Holiday Bowl opponent: Texas A&M

It’s official: Cal will face Texas A&M in the Holiday Bowl.

Due to some apparent bowl politics, the Bears will end up facing the #4 team in the Big 12 conference (instead of the #3 as intended). However, the Aggies are better than their record may appear: they are coming off a win over defending national champion Texas and are a nationally ranked team.

Now that the bowl situation is settled… time to set our sights back on beating the 29 point spread on Stanford and making some Big Game records.

Cal to play in the Holiday Bowl

Earlier today, Cal accepted an invitation to play in the Pacific Life Holiday Bowl. This is the team’s fourth straight bowl game appearance, a feat never before accomplished in Cal’s history. The Holiday Bowl kicks off on Thursday, December 28th at 5pm in Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego. While it is yet to be known who the Bears will face, the opposing team will be from the Big 12 conference, most likely No. 22 Texas A&M.

Lynch, Hughes Pac-10 Players of the Year

With only three total Pac-10 games left to be played out, the Pac-10 awards and all-conference teams have already been announced. Marshawn Lynch has been named the offensive player of the year, while Daymeion Hughes has been named the Pat Tillman Defensive Player of the Year:

OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR MARSHAWN LYNCH, TB, CALIFORNIA: Lynch, a junior from Oakland, Calif., leads the Pac-10 in rushing and all-purpose yards and is co-leader with teammate DeSean Jackson in touchdowns scored. A unanimous All-Pac-10 selection, Lynch has rushed for 1,178 yards and nine touchdowns, becoming just the second player in California history to post two 1,000-yard rushing seasons. He has posted a school-record 16 100-yard rushing games. His averages of 6.3 yards per carry and 107.1 yards per game both lead the Pac-10. In addition, Lynch has 286 yards and four touchdowns receiving and 101 yards in kickoff returns to give him 1,565 all-purpose yards, an average of 142.3 yards per game. Lynch is just the third California player to be selected Pac-10 offensive player of the year and the first since quarterback Mike Pawlawski in 1991.

PAT TILLMAN DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR DAYMIEON HUGHES, CB, CALIFORNIA: Hughes, a senior from Los Angeles, Calif., leads the Pac-10 in interceptions by a large margin with eight, which ties him for second in the nation in picks. Included are two returned for touchdowns. A unanimous All-Pac-10 selection by the league’s coaches, Hughes has 15 career interceptions, second all-time on the Cal list. Hughes also leads the Pac-10 in passes defended with 19 and ranks second on the Cal squad with 62 tackles. Hughes becomes just the second California player to be selected Pac-10 defensive player of the year, following cornerback Deltha O’Neal in 1998.

Also making the First Team list are WR/PR DeSean Jackson, OL Alex Mack, DL Brandon Mebane, and LB Desmond Bishop. TE Craig Stevens, OL Mike Gibson, DL Nu’u Tafisi, P Andrew Larson, and ST Byron Storer were named to the All-Pac-10 Conference Second Team. Honorable Mentions also included OT Andrew Cameron, OLB Zack Follett, WR Lavelle Hawkins, WR Robert Jordan, QB Nate Longshore, OLB Mickey Pimentel, and OG Erik Robertson.

Recruiting update

Cal has two new commits in the 2007 recruiting class, a punter and a defensive back.

Bryan Anger, a punter out of Camarillo (CA), is the #2-ranked kicker in the nation rated by Rivals and #5 by Scout. He’s a big athlete at 6’4″ with a lot of potential, and he’s already averaging 42-yard punts and getting more than 5 second hang-time on some kicks. He’s also an excellent student with a 3.9 GPA. The team has benefited greatly from JUCO transfer Andrew Larson but he will only have one more season, so this is a great get for the Bears.

DJ Campbell, a defensive back out of Las Vegas (NV), is another solid add to the class. He’s a talented recruit rated 3 stars by Rivals.

Wilted dreams, rankings and the Holiday Bowl

Saturday was beyond disappointing for Cal fans, with hopes for the Rose Bowl squashed in the Coliseum during the fourth quarter.

Clearly I was hit hard by the loss, so I took a short break to cool off. However, never fear… updates will continue as usual now.

Cal has dropped to #22 in the AP/Coaches poll, #23 in Harris, and #19 in the BCS standings. This effectively removes Cal from BCS contention, as the team must be ranked in the top #14 of the standings to be eligible for an at-large bid in the Rose Bowl, given that USC makes it to the national title game.

Is there still hope for the Bears backing into the Rose Bowl? Not really. A win over Stanford will not impress anyone, and 5 teams dropping below Cal in the rankings is very unlikely. So, it looks like we’re almost definitely headed to the Holiday Bowl. Not a bad venue at all, but still disappointing given the hopes for the season.

Decision weekend

No updates this weekend. I’m in Southern California awaiting the Bears’ game of the season. I’m going to avoid making a score prediction; my prediction is simply that Cal clinches the Rose Bowl. Wait and see…

Go Bears.

Buzz for the showdown at USC

vs.

The Bears aren’t getting much faith in the media to upset USC on Saturday. Most pundits point to Cal’s loss to Arizona and USC’s “re-emergence” with wins over Stanford and Oregon since a loss to Oregon State. However, Cal should recover from the disaster in Tucson and come back with a big game against the Trojans. The game is very well-matched and will come out close.

While the game has been eclipsed by the Ohio State/Michigan #1/#2 rivalry game, the Cal/USC match-up will probably benefit from it; both are receiving national coverage on ABC (12:30, 5:00). Thus, the OSU/MI viewers will watch the ESPN personalities hype up and preview Cal/USC and many are likely to stay tuned in to watch the Pac-10 showdown afterwards. With the nation watching, this is Cal’s opportunity to dethrone USC and clinch the Rose Bowl.

Associated Press: Preview

After the fourth-ranked Trojans (8-1, 6-1) unexpectedly climbed back into the national championship race, they face the No. 17 Golden Bears (8-2, 6-1) on Saturday night in a matchup that will decide the Pac-10’s BCS bid.

The winner of the matchup at the Los Angeles Coliseum will own the tiebreaker advantage in the conference. A victory would keep USC in position to possibly play for the national title for the fourth straight season.

California, meanwhile, can clinch its first Rose Bowl berth since the 1958 season.

USA Today:

Two weeks ago it looked like the Golden Bears were the favorites to win the Pac-10. After their loss to Arizona and two impressive wins by the Trojans, the picture has a new look. The loss to Oregon State may just be the kick USC needed to jump start its championship run. Southern California 28, California 20.

ESPN’s Ivan Maisel: “3 Games Worth TiVo-ing”

It’s late November, and USC is one victory away from clinching the Pac-10 championship. Yes, Cal still goes to the Rose Bowl if it wins, but it’s hard to leap over the hurdle when you stumble on the previous step.

California will win if it finds a way to slow down the USC offense. Cal also has picked off 20 passes. That’s important because USC sophomore John David Booty still can make the occasional boneheaded throw. The Bears have a balanced offense and a decided edge in special teams, especially with DeSean Jackson, the nation’s leader in punt returns ( 20.7-yard average, four touchdowns).

ESPN: “Pac-10 notebook”

California needs to get over its loss at Arizona, which included blowing a 17-3 halftime lead, as quickly as possible considering that the program’s first Rose Bowl since the 1958 season is on the line at USC. “At the beginning, there was a lot of disappointment about not taking care of business,” coach Jeff Tedford said. “Now it’s full steam ahead with just thinking about playing USC with a chance to compete for a conference championship.”

Sports Network: “Cal seeks first Rose Bowl berth since 1958”

A week ago it looked like California was going to steamroll the Trojans, but this team showed a weakness in the desert and perhaps isn’t ready to unseat the old guard in the Pac-10. That being said, this will probably be one of the better games of the year, one that could see several lead changes along the way. In the end however, USC knows how to win big games, especially on its own lawn. Sports Network Predicted Outcome: USC 33, California 27

ESPN’s Jim Donnan: “What to Watch in Week 12”

The Trojans looked like a well-oiled machine against Oregon in Week 11… The Trojans’ defense is creating more big plays and the coaches look more comfortable applying defensive pressure. The much-maligned secondary is also starting to look better. USC received a loud wake-up call against Oregon State, and momentum is definitely in the Trojans’ corner. The one team that has consistently given them fits, however, is Cal. If Cal can get Jackson the ball early and often, the Trojans could be in trouble.

Scouts, Inc: “California vs. USC edge”

Pac-10 fans have been waiting for this matchup all year, but don’t expect the score to be as close as some might think or hope. Although both teams are 6-1 in the conference, the Trojans seem to be playing their best football of the season and the Bears lost to a mediocre Arizona team last week. In addition, this game is at the Coliseum and USC is back in the national championship race, so the environment will be hostile.

Lynch will break some electrifying runs, but the Trojans’ talented front seven will prevent him from controlling the tempo of the game and it will force Longshore to make plays. USC will confuse Longshore with a number of different looks and pressure him into making some poor decisions and/or errant throws. Offensively, the Trojans place a high premium on balance. They will run the ball despite the many injuries in the backfield and their backs will be productive enough to keep the Bears honest. In addition, Booty will find his receivers downfield for some big plays and force Cal to back their safeties up, effectively opening up the run.

Prediction: Trojans 35, Golden Bears 21

WR Mike Calvin commits to Cal

Local wideout Mike Calvin from San Lorenzo High School has committed to the 2007 recruiting class. He is a big, athletic receiver at 6’3″, 199 lb with a 41 inch vertical and a 4.48 forty. He’s listed as a 3-star prospect on both Scout.com and Rivals, and looks to be a solid addition to the class. As signing day approaches, we will hopefully hear more good news about this year’s class. A win on Saturday against USC will make many blue chip recruits to look to the Bears.

Jackson in the media

Wide receiver/punt returner DeSean Jackson is getting some heavy media attention this week. While his huge numbers on the field are drawing much of this attention, his confidence and story about committing to Cal over USC are as well. As TBIOOTF writes, Jackson may be the “cockiest Cal player ever.” But is he overconfident? I don’t think so… just watch the highlights on Saturday. Regardless, Jackson is a hot topic for pundits, bulletin boards and blogs this week.

Jackson doesn’t shy away from comparing himself to last year’s Heisman-winner, and puts a target on his back for Saturday’s match-up.

LA Times: “Breakaway Threat”
Long Beach Poly’s DeSean Jackson almost stayed home to play for USC, but Trojans lost him because he felt coaches betrayed a confidence. Now he stars for rival Cal. …
Jackson welcomes comparisons to Bush. “It’s just too bad I’m not playing for SC because if I was playing for SC then it probably would be a different thing,” he said. “I’m the closest thing to Reggie Bush. But I kind of don’t like to follow after too many people. I just try to be myself.” …
“There was too much cockiness over there for me. They were SC. They’re national champions. They’re just guaranteed they could have whoever they want. I kind of felt like I was a more special player than that and they shouldn’t have taken it for granted like that.”

His commitment to that Cal class was also a great indication of the program’s emergence and success in California recruiting.

San Jose Mercury News: “Jackson’s escape from L.A. keeps paying dividends for Cal”
When Cal and USC collide Saturday, the top playmaker on the field will be a sophomore who grew up near the Los Angeles Coliseum, followed the Trojans as a kid, attended their summer camp, watched their practices, knew their players, toured their campus, heard their recruiting pitch — and chose Cal.

How often do the Trojans lose L.A. kids? About as often as they lose games.

“That’s the reason, right there,” Cal receiver DeSean Jackson said. “I didn’t want to follow everybody else. I’m not a follower.”

USC will be focusing on an attempt to shut down Jackson in punt-return game. Don’t be surprised to see many punts go out of bounds.

Orange County Register: “Jackson a danger on special teams”
The extra minutes USC coach Pete Carroll spent working on special teams last week could pay off hugely this week against Cal’s DeSean Jackson. Jackson, a punt return specialist and receiver, leads the nation with four punt-return touchdowns, his latest – and fifth overall – coming against Arizona on Saturday when he raced 95 yards for a first-quarter score.

Coach Pete Carroll and USC know about Jackson’s talent and will be preparing for it. Will they be ready?

Sacramento Bee: “Jackson a haymaker of a player”
Amazingly, Jackson has just 23 career punt returns, scoring on 21.7 percent of his attempts. It’s never a surprise when he breaks a big play. Cal coach Jeff Tedford and his staff have been the beneficiaries of Jackson’s desire to leave Southern California and bypass the strong overtures of the Trojans.

…

“He had spots (last season) when he made some plays, but he’s really torn it up this year,” USC coach Pete Carroll told the Los Angeles Times. “Gosh, they’ve thrown to him deep so many times, and the punt returns alone are awesome.”

Cal drops to #17-AP, #17-Coaches/Harris, #15-BCS

With Saturday’s loss at Arizona, Cal has dropped significantly in the polls. All rankings dropped the Bears at least 7 spots. The AP and the Coaches/Harris polls place Cal at #17 (from #8 and #9, respectively). Meanwhile, the BCS computer rankings now have Cal at #12 (from #4 last week), and combined with the lower human polls Cal is now #15 in the BCS standings.

These rankings are insignificant to Cal’s bowl destiny, as we described on Saturday. The Bears have two possibilities: beat USC and see the Rose Bowl, or lose to USC and end up in the Holiday Bowl. Furthermore, as Ken C correctly pointed out over at Bear Territory, this is not dependent on a Big Game win over Stanford.