Elkins, and have to watch him take it out 27 yards before being caught. Cal would score two more times in the quarter, both HB Larry Hall runs, but Cookus would finally get his TD with a strike to WR Roger Boyett from 12 yards out.

THE TAKEAWAY

Cal’s defense can take the credit today, more specifically the defensive line and Landman. Landman really stood out with 10 tackles, a fumble recovery, a forced fumble, an interception, and 2TD scored. Cal’s defense would log 5 sacks and 5 forced fumbles, all from Cookus, along with the 4INT to keep SMU down.

UP NEXT

California : ACC Championship game.

**bayers3** · 12-06-2024, 10:32 AM

Re: Bear Territory : California CF25

**bayers3** · 12-06-2024, 06:27 PM

Re: Bear Territory : California CF25

CHARLOTTE, NC - As Cal firmly clinches a spot in the ACC title game, it would come down to the final week for their opponent to be decided. Oddly enough, the pecking order wouldn’t change but two ranked 9-3 teams would be left looking on longingly as Virginia Tech would win the tie-breaker race. Four teams sitting at 5-3 would make the ACC administrators work overtime to pick a 2nd place team, oddly enough it might benefit #11 Clemson to sit this one out. Depending on how the championship games go, Clemson could be in a prime spot to make the College Football Playoff without playing for the ACC title.

The College Football Playoff committee did not do Virginia Tech any favors, despite being massive underdogs already, 11-1 Michigan would push Cal to #2 after their win over #7 Ohio State. Memories of what Cal did coming off a rankings snub are still fresh in their opponent’s minds, the Hokies would love to avoid a 112-3 loss.

As expected, Cal pulled ahead quickly and never really looked back, though Virginia Tech had something Cal would need to be aware of all game.

“[Matt] Sulak is a concern,” said Cal head coach Tosh Lupoi “Tre [Watson] and I are concerned that my players are going to stand around doing nothing. That’s how they can beat us.”

Initially Virginia Tech QB Matt Sulak’s antics would get him into trouble, with LE Karl Haggan catching him trying to scramble out of the pocket on the opening drive. The sack would force a punt on 4th & 13 at Cal’s 48, ending their chances of striking first.

QB Duane Dinson would not make the same mistake, driving down the field and scoring with an 8-yard TD pass to WR Darry Hawkinson. K Jeremy Pryor would break the shutout for the Hokies, hitting a 39-yard FG, and then Cal would make it 14-3 on a 62-yard pass to WR George Cheeseman.

Cheeseman continues to impress.

The 2nd quarter would look like the Hokies could turn the tide, opening with an 11-play 62-yard drive but having to settle for a 30-yard FG from Pryor. The next drive the Hokies’ defense would come up big, stoning Cal on a 4th & Goal from the 4. This would raise their spirits, but not for long, as their drive would sputter quickly and turn into 4th & 9 on their own 6. Just a few plays after the punt, Cheeseman would be right back in the endzone thanks to a 49-yard pass from Dinson.

Again Cal would get the ball back quickly, using their defense to force another punt and score themselves with a 14-yard pass to TE DeShaun Peters. Virginia Tech would be in luck though on their next drive, going 75 yards in 13 plays the Golden Bears would stand around and watch Sulak run it in from 5 yards out for their first TD of the game.

Cal’s first play after taking the kickoff, in a very Cheeseman-esque move, WR Darryl Hawkinson would catch a short pass and slip two tackles on his way to an 85-yard TD. Pryor would get in a 51-yard FG just before the half, closing things out 35-16.

The second half would be rather predictable, with Cal looking to run the ball and Virginia Tech playing catchup, but at least the Hokies would try to make a go of it. A solid goal line stand, stopping Cal on 4th & 2 from the Virginia Tech 9, would come before a 6-play 77-yard drive that would end with a 15-yard pass to WR Keylen Adams. Adams, the Hokies top WR, would use that TD on his way to a 4 catch 110 yard outing.

The remainder of the game involved Cal trying to contain Sulak’s passing as well as his scrambling while waiting patiently for an interception. Sulak would pile up yards, but also interceptions in the 4th. Interceptions from CB Jamison Dyer and CB Joey Eddie, combined with rushing TDs off those turnovers, would kill off a game in which Virginia Tech’s offense actually looked pretty good on paper. HB Tyler Mason would walk out with a monster day, 63 yards on 25 carries to go with 101 yards on 13 receptions, but he would not get into the endzone.

THE TAKEAWAY

Defense made this win look easy, even with Cal standing around doing nothing as Sulak ran down the field, but that was more than cancelled out by turnovers and an inability to stop the Golden Bears from scoring. Cal’s third straight ACC title puts them in a good position to take the #1 or #2 seed in the College Football Playoff.

UP NEXT

California : First round College Football Playoff bye.

**bayers3** · 12-07-2024, 12:22 PM

Re: Bear Territory : California CF25

**redsox907** · 12-07-2024, 11:28 PM

Re: Bear Territory : California CF25

I'll never understand how the rankings work. You have an undefeated team blowing teams out with record margins, but lets drop them a spot for a 1 loss team from the SEC smh

Nice job winning the ACC again, on to the Cheeseshow in the CFP

**bayers3** · 12-08-2024, 10:52 AM

Re: Bear Territory : California CF25

The 2028 Heisman Memorial Trophy race went from odd prior to the season to a forgone conclusion in the span of roughly two weeks. Just like last year, an incredibly dominant performance that truly ran wire-to-wire made this an easy call for the voters. California, which was practically guaranteed a win no matter who it was, now moves into sole possession of 6th most winners with four.

2028 HEISMAN TROPHY WINNER

California QB Duane Dinson

Just a typical season for the Cal Junior QB, just 6,112 passing yards and 70TD to just 5INT. Oh, and he also finished the voting window as the nation’s 5th best rusher with the 3rd most TD. An all-time great season for a two-time winner, joining Ohio State legendary HB Archie Griffin as the only two-time winners. If he elects to stay for his senior year it’s highly likely he makes it three-in-a-row.

Trend : Winner

THE RUNNERS-UP

California WR George Cheeseman

Cheeseman has already won the Heisman, but for the past two years he’s put up all-time great seasons at WR only to see his chances dwindle behind his own QB. 3,158 receiving yards and 34TD on 106 receptions pushes his career totals farther out of reach in 1st, if he stays for another year his records could become impossible to surmount for any future generations.

Trend : Steady

California LE Karl Haggan

As Hawkinson’s season totals slowed in the face of Cheeseman’s production, it left an opening for Haggan to crash into the race the way he’s broken into the backfield all season. A late season surge, taking him to 15 sacks and 40 tackles for a loss pushed him into this race. He also ended up taking home so many awards outside of the Heisman that it became impossible to ignore the season he was having.

Trend : Rising

California WR Darryl Hawkinson

Hawkinson had a great season, second only to Cheeseman in receiving yards and TD, but the gap between them grew enough that Haggan was able to slip in between. The change to OC Marshall Claremon probably hurt Hawkinson’s candidacy the most, but he can’t feel to bad because nobody is going to beat Dinson with the stats he’s been putting up.

Trend : Slightly Down

Kansas State QB Blake Barnett

No, not that Blake Barnett, this Barnett did not play for Alabama, Arizona State, and USF. This Barnett stepped in right where QB Avery Johnson left off in 2026, sneaking into the Heisman race late in the season thanks to a solid run by #4 Kansas State. Mostly getting by in the voting thanks to his rushing ability, he gets a boost for leading the Big 12 champions to a College Football Playoff bye.

Trend : Rising

**bayers3** · 12-08-2024, 10:55 AM

Re: Bear Territory : California CF25

Originally posted by redsox907

I'll never understand how the rankings work. You have an undefeated team blowing teams out with record margins, but lets drop them a spot for a 1 loss team from the SEC smh

Nice job winning the ACC again, on to the Cheeseshow in the CFP

I do know that Michigan moved above me after the last game because they beat Ohio State, who were something like #5. I don't know why an undefeated team from a Power 5 conference would drop, I just started 2030 and beat a #16 team as the #1 team and dropped to #2... would be cool if they fixed these things (along with all the gameplay issues) before adding more mascots.

**bayers3** · 12-09-2024, 12:21 PM

Re: Bear Territory : California CF25

MIAMI GARDENS, FL - A familiar venue and an even more familiar opponent would be waiting for #1 California in their first game of the College Football Playoffs. #9 Washington, a former Pac-12 member, would barely slip by #8 Tennessee 27-24 thanks to a K Devin Carnegie 44-yard FG as time expired. Their reward would be a trip to Miami Gardens along with the Golden Bears, but they would need quite a bit more than a FG to get by this time. Cal enters this game a whopping 35-point favorite, and few expected the Huskies to do much more than try to keep Cal’s attention through the 4th quarter.

The Golden Bears received the opening kickoff and quickly put the Huskies down a TD. They didn’t score on a big play to one of their many talented receivers, instead putting together a methodical 7-play 80 yard drive and scoring via a 2-yard TD run by QB Duane Dinson.

Dinson would do it himself to start the game.

Washington’s First Round hero would put them on the board to follow Cal’s TD, with Carnegie hitting a 35-yard FG after a 10-play 57-yard drive would splutter. The Golden Bears would come right back and make it 14-3 off a TE DeShaun Peters 24-yard TD catch.

It was beginning to look like Cal would run away with yet another game as the 1st quarter came to a close, but the 2nd quarter would provide the kind of fireworks everyone was hoping for. It also helped establish this game as a battleground for a TE arms race.

Washington would open the quarter with a monster 17-play 74-yard TD drive that would end with a 3-yard pass to TE Faitele Coward, who chose Washington over Cal as a highschool recruit, and brought the score to a more manageable 14-10. The Golden Bears would come right back again with some deja vu for the Huskies’ defense, hitting Peters for a 27-yard TD to make it three TD in a row to a TE.

Washington HC Jedd Fisch would have an ace up his sleeve on the next drive, correctly identifying a weakness in Cal’s defense that is rarely exploited, a bubble screen to WR Brenton van Buren would evolve into a 43-yard TD thanks to some embarrassing tackling on Cal’s part. The Golden Bears would not be held back, but so far the Huskies’ defense had done an excellent job of making them march down the field instead of scoring on big chunk plays. This time it would take Cal 10 plays to go 75 yards before HB Deuce Linwood would punch it in from the 1.

The Huskies would be hustled off the field at the end of the half, punting the ball to Cal’s 32 with 0:30 left to play. Up until this point the Huskies had managed to contain the Golden Bears’ explosive offense, but perhaps with most of their team heading for the locker room they lost focus. The very first play Cal ran would end up with WR Darryl Hawkinson going 68 yards for a TD, the first by a Cal receiver in the game, and stretch their lead to 35-17 at the half.

Perhaps that TD took all the air out of Washington, or perhaps the 2nd quarter surge was Fisch emptying the tank, but the Huskies came out of the break flat and didn’t look like they were going to be able to keep their fans in their seats through the end of the game. QB Glenn DeVries did well in the first half, but he would do little beyond completing short passes to close out the game.

A quick three-and-out after taking the second half kickoff would roll right into another gut punch for a Huskies defense that was playing very tough for the Golden Bears. It would take just two plays for Cal to score on another big play, this time a 66-yard bomb to Hawkinson for his second TD of the game. Washington would respond with a booming FG from 59 yards out, showing why Fisch has so much trust in Carnegie. Cal would come rushing right back, mostly relying on the ground game, but the Huskies’ defense would be up to the task once again. A series of huge stops by Washington, which started as 2nd & Goal from the 1, would give them a big momentum boost but leave them on their own 1.

DeVries would not be able to get anything done backed up into his own endzone, and Washington would start the 4th quarter punting the ball away to Cal. They wouldn’t be able to duplicate their defensive stand, this time allowing a 12-yard run by Linwood before the game really fell apart for the Huskies.

DeVries, already an impressive 32/36, would finally make a big mistake with the 2-minute warning looming. In an attempt to push the ball downfield, DeVries would try to hit WR Jordan Washington but end up hitting CB Jamison Dyer instead.

Dyer goes up for the pick, ends Husky comeback bid.

The turnover would give Cal the ball on their own 37 and allow all of their backups to come in and finish off the game with a little more than 2:00 left to go. 11 plays later HB Larry Hall would run it in from 1-yard out to haunt anyone that put money on the Huskies.

THE TAKEAWAY

The Huskies defense played well, but ultimately could not contain a Cal offense that has too many options. With Washington putting so much focus on containing WR George Cheeseman, who did not get into the endzone, and Hawkinson they opened themselves up to Peters. Peters 5 receptions for 107 yards and 2TD helped Dinson keep the passing game going until Hawkinson (6 receptions, 187 yards and 2TD) could break free. Cheeseman was still productive, catching 11 passes for 206 yards, but he wasn’t able to unleash one of his 50+ yard TD catches.

UP NEXT

California : Fiesta Bowl against #4 Michigan.

**bayers3** · 12-10-2024, 03:52 PM

Re: Bear Territory : California CF25

GLENDALE, AZ - A matchup that would look more at home in the Rose Bowl would instead populate the VRBO Fiesta Bowl, and #1 Cal would be the last barrier to an all-Big Ten National Championship game. #5 Michigan would top SEC Champions #5 Arkansas 37-34 in the Goodyear Cotton Bowl to earn a matchup against #1 Cal. On the other side of the bracket #7 Ohio State would be on the kind of run that fans dream of, after stomping #10 Clemson 55-23 in the First Round they would top Big Ten Champions #2 Nebraska 31-21, and earlier today they would take down #11 Oklahoma 30-27 to win a spot in the National Title game. Cal, once again a 35-point favorite, would look to keep their national title hopes alive with another big win.

The Wolverines would receive the opening kickoff, and take the Golden Bears by surprise. Cal has one of the stingiest rushing defenses in the country, but Michigan would come out and run 9 straight rushing plays to go 75 yards and score with a HB Clifton Busby run.

Michigan would be riding high after their opening show of strength, but their defense would not be up to the task of stopping a Cal offense that took being down 7-0 personally. 6 plays and 81 yards later, QB Duane Dinson would hit TE DeShaun Peters for a 23-yard TD and the Golden Bears would start to settle in. Their defense would adjust quickly, shutting down Michigan’s second attempt to push them around and forcing a punt. This was probably the point at which Michigan lost any control over the game.

Cal’s first play would be a 78-yard TD pass to WR Darry Hawkinson, making it 14-7 and putting Michigan into panic mode. QB drew Orlosky, who had handed the ball off on all but two plays at this point, would find himself under pressure and trying to get the ball out to Busby coming out of the backfield over the middle. In his panic he would not see MLB Josh Sanford, and the result would be an interception. Cal would start with a 7-yard run by HB Deuce Linwood, who Michigan just couldn’t keep from breaking off solid runs, and then follow it up with a 60-yard TD pass to WR George Cheeseman.

The 2nd quarter would turn into a bigger mess for Michigan with the game clearly slipping away. A solid drive would have them thinking about a TD, but a huge hit from SS Tremayne Landman would leave WR Tyrell Sweeting slow to get up in the endzone and force a 45-yard FG. Michigan’s offense would vanish after that drive, leading to a big quarter by Cal.

Linwood would be hard for Michigan to stop.

A short TD run by Linwood would be followed by a 12-yard TD pass to Cheeseman before FS Jordan Pride would prevent a Peters TD by picking off Dinson in the endzone. With just 1:10 left and the ball in their hands, Michigan probably thought they were safe until halftime. A CB Jeremiah Elkins interceptions would change that, taking the ball back 47 yards to the Michigan 9, setting up an easy 9-yard run by Linwood to close out the half.

Elkins’ interception would be crushing for the Wolverines.

Down 42-10, Michigan would put together their most impressive stretch of the game to momentarily ward off the game turning into a more embarrassing blowing. Cal would take the second half kickoff 79 yards, all with running plays, and get stopped on 4th & Goal from the 1. Normally, being on your own 1 would be a pyrrhic victory after stopping Cal from getting into the endzone, but Michigan would go on an 18-play 99-yard drive and score with a HB Kenan Fine 1-yard run. The drive would consume just about all of the 3rd quarter, shutting out Cal and keeping the score more reasonable.

That stop and scoring drive would be all Michigan had left, Cal would utterly dominate the 4th quarter even with their backups in. Two long and time consuming drives would end with short HB Larry Hall TD runs, and the Golden Bears would punch their ticket to the National Championship game.

THE TAKEAWAY

The Golden Bears were caught off guard early by the Wolverine’s run game, but that didn’t last long. This was not a good game for Cal’s rushing defense, giving up 135 yards and a TD to Busby while Orlosky was able to pile up 88 rushing yards on 15 carries. It was balanced out by Orlosky only managing 220 passing yards and two interceptions, if Michigan had kept the game close or taken a lead it would be more concerning. Dinson shredded Michigan’s secondary for 443 yards while Linwood rolled up 143 rushing yards and 2TD. It should be interesting to see how the Buckeyes decide to attack the Golden Bears, but if their defense isn’t on point it won’t matter.

UP NEXT

California : Against #7 Ohio State in the National Title Game.

**redsox907** · 12-10-2024, 08:54 PM

Re: Bear Territory : California CF25

A Big Ten gauntlet to the Natty. Ohio State always looks daunting in my dynasty, but they rarely perform to it GL

**bayers3** · 12-11-2024, 05:46 PM

Re: Bear Territory : California CF25

ARLINGTON, TX - Another College Football Playoff game that would have made a great Rose Bowl, the Buckeyes enter this game substantial underdogs with the Golden Bears once again favored by 35. It’s hard to say Ohio State can have a Cinderella season, but their run from #7 to the National Title Game is as close as they could get.

“I know the odds are against us,” said Ohio State head coach Luke Fickell, “but we don’t put much stock in that. We use that to fuel us, drive us to be better.”

Despite Fickell’s confidence, the Buckeyes would open this game looking like they put an awful lot of stock in the point spread. This game spiraled out of control so quickly, it was hard to say they were ever in it.

Ohio State took the opening kickoff and promptly went three-and-out to open the game, putting Cal on their own 22 with a solid punt. It would do little good as QB Duane Dinson would hit WR George Cheeseman for a 78-yard TD on their first offensive play. Fickell would need to get used to that whole sequence, with Ohio State suffering deja vu after a second straight three-and-out would put Cal on their own 24. One play later it would be 14-0 off a 76-yard TD pass to Cheeseman.

QB Air Noland suddenly found himself having to switch gears, and to Fickell’s credit he made some offensive adjustments to make it easier. Short quick passes and Noland’s ability to run when needed would help avoid a third three-and-out, this time producing a 16-play 59-yard drive that would stall just inside Cal’s 20. K Johnny Glickowski would be good from 34 yards out, and the nightmare would pause momentarily.

It would only take two plays to resume, but for a brief moment Ohio State could feel like the game wasn’t over. A 6-yard run by HB Deuce Linwood would set up a 69-yard TD pass to WR Darry Hawksinon and put Cal up 21-3 after running just five offensive plays. Noland’s magic would evaporate with Cal now focusing on keeping him in the pocket and letting him throw short and underneath. Cal would get the ball one more time to close out the 1st quarter, taking a few more plays to get down the field and score with a 16-yard pass to WR Darryl Hawkinson.

Ohio State would once again get near Cal’s 20 but be forced to kick a FG to open the 2nd quarter, this time Glickowski would be good from 38 yards out to make it 28-6. The Golden Bears’ offense could cut right through the Buckeyes once again, this time Dinson would run it in himself from 5 yards out. The Buckeyes just couldn’t stop Cal no matter what they tried.

Dinson gets it done with his legs.

It was at this point that Fickell was forced to make another adjustment, but this time it would fall right into Cal’s hands and the game would completely slip away. Noland would be asked to push the ball downfield more, with the quick passes failing to advance the ball much and his scrambling slowly turning into sacks.

It wouldn’t take long for Cal to force a turnover under these conditions, with Noland throwing a deep ball into double coverage and finding CB Joey Eddie eager to snatch the ball away. An 11-play 77-yard drive would close out the first half, adding more points thanks to a 3-yard TD run by HB Larry Hall. Cal would finish the first half with 444 yards of offense compared to Ohio State’s 148.

The 44-6 lead would make Cal’s second half offense very predictable, but that didn’t mean Ohio State would be any better at stopping it. Cal would receive the second half kickoff and Linwood would give Ohio State their best chance at stopping them, a fumble would give them the ball on Cal’s 26 and Noland would finally have a short field to work with. The Buckeyes wouldn’t squander the chance, finally getting into the endzone on a HB Zack Zalenka 1-yard TD run.

Cal would come back and score with an 8-yard Linwood run, restoring their lead and putting Ohio State in a position to keep throwing the ball deep. Noland, getting way to familiar with LE Karl Haggan, would have a disastrous 3rd quarter. First getting picked off by CB Jamison Dyer, leading to another Linwood TD, and then by SS Tremayne Landman. If Noland wasn’t getting sacked, he was getting flushed out of the pocket, and any time that happened he would find himself being hounded by RE Marvin Wile.

Noland found plenty of air in the wrong places.

Cal’s backups would come in for the 4th quarter, grinding out two more rushing TD, and helping close out this game for their second straight national title. Cal’s Tosh Lupoi would look like a mastermind on this one, totally blowing out a very good Ohio State team. Noland would finish 21/29 with just 157 passing yards and 3INT, not the kind of performance that wins a championship. Wire-to-wire, this may have been Tupoi’s most dominant Cal team.

THE TAKEAWAY

The Golden Bears went to the ground against the Buckeyes and still scored 70. Dinson finished 9/11 with 318 passing yards and 4TD. Cal nearly had three 100 yard rushers with Lindwood (179, 2TD), Dinson (111, TD) and Hall (83, 3TD) able to run right over an Ohio State defense that looked very focused on stopping TE DeShaun Peters (they did) and Cheeseman / Hawksinson (they didn’t).

UP NEXT

California : Championship parade in Berkeley.

Bear Territory : California CF25

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