College football game
The
2011 Bridgepoint Education
Holiday Bowl
, the 34th edition of the game, was a postseason American
college football
bowl game
between the
Texas Longhorns
of the
Big 12 Conference
and the
California Golden Bears
of the
Pac-12 Conference
(Pac-12), on December 28, 2011, at
Qualcomm Stadium
in
San Diego, California
. The game was the final contest of the
2011 NCAA Division I-Football Bowl Subdivision (Division I-FBS) football season
for both teams, and it ended in a 21?10 victory for Texas.
Texas was selected to play in the 2011 Holiday Bowl following a 7?5
regular season
that included a last-second victory at
Texas A&M
and double-digit losses to then-No. 1
[Note 1]
Oklahoma
, then-No. 7
[Note 1]
Oklahoma State
, and then-No. 18
[Note 1]
Baylor
. The Longhorns faced California, who also had an identical 7?5 regular season, highlighted by an
overtime
victory at
Colorado
and a 3-point loss to then-No. 8
[Note 1]
Stanford
.
California scored the only points of the first quarter on a 49-yard
field goal
by
placekicker
Giorgio Tavecchio
. In the second quarter Texas' placekicker Justin Tucker missed a 38-yard field goal but were later able to score on a 4-yard
reverse
pass
touchdown
reception
by
wide receiver
Jaxon Shipley
. California answered in the third quarter on a touchdown
run
by
running-back
Isi Sofele
, but the Golden Bears would not score any more points afterwards. Texas scored later in the third quarter on a 47-yard reception by wide receiver
Marquise Goodwin
and in the fourth quarter on a 4-yard run by running-back Cody Johnson to end the game.
Texas
quarterback
David Ash
was named
player of the game
, and finished with 142 passing yards and one touchdown while also attaining a touchdown reception. Texas
linebacker
Keenan Robinson
was named the defensive
MVP
after finishing with eight
tackles
and a
pass deflection
.
Teams
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]
Entering the contest, both teams shared a few similarities. Each had an identical record (7?5) and last played in a bowl during the
2009
season, which they both lost (Texas lost the
BCS National Championship Game
to
Alabama
and Cal lost the
Poinsettia Bowl
, also in San Diego, to
Utah
.) Both teams also identical posted losing records (5?7) during the
2010 season
. Their respective records in Holiday Bowl were also split. Texas lead the series with Cal 4?0, and was ranked in the nation’s top 10 in each of the series' games. Both teams were strong on defense with the Longhorns standing at No. 14 in total defense (315.33 ypg) and the Bears No. 26 (339.42 ypg).
Texas
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]
Texas began the season with a four-game winning streak which included a defeat of
UCLA
in
Pasadena
.
[3]
Following a loss to then #1
Oklahoma
, the Longhorns only managed to put together three more wins for the rest of the season, although three of their losses during this period came against higher ranked opponents. Texas finished with a 7?5 record following the program's
first losing season
since 1997.
[4]
This was Texas' fifth trip to the Holiday Bowl, the most recent being in
2007
, and their prior record was 2?2.
[5]
The Texas offense came into the game with the nation's No. 19 rushing team (210.42 ypg) but only No. 85 in passing (193.58 ypg), while the defense had been stingy against the run at No. 11 (103.67 ypg) and No. 47 in pass defense (211.67 ypg).
California
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California began the season with a three-game winning streak, during which head coach
Jeff Tedford
became with the winningest coach in program history.
[6]
The Bears then had three straight losses, including their sole home loss of the season. They were able to get four more wins, improving to a 7?5 mark following the
first losing season
in Tedford's tenure as head coach. This was Cal's third Holiday Bowl, the most recent being in
2006
, and their prior record was 1?1. Coincidentally they had faced Texas teams in all of their Holiday Bowl matchups, with
Texas Tech
in
2004
and
Texas A&M
in 2006. Notably, the 2004 appearance resulted after Texas head coach
Mack Brown
had
lobbied for an invitation to the Rose Bowl
over Cal.
[7]
Tedford said the incident "was a long time ago. I felt bad for our team because I really felt like we deserved to be in the Rose Bowl that year, but we're in 2011 now and it is a whole different situation."
[8]
Cal has a balanced offense, which is No. 37 in total offense (418.67 ypg), No. 38 in passing
(251.50) and No. 48 in rushing (167.17 ypg).
Game summary
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]
First quarter
[
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]
Texas received the ball to start the game but was unable to move the ball past midfield despite a fourth down conversion in their own territory. Cal was able to drive 70 yards on its first possession for a 47-yard field goal. After a three and out, Texas got the ball back when
Zach Maynard
was picked off by
Quandre Diggs
, but in turn went three and out. However Maynard was then sacked for a fumble in Cal territory.
Second quarter
[
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]
Texas' attempt to capitalize on the turnover failed when a 38-yard field goal missed. Two possessions later the Longhorns started in Cal territory and were able to drive down to the Cal 4-yard line on a 30-yard reception by tight end Blaine Irby. They then set up a trick play in which receiver Jaxon Shipley threw a pass to quarterback David Ash for the first touchdown of the game.
Third quarter
[
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]
Cal opened the half with a 69-yard drive that was capped off by a 6-yard touchdown run by Isi Sofele. However Texas came right back with a 47-yard scoring reception by receiver
Marquise Goodwin
to take hold of the lead. The Cal defense held following a Sofele fumble on the ensuing drive, but Maynard was sacked on the final Cal possession of the quarter. Goodwin then had a 37-yard run to put the ball on the Cal 7-yard line.
Fourth quarter
[
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]
This set up a 4-yard touchdown run by running back Cody Johnson for the game's final score. Late in the quarter the final Cal turnover occurred when receiver Marvin Jones fumbled after making a reception.
Scoring summary
[
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]
Scoring summary
|
Quarter
|
Time
|
Drive
|
Team
|
Scoring information
|
Score
|
Plays
|
Yards
|
TOP
|
California
|
Texas
|
1
|
6:06
|
11
|
40
|
4:59
|
California
|
49-yard field goal by Giorgio Tavecchio
|
3
|
0
|
2
|
6:08
|
4
|
48
|
1:19
|
Texas
|
David Ash 4-yard touchdown reception from Jaxon Shipley, Justin Tucker kick good
|
3
|
7
|
3
|
9:47
|
11
|
69
|
5:13
|
California
|
Isi Sofele 6-yard touchdown run, Giorgio Tavecchio kick good
|
10
|
7
|
3
|
8:06
|
4
|
76
|
1:41
|
Texas
|
Marquise Goodwin
47-yard touchdown reception from David Ash, Justin Tucker kick good
|
10
|
14
|
4
|
14:57
|
3
|
44
|
0:47
|
Texas
|
Cody Johnson 4-yard touchdown run, Justin Tucker kick good
|
10
|
21
|
"TOP" =
time of possession
. For other American football terms, see
Glossary of American football
.
|
10
|
21
|
|
[2]
[9]
Statistics
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]
Statistics
|
California
|
Texas
|
First Downs
|
15
|
13
|
Rushes-yards (net)
|
36?7
|
35?109
|
Passing yards (net)
|
188
|
146
|
Passes, Att-Comp-Int
|
33?19?1
|
24?15?0
|
Total offense, plays ? yards
|
69?195
|
59?255
|
Time of Possession
|
31:08
|
28:52
|
Game notes
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]
- This was Cal's second bowl loss in a row, going back to the
2009 Poinsettia Bowl
, and Texas' second straight Holiday Bowl victory, following a win in
2007
over
Arizona State
. Cal is 1?3 in its bowl trips to San Diego.
- Texas' record against Cal improved to 5?0.
Notes
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]
References
[
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]
- ^
"College Football Betting Lines and Spreads ? AccuScore"
.
- ^
a
b
"California Golden Bears vs. Texas Longhorns ? Box Score"
. ESPN
. Retrieved
December 29,
2011
.
- ^
"Texas vs UCLA (Sep 17, 2011)"
.
- ^
Cyrus Gray scores 2 long TDs, carries Aggies to win over Longhorns
, ESPN, November 25, 2010.
- ^
"Cal, Texas to Meet in Bridgepoint Education Holiday Bowl"
. The Bridgepoint Education Holiday Bowl. December 4, 2011. Archived from
the original
on December 11, 2011
. Retrieved
December 4,
2011
.
- ^
"Zach Maynard powers Cal as Jeff Tedford sets school wins mark"
.
ESPN.com
. September 17, 2011
. Retrieved
September 18,
2011
.
- ^
Miller, Ted (December 6, 2011).
"Revenge? Cal to face Texas in Holiday Bowl"
.
ESPN.com
.
Archived
from the original on January 15, 2012.
- ^
Wilson, Bernie (December 4, 2011).
"California, Texas to play in Holiday Bowl"
.
The Brownsville Herald
. Associated Press.
Archived
from the original on June 6, 2012.
- ^
"California Golden Bears vs. Texas Longhorns ? Drivechart"
. ESPN
. Retrieved
December 29,
2011
.
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History & conference tie-ins
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Games
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Notes
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- The 1984 game is the only time that the eventual national champion played its bowl game in December.
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