National Title Game (Fiesta) : (#2 13-0) California 28 - (#1 13-1) Alabama 3
Rose Bowl : (#4 13-1) Callisto 24 - (#7 11-2) Ohio State 10
Orange Bowl : (#23 11-3) Florida State 24 - (#6 10-2) Wisconsin 21
Fiesta Bowl : (#5 13-1) Titan 37 - (8-5) Pitt 6
Sugar Bowl : (#3 13-0) North Aegis 45 - (#8 12-2) Oklahoma 17
Friday, July 16, 2010
Golden Bears Shock Tide For BCS Title
(#2 13-0) California 28 - (#1 13-1) Alabama 3
GLENDALE - The final game of the season would feature a surprise participant and a repeat contender. Nick Saban's Crimson Tide has been atop the ranking all season, so few people expected Alabama to miss out on this game. California would not be in the BCS title picture until the very end of the season and would come into this game as a serious underdog. Cal lead the nation in PPG (43.8), the 2nd ranked rushing offense, and a rare triple crown on defense (Total, Rushing, Passing), so perhaps pundits were ignoring their potential.
"Alabama is a great team" said Coach London prior to the game "and they are here to win. They won it last year, so we aren't taking them lightly. This is going to be a huge test for our guys, time to put up or shut up."
Alabama was set on sending Cal back to Berkeley disappointed, and they came out strong. QB Greg McElroy looked good, but the star of their offense was Heisman winning HB Mark Ingram, finishing with 104 yards. Cal's defense looked confused and kept giving up yards to Ingram. Alabama ran quite a bit out of three receiver sets and caught Cal off guard. Luckily for Cal a tough stop highlighted by a sack forced the Tide to punt.
Chris Martin plants Greg McElroy
The Tide managed to stay on track in the second half and came out ready to grab the lead.
Cal's offense did not impress, but their defense managed to win this game. Alabama enjoyed a 258 - 180 advantage in total offense, but turned the ball over twice. Cal did get to celebrate one other milestone during this game as Shane Vereen passed Barry Sanders' record for single season rushing yards with 2770.
GAME LEADERS
Passing : G.McElroy (Alabama) - 148YDS INT
Rushing : S.Vereen (Cal) - 162YDS
Receiving : D.Hanks (Alabama) - 56YDS
Defense : S.Cattouse (Cal) - 7TKL TAINT
GLENDALE - The final game of the season would feature a surprise participant and a repeat contender. Nick Saban's Crimson Tide has been atop the ranking all season, so few people expected Alabama to miss out on this game. California would not be in the BCS title picture until the very end of the season and would come into this game as a serious underdog. Cal lead the nation in PPG (43.8), the 2nd ranked rushing offense, and a rare triple crown on defense (Total, Rushing, Passing), so perhaps pundits were ignoring their potential.
"Alabama is a great team" said Coach London prior to the game "and they are here to win. They won it last year, so we aren't taking them lightly. This is going to be a huge test for our guys, time to put up or shut up."
Alabama was set on sending Cal back to Berkeley disappointed, and they came out strong. QB Greg McElroy looked good, but the star of their offense was Heisman winning HB Mark Ingram, finishing with 104 yards. Cal's defense looked confused and kept giving up yards to Ingram. Alabama ran quite a bit out of three receiver sets and caught Cal off guard. Luckily for Cal a tough stop highlighted by a sack forced the Tide to punt.
Chris Martin plants Greg McElroyCal came out running, but Alabama was ready for the Shane Vereen show and managed to contain the ground game. Cal was forced to grind out yards and complete short passes, even though the big gains were held back Cal managed a Deboskie-Johnson rushing TD to take a 7-3 lead. After forcing a punt Kevin Riley found Michael Calvin in the endzone to shock Alabama with a 14-3 going into the half.
The Tide managed to stay on track in the second half and came out ready to grab the lead.
Unfortunately for Alabama, Cal's secondary had other ideas. McElroy tried to force a pass into the flats and found FS Sean Cattouse who promptly took a TAINT 30 yards for a 21-3 lead. McElroy didn't let the TAINT rattle him and lead the Tide on an unstoppable 78 yard drive to Cal's 2. On 3rd and 2 HB Trent Richardson took a handoff and plowed into a blitz which knocked the ball from his hands, Cal's MLB DJ Holt scooped up the ball and took it 98 yards for a game ending TD.
Cal's offense did not impress, but their defense managed to win this game. Alabama enjoyed a 258 - 180 advantage in total offense, but turned the ball over twice. Cal did get to celebrate one other milestone during this game as Shane Vereen passed Barry Sanders' record for single season rushing yards with 2770.
GAME LEADERS
Passing : G.McElroy (Alabama) - 148YDS INT
Rushing : S.Vereen (Cal) - 162YDS
Receiving : D.Hanks (Alabama) - 56YDS
Defense : S.Cattouse (Cal) - 7TKL TAINT
2010-2011 Awards & Honors
AWARDS
Heisman : Shane Vereen, HB (Cal)
Shave Vereen became the first California player to take home the Heisman trophy at a tense ceremony in NY. The media had expected Vereen to contend, but with Cal headed for the National Title game thanks to Vereen there was no doubt he would win the award. Vereen won a firm majority over runner-up Case Keenum and brought Cal even with bitter rival Stanfurd's Heisman total. Vereen fell a mere 20 yards short of the single season rushing record set by Barry Sanders in 1988, but he did break Sanders' record of 39 rushing TD.
Season Stats - Rushing : 302 / 2608 Yards, 44TD - Receiving : 19 / 159 Yards, 3TD
Maxwell : Shane Vereen, HB (Cal)
Walter Camp : Shane Vereen, HB (Cal)
Doak Walker : Shane Vereen, HB (Cal)
Bednarik : Sean Spence, ROLB (Miami)
Outland : Phil Smith, RT (Georgia Tech)
Lombardi : Gerald Williams, LE (Tennessee)
Nagurski : Chris White, ROLB (Mississippi State)
O'Brien : Case Keenum, QB (Houston)
Biletnikoff : Ryan Broyles, WR (Oklahoma)
Mackey : Lance Kendricks, TE (Wisconsin)
Rimington : Brady Demell, C (Navy)
Thorpe : Michael Cain, CB (Titan)
Best LB : Sean Spence, ROLB (Miami)
Guy : Will Hagerup, P (Michigan)
Groza : Devin Mathis, K (Tennessee)
Returner : Trent Richardson, HB (Alabama)
HONORS
All Americans : 1st Team - S.Vereen (HB), 2nd Team - D.Hagan (CB), B.Nnabuife (CB), Freshman - C.Martin (OLB/LE)
All Pac-10 : 1st Team - S.Vereen (HB), C.Jordan (RE), DJ Holt (MLB), D.Hagan (CB), B.Nnabuife (CB), 2nd Team - M.Calvin (WR), J.Cheadle (RG), C.Martin (OLB/LE), D.Hill (DT)
Heisman : Shane Vereen, HB (Cal)
Shave Vereen became the first California player to take home the Heisman trophy at a tense ceremony in NY. The media had expected Vereen to contend, but with Cal headed for the National Title game thanks to Vereen there was no doubt he would win the award. Vereen won a firm majority over runner-up Case Keenum and brought Cal even with bitter rival Stanfurd's Heisman total. Vereen fell a mere 20 yards short of the single season rushing record set by Barry Sanders in 1988, but he did break Sanders' record of 39 rushing TD.
Season Stats - Rushing : 302 / 2608 Yards, 44TD - Receiving : 19 / 159 Yards, 3TD
Maxwell : Shane Vereen, HB (Cal)
Walter Camp : Shane Vereen, HB (Cal)
Doak Walker : Shane Vereen, HB (Cal)
Bednarik : Sean Spence, ROLB (Miami)
Outland : Phil Smith, RT (Georgia Tech)
Lombardi : Gerald Williams, LE (Tennessee)
Nagurski : Chris White, ROLB (Mississippi State)
O'Brien : Case Keenum, QB (Houston)
Biletnikoff : Ryan Broyles, WR (Oklahoma)
Mackey : Lance Kendricks, TE (Wisconsin)
Rimington : Brady Demell, C (Navy)
Thorpe : Michael Cain, CB (Titan)
Best LB : Sean Spence, ROLB (Miami)
Guy : Will Hagerup, P (Michigan)
Groza : Devin Mathis, K (Tennessee)
Returner : Trent Richardson, HB (Alabama)
HONORS
All Americans : 1st Team - S.Vereen (HB), 2nd Team - D.Hagan (CB), B.Nnabuife (CB), Freshman - C.Martin (OLB/LE)
All Pac-10 : 1st Team - S.Vereen (HB), C.Jordan (RE), DJ Holt (MLB), D.Hagan (CB), B.Nnabuife (CB), 2nd Team - M.Calvin (WR), J.Cheadle (RG), C.Martin (OLB/LE), D.Hill (DT)
2010-2011 Conference Championship Week
CONFERENCE TITLE GAMES
SEC : (#1, 13-0) Alabama 24 - (#3, 12-1) Callisto 3
ACC : (10-3) Florida State 30 - (#5, 12-1) Georgia Tech 23
Big XII : (#10, 12-1) Titan 28 - (#4, 12-1) Oklahoma 21
MAC : (11-2) West Orion Union 38 - (9-4) Temple 0
C-USA : (#23, 11-2) Houston 31 - (9-4) UCF 5
CONFERENCE CHAMPIONS
Big 10 : (#8, 11-1) Ohio State
Pac-10 : (#2, 12-0) California
Big East : (8-4) Pitt
MWC : (#6, 12-0) North Aegis
WAC : (#12, 9-2) Boise State
Sun Belt : (9-3) Middle Tenn State
SEC : (#1, 13-0) Alabama 24 - (#3, 12-1) Callisto 3
ACC : (10-3) Florida State 30 - (#5, 12-1) Georgia Tech 23
Big XII : (#10, 12-1) Titan 28 - (#4, 12-1) Oklahoma 21
MAC : (11-2) West Orion Union 38 - (9-4) Temple 0
C-USA : (#23, 11-2) Houston 31 - (9-4) UCF 5
CONFERENCE CHAMPIONS
Big 10 : (#8, 11-1) Ohio State
Pac-10 : (#2, 12-0) California
Big East : (8-4) Pitt
MWC : (#6, 12-0) North Aegis
WAC : (#12, 9-2) Boise State
Sun Belt : (9-3) Middle Tenn State
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