So happy for the win... doesn't quite make this a successful season, especially with the fact it's a little harder to consider Stanford a villain (after they helped us join them in the ACC), but in the end NO season is a success unless we beat Stanford. I really hope we beat UCLA although after their pasting of USC it's hard to be confident with that...especially with our defense.
Pretty sure the football gods would advocate that a Power 5 program invest in Special Teams, as it’s a rather crucial element of the game that has single-handedly cost this team 2 W’s…that’s on Wilcox, rather than the football gods, no? ;-)
For me, given the strength of the schedule and what we know about Wilcox’s limitations as a HC and his struggles the past few seasons, I was always on the side of ANY bowl this year was a success. This schedule was brutal. JW still blows games to teams he absolutely shouldn’t (U of A in ‘21, Buffs in ‘22, Auburn this year), but next year figures to be a more competitive schedule for this crew and a bowl game this year would provide great momentum.
I’ll tip the cap - didn’t think they’d beat Wazzu so Wilcox flipped the script a little there.
Don’t love their chances at fUCLA with Lynn’s D - he’s a rising star in the coaching ranks.
Still, had them pegged for 6-6, so heading into the final week with a win-and-you’re-bowling chance isn’t the worst thing. Maybe they can pull one out.
I had major FOMO sitting out the last Big Game on the Farm. So glad I was fortunate the football gods forgave me enough to get a make good yesterday. Not sure why the students started doing the tomahawk chant in the middle of the field. Really? It’s “We’ve got the axe!” and repeat. Simple and perfect. Do we need to put this in the orientation packet? Leave the tomahawk chant to FSU.
Ott made a chopping motion when he did his kneel down on the five. Maybe started a new tradition. But, PLEASE, my fellow Cal fans, no chanting or they’ll think we’re copying the Seminoles. For that reason and the fact that it’s a $C-level of annoying!
I didn't hear the tomahawk chant during my time in the muddle but I was there for the olé soccer chant. These students should know better than doing the chop smh.
I was in the middle of the mob when they did the olé chant. So that definitely happened but the other could have happened either before or after I got near it.
No, sorry, didn’t mean to imply that it didn’t. I just wondered if you were right about what I heard, but then subsequently remembered how the “ole” chant goes. We’re both right.
Good decision to enable the clock to run in Cal's retaining possession. Very football savvy and situation awareness plus he put the team ahead of his personal stats
In Ott’s postgame presser, he said if it had been up to him, essentially, he would have loved to score there, but the coaches during the preceding timeout(s) had given the instruction that, if he were to find himself in that situation, go into “church” (AKA take a knee) mode. He said that it was just about following the coaches’ direction.
Because then U give the ball (and the clock) to ‘Furd. They can onside kick, score, onside kick and score (I mean, hypothetically….). Keep the ball and the clock and win the game!!!!
In hindsight, if we keep jack Plummer and sturdivant were a 8 win team and that gives a very different type of optimism smh I still hope Sam comes back 🤷🏿♂️ Fernando has stabilized the offense but it hasn’t been all roses
Nah, we won't. Jack Plummer had a LOT of limitations. I'd rather go with a redshirt freshman with an upside than Plummer. He just found a good situation at L'ville. Good for him, but he wasn't good for Cal.
Remember? I choke on that every season…. Muck Fack Brown (who O’wise comes across as a pretty decent guy….).
I was watching the bowl selection show that year and had already sought Rose Bowl tix. I feel to my knees and gasped a breath when they said Texas…. Then I went for a long walk….
Yes. One of the most obvious signs of corruption and double standard curtesy of the NCAA loser dudes in the board rooms. NCAA has always grossly favored the old South ( I’d include Texas) and now particularly the SEC. This is also true in baseball and basketball….u see it now as the post season “selection committees” year after year load up the SEC teams plus give them high seeds and “host” stadium selections. The West gets screwed.
I didn't have a problem with Mack lobbying for votes. I had a huge problem with his brother, a coach at a mid major, dropping Cal way down on his ballot in the last week and affecting the outcome of the coaches poll.
Cal did not lose their last regular season game. Texas jumped past Cal in I think the last pertinent rankings before the major bowl game opponents had all been decided and that was a result of the Bears only beating Southern Mississippi by ten points in a postponed game at the end of the season. Texas with a couple of late touchdowns pulled off scant comeback victory over and even more mediocre Kansas three weeks prior, but nobody considered that when elevating them over Cal. Marvin Philip threw a block behind the play with J. J. Arrington already nearly ten yards ahead of everyone and about to disappear into the end zone in the last minute or so of the fourth quarter which could have made it 33-16, and that block brought a clipping penalty, which I didn't agree with, and that provided the wiggle room for Mack Brown's whining to succeed.
In any case, I would have preferred Cal to go to the Rose Bowl by winning either the Pac-8, 10 or 12, not by finishing second.
If you take the longview, I think we’re better off breaking in Nando than we would be had we run it back with Plummer. Clearly, it has worked out for both too.
So happy for the win... doesn't quite make this a successful season, especially with the fact it's a little harder to consider Stanford a villain (after they helped us join them in the ACC), but in the end NO season is a success unless we beat Stanford. I really hope we beat UCLA although after their pasting of USC it's hard to be confident with that...especially with our defense.
Yeah. Cal can’t have both good offense and good defense at the same time. It’s written in the PAC-12 bylaws.
It doesn't feel like 6-6 should be such a big ask for Cal but the football gods are generally cruel....
Only against us
Pretty sure the football gods would advocate that a Power 5 program invest in Special Teams, as it’s a rather crucial element of the game that has single-handedly cost this team 2 W’s…that’s on Wilcox, rather than the football gods, no? ;-)
I would consider 6-6 with a bowl win a marginally successful season.
Especially ending the season 3-0 is a big positive and momentum to end the season. Now if we win the bowl game that would end us at 4-0
Totally understandable.
For me, given the strength of the schedule and what we know about Wilcox’s limitations as a HC and his struggles the past few seasons, I was always on the side of ANY bowl this year was a success. This schedule was brutal. JW still blows games to teams he absolutely shouldn’t (U of A in ‘21, Buffs in ‘22, Auburn this year), but next year figures to be a more competitive schedule for this crew and a bowl game this year would provide great momentum.
Totally agree and good reminder although depressing when I think of games earlier on our schedule....sigh
I’ll tip the cap - didn’t think they’d beat Wazzu so Wilcox flipped the script a little there.
Don’t love their chances at fUCLA with Lynn’s D - he’s a rising star in the coaching ranks.
Still, had them pegged for 6-6, so heading into the final week with a win-and-you’re-bowling chance isn’t the worst thing. Maybe they can pull one out.
Would've loved a final f - u to BOTH LA schools but I'd settle for one for them
What about the ACC bylaws????
But what do the ACC bylaws say?
Serious question: did we already move to the ACC? I guess so, if Wazzu and Oregon state are the owners of the pac-12.
For the time being it's going to be the Pac 2. After next year several MWC teams will join OSU and WSU to form a new PAC 12.
In case you missed it, Cal and Stanford are joining ACC next year.
Good point!
As long as it isn’t written into the ACC bylaws.
GO BEARS
We gots da AXE!!
Good story with the exception of mentioning how good the Oline played.
they'll get a massive test this coming saturday
BURN THE BOATS
BURN THE WOODS
BURN THE CITY!
Let’s shock the world next week and trounce UCLA. The kids deserve a bowl game. An extra month of practice will be great for the team.
Grizz is a beast. Not very fast, but runs great routes, good hands, and leverages his body to his advantage well. Can’t teach 6’6”. Great potential.
He actually is fast. Deceptively so with long strides and quick acceleration…….. .
Any news on uluave?
I just checked and can't find anything reported anywhere.
Driving down to LA next week. Haven’t made this trip in forever. Who’s got the tailgate?
Let me know when you find out because I want to join too
I had major FOMO sitting out the last Big Game on the Farm. So glad I was fortunate the football gods forgave me enough to get a make good yesterday. Not sure why the students started doing the tomahawk chant in the middle of the field. Really? It’s “We’ve got the axe!” and repeat. Simple and perfect. Do we need to put this in the orientation packet? Leave the tomahawk chant to FSU.
Ott made a chopping motion when he did his kneel down on the five. Maybe started a new tradition. But, PLEASE, my fellow Cal fans, no chanting or they’ll think we’re copying the Seminoles. For that reason and the fact that it’s a $C-level of annoying!
I didn't hear the tomahawk chant during my time in the muddle but I was there for the olé soccer chant. These students should know better than doing the chop smh.
Maybe I’m mixing up my chants. It’s the one that goes “ooohh-oh-oh-oh-oh oooh” Hah hah.
The Olé chant sounds like this: https://youtu.be/LkJ5WLZpQkk?si=OcnIXqO8CR3_neuK
The chop is more a descending melody.
It’s weird how similar the chop is to the intro of that damn White Stripes song. Native Americans should sue Jack White.
Nah, wasn’t the ole chant though. Nary an “ole” heard by my ears.
I was in the middle of the mob when they did the olé chant. So that definitely happened but the other could have happened either before or after I got near it.
No, sorry, didn’t mean to imply that it didn’t. I just wondered if you were right about what I heard, but then subsequently remembered how the “ole” chant goes. We’re both right.
Why did Ott take a knee at the end? Why not run it in and score?
Good decision to enable the clock to run in Cal's retaining possession. Very football savvy and situation awareness plus he put the team ahead of his personal stats
In Ott’s postgame presser, he said if it had been up to him, essentially, he would have loved to score there, but the coaches during the preceding timeout(s) had given the instruction that, if he were to find himself in that situation, go into “church” (AKA take a knee) mode. He said that it was just about following the coaches’ direction.
Because then U give the ball (and the clock) to ‘Furd. They can onside kick, score, onside kick and score (I mean, hypothetically….). Keep the ball and the clock and win the game!!!!
Which...given that we are Cal... is totally possible for them to do.
Well, we did it to them in 1982!
Battle of future ACC frequent flyers
Rewatching today, fair number of dirty plays by Stanford’s D. Made beating them sweeter!
Minor quibble - why not take that offensive PI call in Q1 and push them out of Karty’s FG range? Instead he hit like a 46 yarder to make it 7-3…
Cuz it's automatic that we give up 3rd and 20
Agreed, ton of holding on their offense and face masks on D. Signs of poor discipline.
So curious as to why their huge endowment is not attracting players via NIL. Maybe we can pull their kicker to this side of rivalry
What is Fernando Mendoza’s Big Game record?
4-0. Oh wait, it’s still only 2023 where you guys are. So just 1-0 so far
In hindsight, if we keep jack Plummer and sturdivant were a 8 win team and that gives a very different type of optimism smh I still hope Sam comes back 🤷🏿♂️ Fernando has stabilized the offense but it hasn’t been all roses
Nah, we won't. Jack Plummer had a LOT of limitations. I'd rather go with a redshirt freshman with an upside than Plummer. He just found a good situation at L'ville. Good for him, but he wasn't good for Cal.
Pass pro was a tire fire for Plummer last year. NO pocket passer would have succeeded with last years O line.
This year pass protection has been adequate.
Yeah, agree. He is a better fit there and Nando a better fit here. All is well that ends well
I hear the greenest pastures are here.
His limitation was our offensive line.
There has not been any roses since ‘59.
Remember when Texas coach, Mac Brown, "robbed" us of going to the Rose Bowl in 2004?
I also will never forget it. Not that I need a reason to hate Texas but that one above all else... never forgive.
Remember? I choke on that every season…. Muck Fack Brown (who O’wise comes across as a pretty decent guy….).
I was watching the bowl selection show that year and had already sought Rose Bowl tix. I feel to my knees and gasped a breath when they said Texas…. Then I went for a long walk….
Yes. One of the most obvious signs of corruption and double standard curtesy of the NCAA loser dudes in the board rooms. NCAA has always grossly favored the old South ( I’d include Texas) and now particularly the SEC. This is also true in baseball and basketball….u see it now as the post season “selection committees” year after year load up the SEC teams plus give them high seeds and “host” stadium selections. The West gets screwed.
They knew how the game was played. We didn’t. I’ll hate Mack Brown forever, but I’d be pretty stoked if our coach had done the same for us.
I didn't have a problem with Mack lobbying for votes. I had a huge problem with his brother, a coach at a mid major, dropping Cal way down on his ballot in the last week and affecting the outcome of the coaches poll.
Cal did not lose their last regular season game. Texas jumped past Cal in I think the last pertinent rankings before the major bowl game opponents had all been decided and that was a result of the Bears only beating Southern Mississippi by ten points in a postponed game at the end of the season. Texas with a couple of late touchdowns pulled off scant comeback victory over and even more mediocre Kansas three weeks prior, but nobody considered that when elevating them over Cal. Marvin Philip threw a block behind the play with J. J. Arrington already nearly ten yards ahead of everyone and about to disappear into the end zone in the last minute or so of the fourth quarter which could have made it 33-16, and that block brought a clipping penalty, which I didn't agree with, and that provided the wiggle room for Mack Brown's whining to succeed.
In any case, I would have preferred Cal to go to the Rose Bowl by winning either the Pac-8, 10 or 12, not by finishing second.
Already got revenge in 2017 and 2018. Still not enough.
If you take the longview, I think we’re better off breaking in Nando than we would be had we run it back with Plummer. Clearly, it has worked out for both too.