Don’t Call It A Comeback - Cal Reclaims Lead Late In Fourth, Overtakes Washington St.
In a game that can only be described as a roller coaster ride, the Golden Bears found a way to break ahead of the persistent Washington State Cougars and hold out in the final seconds of the game to win, 42-38.
QB Joe Ayoob finally seemed to come into his own, throwing 4 TD passes in the win over WSU. One of those touchdown passes and almost 1/3 of his passing yards went to walk-on standout Lareylle Cunningham, who has flourished amongst an injury-depleted wide receiver corps. Marshawn Lynch stepped up as well, returning kickoffs and punts with a fair amount of success while putting up 160 yards and a touchdown from his traditional role in the backfield.
A roller coaster ride is also a fairly accurate way to describe this year’s season for the Golden Bears, and the team is not deserving to be showered with praise and extraordinary hopes of a miraculous second wind this season. The third quarter continues to be a perilious one for the Bears, as the team seemingly shuts down for 15 minutes after halftime. Special teams and the tight end corps are still underperforming as a whole. And, the Golden Bears final three opponents are USC, Oregon, and Stanford, all of whom are putting up relatively solid records this year (even Stanford, despite an early loss to UC Davis). This week is a bye week for Cal, and the team needs to utilize it effectively to have any chance of a last minute rally.
(PS - Sorry for the delay on this post - I had some technical difficulties with my computer, and with midterm exams and papers, sometime CalStuff takes a backseat. Roll on you Bears!)
Given the number of injuries to the offensive line and our receivers, it would be unreasonable to expect a great season. Coach Tedford, nevertheless, has demonstrated that he is an excellent recruiter and coach, and the future looks good for Cal football. This, of course, doesn’t make the close losses any easier.
Comment by Bill Russell, Class of 1969 — November 4, 2005 @ 4:45 pm