Texas Rallies Past Golden Bears

[Keith7]

Texas rallies past Golden Bears

Associated Press

BERKELEY, Calif. -- California refused to run up the score or beg for poll votes.

Maybe the Bears should have.

Cal (10-1) was left out of the Bowl Championship Series, denied one of the eight spots in college football's big-money games despite a season of statistical superlatives and dominating victories.

The fourth-ranked Golden Bears will be stuck at the Holiday Bowl while Texas plays in the Rose Bowl.

Cal's Rose Bowl drought reached 46 years despite one of the best regular seasons in school history.

The Bears felt beaten as they left their team meeting. Quarterback Aaron Rodgers saw confusion and disappointment in his teammates when they found out their Rose Bowl dreams were replaced with a trip to San Diego to face Texas Tech.

"It just shows it's a faulty system, and we've got to do something to change it up," Rodgers said. "I bet Auburn is pretty ticked, too. ... Nobody cares about West Coast football, I don't think. I just hope Southern Cal represents us well."

Texas (10-1) surged past the Bears in the final BCS standings despite Cal's 26-16 road victory over Southern Mississippi on Saturday night. The Longhorns gained points in both polls, and the computer rankings kept Texas well in front of Cal. The Longhorns will face Michigan (9-2) on Jan. 1.

There were dozens of factors in the decision, but the Bears felt they were superior in almost every venue -- except the political arena. Rodgers figured Texas coach Mack Brown's pleading for poll support made a difference, and he was glad Cal coach Jeff Tedford never did likewise.

"I thought it was a little classless how Coach Brown was begging for votes after the [Texas A&M] game," Rodgers said. "I think a team's record and the way you play should speak for itself, and you shouldn't have to complain about the BCS system. Coach Tedford isn't going to, although he's frustrated just like we are. I think we're a bigger team, classier than that."

Tedford was less emotional than Rodgers, but no less disappointed as he evaluated the Bears' long list of accomplishments.

The only blemish on their record was a six-point loss at top-ranked USC. They beat 10 teams by an average of 23.9 points per game. They were the only school in the nation's top six both in scoring offense and scoring defense.

The Rose Bowl has matched a Big 10 team against a Pac-10 school for decades, and with the Pac-10 champion Trojans headed to the Orange Bowl, Cal hoped to end the conference's longest Rose Bowl drought. Instead, there will be burnt orange in the Pasadena stands.

"I just feel terrible for the alumni and the fans who have waited so long for this," Tedford said. "As a program, we were set on the Rose Bowl. I felt like we did enough to earn that."

Most of the Bears still were jet-lagged and exhausted after grinding out a victory in Hattiesburg just 18 hours earlier in a game postponed from Sept. 16 by Hurricane Ivan. The late-season road trip provided a national television audience -- but when the Golden Eagles were difficult to put away, it might have swayed some voters away.

And that was baffling to Tedford, who refused to try to score one last touchdown in the waning seconds to pad the score. The Bears also were hurt by a questionable clipping call in the closing minutes, which negated a touchdown run by J.J. Arrington.

Normally, Tedford wouldn't spare a second's thought on such issues -- but in the BCS world, it might have made a difference.

"If yesterday's game was the game that turned anybody's head, then that's sad, because it's about a season," Tedford said. "We're going to keep our same philosophy. It's hard enough just to win games."

[Keith7]

Originally posted by Aaron Rodgers


"I thought it was a little classless how Coach Brown was begging for votes after the [Texas A&M] game I think a team's record and the way you play should speak for itself, and you shouldn't have to complain about the BCS system. Coach Tedford isn't going to, although he's frustrated just like we are. I think we're a bigger team, classier than that."



I agree Aaron.. you guys got screwed..

[rhs78]

I guess mack can now smell the roses and add a BSC game to his Resume, kind of wished he would win it outright and beat OU for a change. anyhow Hookem horns

[Johnnypaycheck]

Mack whined enough to get them $19 million!

[KTJ]

I don't think Mack "whined" for his team--more or less he stood up for them. There is a difference.

[JasperDog94]

Originally posted by Keith7
I agree Aaron.. you guys got screwed.. It's about time somebody else got the short end of the stick. The differences between Texas and Cal aren't very much. Mack asked for the votes and he got them. What's wrong with sticking up for your team?

[Keith7]

Originally posted by JasperDog94
It's about time somebody else got the short end of the stick. The differences between Texas and Cal aren't very much. Mack asked for the votes and he got them. What's wrong with sticking up for your team?

he was begging for them.. and there is a big difference.. Cal is a MUCH better team

[TheDOCTORdre]

Originally posted by Keith7
he was begging for them.. and there is a big difference.. Cal is a MUCH better team
Apparently the people who mattered didnt think so

HOOK'EM

[KTJ]

Originally posted by Keith7
he was begging for them.. and there is a big difference.. Cal is a MUCH better team

Cal isn't a much better team. If anything, both Cal and Texas are evenly matched.

Mack didn't beg for votes. The media hates Mack and UT, you think they'd just give in and give us votes? If anything, Ca' playing Southern Miss close and not blowing them out like they were expected to do cost them the Rose Bowl.

[JasperDog94]

Originally posted by Keith7
Cal is a MUCH better team Well, that's one opinion...

[Keith7]

Originally posted by KTJ
Cal isn't a much better team. If anything, both Cal and Texas are evenly matched.

Mack didn't beg for votes. The media hates Mack and UT, you think they'd just give in and give us votes? If anything, Ca' playing Southern Miss close and not blowing them out like they were expected to do cost them the Rose Bowl.

Lets see.. Cal is not 1 dimensional, and Cal has blown out who it is sopposed to blow out.. I dont think the same could be said about Texas

[Keith7]

Originally posted by JasperDog94
Well, that's one opinion...

show me that texas is better

[TheDOCTORdre]

Originally posted by Keith7
show me that texas is better
who's playing in the Rose Bowl?

[Keith7]

Originally posted by TheDOCTORdre
who's playing in the Rose Bowl?

that doesnt show anything, just that the BCS doesn't work

[KTJ]

Originally posted by Keith7
Lets see.. Cal is not 1 dimensional, and Cal has blown out who it is sopposed to blow out.. I dont think the same could be said about Texas


Cal's schedule is much easier than Texas' schedule. And Cal almost lost to a below average Oregon team.

[KTJ]

Originally posted by Keith7
Lets see.. Cal is not 1 dimensional, and Cal has blown out who it is sopposed to blow out.. I dont think the same could be said about Texas

Since when did "dimensions" come into play to determine how good a football team is?

[Keith7]

Originally posted by KTJ
And Cal almost lost to a below average Oregon team.

LOL again..

If your gonna bring that up then what happened against..

Arkansas
Missouri
and KANSAS

hardly anybody's top 25 teams, but Texas sure didnt mind almost chokin on them

[Keith7]

Originally posted by KTJ
Since when did "dimensions" come into play to determine how good a football team is?

because its alot easier to stop a team that can only run then a team that can do both.. making the team that can do both better

[TheDOCTORdre]

Originally posted by Keith7
because its alot easier to stop a team that can only run then a team that can do both.. making the team that can do both better
not when Texas's D would tear Cal up

[KTJ]

Originally posted by Keith7
LOL again..

If your gonna bring that up then what happened against..

Arkansas
Missouri
and KANSAS

hardly anybody's top 25 teams, but Texas sure didnt mind almost chokin on them

Texas almost losing to Kansas = Cal almost losing to Oregon.

[Keith7]

Originally posted by TheDOCTORdre
not when Texas's D would tear Cal up

Oh you mean the Defense that gives up 15 points per game as opposed to Cal's 12.. I dont think Texas would be doin too much either

[JasperDog94]

Originally posted by Keith7
show me that texas is better I didn't say that they were. I just said that Texas got the benefit of the doubt this time around.

[JasperDog94]

Originally posted by Keith7
Oh you mean the Defense that gives up 15 points per game as opposed to Cal's 12.. I dont think Texas would be doin too much either Pac 10 vs. Big 12 south. Big difference. 5 of 6 teams in the south are top 25. Texas beat 3 of them. All by double digits.

[Keith7]

Originally posted by JasperDog94
Pac 10 vs. Big 12 south. Big difference. 5 of 6 teams in the south are top 25. Texas beat 3 of them. All by double digits.

Pac-10 has 3 top-25 teams, Cal being one of them, they beat one of those top 25 teams by 27 and the other, the top team in the nation (USC) they were throwing into the endzone at the end of the game to win it.. Now if I remember correctly and sorry to bring back bad memorys but didnt texas play a team on the same level as USC and got shut out???

[Bullaholic]

Originally posted by Keith7
he was begging for them.. and there is a big difference.. Cal is a MUCH better team

I think your weather forecast is more accurate than this post, Keith.

[JasperDog94]

Yep. Lost by 12. Held a prolific offense to 12 points. Held 2 Heisman candidates to 12 POINTS!!!

[JasperDog94]

See Keith, this is what I'm talking about. We can go back and forth all day about who's better. Bottom line is that they were two very competitive teams with only 1 loss. It could have gone either way, but it fell Texas' way this time.

[KTJ]

Sep 4 at Air Force W, 56-14
Sep 11 vs New Mexico State W, 41-14
Sep 16 at Southern Miss Postponed
Oct 2 at Oregon State W, 49-7
Oct 9 at USC L, 23-17
Oct 16 vs UCLA W, 45-28
Oct 23 at Arizona W, 38-0
Oct 30 vs Arizona State W, 27-0
Nov 6 vs Oregon W, 28-27
Nov 13 at Washington W, 42-12
Nov 20 vs Stanford W, 41-6
Dec 4 at Southern Miss W, 26-16


Cal played 2 teams in the top 25--USC and Arizona State. Every other team is major suckitude. Compare that to UT's schedule.

Sep 4 vs North Texas W, 65-0
Sep 11 at Arkansas W, 22-20
Sep 25 vs Rice W, 35-13
Oct 2 vs Baylor W, 44-14
Oct 9 at Oklahoma L, 12-0
Oct 16 vs Missouri W, 28-20
Oct 23 at Texas Tech W, 51-21
Oct 30 at Colorado W, 31-7
Nov 6 vs Oklahoma State W, 56-35
Nov 13 at Kansas W, 27-23
Nov 26 vs Texas A&M W, 26-13

Arkansas, OU, Mizzou, Tech, Okie State, and A&M were in the top 25 when we played them.

[PPHSfan]

I think when OU beats USC by 28 points in January everyone at Cal needs to stop talking about their "near miss" with the "number one team in the nation".

Texas would run the ball for 500 yards against Cal. It will be evident come January that Texas held the "number one team in the nation" to 12 points, while Cal was just another loss to a mediocre USC team.

USC was only ranked because of what they did last year, and a weak schedule this year.

[Keith7]

Originally posted by KTJ
Sep 4 at Air Force W, 56-14
Sep 11 vs New Mexico State W, 41-14
Sep 16 at Southern Miss Postponed
Oct 2 at Oregon State W, 49-7
Oct 9 at USC L, 23-17
Oct 16 vs UCLA W, 45-28
Oct 23 at Arizona W, 38-0
Oct 30 vs Arizona State W, 27-0
Nov 6 vs Oregon W, 28-27
Nov 13 at Washington W, 42-12
Nov 20 vs Stanford W, 41-6
Dec 4 at Southern Miss W, 26-16


Cal played 2 teams in the top 25--USC and Arizona State. Every other team is major suckitude. Compare that to UT's schedule.

Sep 4 vs North Texas W, 65-0
Sep 11 at Arkansas W, 22-20
Sep 25 vs Rice W, 35-13
Oct 2 vs Baylor W, 44-14
Oct 9 at Oklahoma L, 12-0
Oct 16 vs Missouri W, 28-20
Oct 23 at Texas Tech W, 51-21
Oct 30 at Colorado W, 31-7
Nov 6 vs Oklahoma State W, 56-35
Nov 13 at Kansas W, 27-23
Nov 26 vs Texas A&M W, 26-13

Arkansas, OU, Mizzou, Tech, Okie State, and A&M were in the top 25 when we played them.

all this proves is that Cal is in a weak conference.. they cant help that, you cant hold that against them..

we'll see come January 1st when Michigan beats Texas.. the people at the BCS will be scratching their heads wondering.. Der.. I thought texas was good

[JasperDog94]

Originally posted by Keith7
all this proves is that Cal is in a weak conference.. they cant help that, you cant hold that against them.. Why not? We hold it against Pittsburg.

[Keith7]

both of the Human polls have California at number 4.. the BCS is the only poll that has Texas ahead of Cal.. Somebody has got to fix the computers

[Phil C]

Originally posted by Keith7
Pac-10 has 3 top-25 teams, Cal being one of them, they beat one of those top 25 teams by 27 and the other, the top team in the nation (USC) they were throwing into the endzone at the end of the game to win it.. Now if I remember correctly and sorry to bring back bad memorys but didnt texas play a team on the same level as USC and got shut out???

Keith we will see about that when USC plays Oklahoma.

[Keith7]

Originally posted by PPHSfan

Texas would run the ball for 500 yards against Cal.

lol i dont know how i missed this pphsfan.. Cal has a top 5 run defense silly.. get real

[Phil C]

All this would have been avoided if Division 1 football would have had a "real" playoff system. I have been preaching about this for a long time but none of you will listen to me. Hang if I ain't ashame of you all.

:(

[big daddy russ]

Originally posted by JasperDog94
Why not? We hold it against Pittsburg. But Pitt sucks. They're not a top ten team by any stretch of the imagination.

Cal got screwed and Mack lost a lot of my respect when he pulled that little stunt. I backed him as the UT coach until that.

One or the other was going to get shafted. But how awesome would it have been if the Horns and the Bears told the BCS to screw off, both turned down the invite and then went to play each other in some sorry setting like the Liberty Bowl. The only two one-loss teams to hang with the top two teams... that would've been a hell of a game.

And if you want to talk who screwed who (besides Mack's pansy butt), it was Pitt and the Big East. That's the one team that doesn't have a legitimate claim to a BCS Bowl.

[TMer25]

Bob Stoops lobbied for votes last year after the Kansas St. loss, so it's not the first time a coach has done this.

[Keith7]

Originally posted by TMer25
Bob Stoops lobbied for votes last year after the Kansas St. loss, so it's not the first time a coach has done this.

that still doesnt make it right

[TMer25]

I didn't say it made it right, just saying that it's not the first time it's happened. But being Texas didn't pass Cal until their less than impressive showing against Southern Miss, I don't think Mack's public plea had much to do with it. I think the computer polls were the difference in this case.