Cal & Vereen run past the Wildcats

California Golden Bears 2009 ... Head Coach: Jeff Tedford

2009 Schedule
CFN Prediction: 9-3
2009 Record: 7-4

9/5 Maryland W 52-13
9/12 East Wash. W 59-7
9/19 at Minnesota W 34-21
9/26 at Oregon L 42-3
10/3 USC L 30-3
10/10 OPEN DATE
10/17 at UCLA W 45-26
10/24 Wash St W 49-17
10/31 at Arizona St W 23-21
11/7 Oregon St L 31-14
11/14 Arizona L 31-14
11/21 at Stanford W 24-16
11/28 OPEN DATE
12/5 at Washington

2008 Schedule
CFN Prediction: 7-5
2008 Record: 9-4

8/30 Michigan St W 38-31
9/6 at Wash St W 66-3
9/13 at Maryland L 35-27
9/20 OPEN DATE
9/27 Colorado St W 42-7
10/4 Arizona St W 24-14
10/11 OPEN DATE
10/18 at Arizona L 42-27
10/25 UCLA W 41-20
11/1 Oregon W 26-16
11/8 at USC L 17-3
11/15 at Oregon St L 34-21
11/22 Stanford W 37-16
11/29 OPEN DATE
12/6 Washington W 48-7
EMERALD BOWL
12/27 Miami W 24-17

California Golden Bears

Nov. 14
at California 24 … Arizona 16
In a strange game, Cal’s Giorgio Tavecchio kicked four field goals, including a 22-yarder with 4:46 to play for a two-point lead, but he made the biggest play on an odd tackle of Travis Cobb, who appeared to have a clear path for a score on the ensuing kickoff. The Wildcats drove into field goal range, but QB Nick Foles had a pass batted back to him, he caught it, and tried to throw it again leading to a penalty to take the Cats out of field goal position. Cal’s Shane Vereen put the game away on a 61-yard scoring dash. Arizona got into the end zone on a one-yard Keola Antolin one-yard run and an eight-yard A.J. Simmons catch.
Player of the Game: Cal RB Shane Vereen ran 30 times for 159 yards and a score, and he caught a pass for ten yards.
Arizona: Passing: Nick Foles, 25-41, 201 yds, 1 TD, 1 INT
Rushing: Keola Antolin, 19-78, 1 TD, Receiving: David Roberts, 4-52
California: Passing: Kevin Riley, 13-22, 181 yds, 1 TD, 2 INT
Rushing: Shane Vereen, 30-159, 1 TD, Receiving: Marvin Jones, 5-65
What It All Means: This was a tremendous gut-check win for the Bears. Without Jahvid Best, Shane Vereen picked up the slack and the defense did a fantastic job against the high-powered Wildcat attack. The secondary that has been picked clean all season long gave up a mere 201 yards to Nick Foles, and that’s a tremendous sign going into the big game against Stanford. However, the D isn’t good enough to shut down the high-powered Cardinal, so it’ll be up to Kevin Riley to pick his game up a few notches and do a better job in the red zone after the O settled for too many field goals.

Nov. 7
Oregon State 31 … at California 14
Oregon State won without a problem, but the real story was Cal RB Jahvid Best, who flew into the end zone for a seven-yard score, flipped over, and frighteningly landed on his back and head. Taken off the field on a stretcher, he suffered a concussion and is expected to be fine, but Cal never recovered as OSU got two Sean Canfield touchdown passes and a one-yard run and scored 17 straight points after the Best injury. Cal didn’t get back on the board until the final minute with a three-yard Verran Tucker catch. OSU outgained Cal 436 yards to 239.
Player of the Game: Oregon State QB Sean Canfield completed 29-of-39 passes for 342 yards and two touchdowns with an interception and ran for a short score.
California: Passing: Kevin Riley, 19-34, 200 yds, 1 TD, 1 INT
Rushing: Jahvid Best, 9-29, 1 TD, Receiving: Verran Tucker, 6-74, 1 TD
Oregon State: Passing: Sean Canfield, 29-39, 342 yds, 2 TD, 1 INT
Rushing: Jacquizz Rodgers, 35-67, 1 TD, Receiving: Jacquizz Rodgers, 9-30
What It All Means: Cal can be forgiven if it didn’t play like it should’ve after the frightening Jahivd Best injury, but it’s not like the team was playing well before the fall getting down 14-0 with the offense not working all that well. The offense didn’t have any running game without best, finishing with just 39 yards, and the Beaver offense was able to keep the chains moving as the defense had another rocky game. With Arizona up next at home, it’s now or never. The Wildcats are balanced and good, and Cal needs to establish itself high in the Pac 10 pecking order with a win before closing out the regular season on the road for two games. 

Oct. 31
California 23 … at Arizona State 21
Cal PK Giorgio Tavecchio nailed a 24-yard field goals with 21 seconds to play to come back to beat ASU. In an ugly game, the two teams combined for 23 penalties and five turnovers, but the Cal passing game worked with Kevin Riley throwing for 351 yards with first quarter touchdown passes from 11 yards out to Jahvid Best and 12 yards away to Marvin Jones. But that was it for Cal getting in the end zone with Tavacchio hitting three field goals. ASU tied it in the second quarter with a three-yard Jovon Williams touchdown catch from Samson Szakacsy on a trick play and a 80-yard Kyle Williams touchdown catch from Danny Williams, but only managed a six-yard Cameron Marshall touchdown run the rest of the way.
Player of the Game: California QB Kevin Riley completed 27-of-44 passes for 351 yards and two touchdowns.
Arizona State: Passing: Danny Sullivan, 16-29, 244 yds, 1 TD, 2 INT
Rushing: Cameron Marshall, 16-71, 1 TD, Receiving: Chris McGaha, 4-76
California: Passing: Kevin Riley, 27-44, 351 yds, 2 TD
Rushing: Jahvid Best, 18-63, Receiving: Jahvid Best, 7-61, 1 TD
What It All Means: Cal might have been shaky and it might have committed too many penalties and made too many mistakes, but after the ugly two-game losing streak a few weeks ago, now the momentum has shifted. With the win, the Bears are on a three-game winning streak with two home games against Oregon State and Arizona coming up. At the moment, Cal looks like the Pac 10’s No. 3 team which might mean a Holiday Bowl spot this year if everything breaks right. The defense had a relatively nice day, considering the Cal secondary has been abysmal, with Mike Mohamed making 12 tackles with 11 solo. 

Oct. 24
at California 49 … Washington State 17
Cal got out to a 35-3 lead in the first 19 minutes of the game with Jahvid Best taking a pass 27 yards for a score and running for a 61-yard score, and with Jeremy Ross taking a punt 76 yards for a touchdown. Washington State came back late in the first half with two Jeff Tuel touchdown passes including a 68-yarder to Johnny Forzani, but Cal owned the second half with short touchdown runs from Best and Shane Vereen and the defense keeping the Cougars off the board. The two teams combined for 20 penalties with Wazzu getting nailed 13 times.
Player of the Game: California RB Jahvid Best ran 13 times for 159 yards and two touchdowns, and caught a pass for a 27-yard score.
Washington State: Passing: Jeff Tuel, 28-42, 354 yds, 2 TD
Rushing: Carl Winston, 8-51, Receiving: Jeffrey Solomon, 7-81
California: Passing: Kevin Riley, 12-18, 229 yds, 3 TD, 1 INT
Rushing: Jahvid Best, 13-159, 2 TD, Receiving: Marvin Jones, 3-48, 1 TD 
What It All Means: It was only a win over Washington State, but the Bear offense was humming again. The defense isn’t going to get any better, so Cal has to outgun and outscore everyone. With Jahvid Best hitting home run after home run, and with Kevin Riley coming off a strong performance, the Bears are ready to deal with Arizona State and its solid defense. However, to have any prayer down the road against Arizona and Jake Locker and Washington, there has to be more from a secondary that’s getting a ton of help by a devastating pass rush.

Oct. 17
California 45 … at UCLA 26
In a wild game with several home runs, Cal came up with more of them as Shane Vereen started off the scoring with a 42-yard touchdown run and a 43-yard scoring play from Marvin Jones. But it was Jahvid Best who stole the show taking a pass 51 yards for a score in the second quarter and adding a 93-yard touchdown run. Jones added a 24-yard touchdown catch to help Cal to a 35-20 halftime lead, and the defense did the rest holding UCLA to three field goals after a Johnathan Franklin 74-yard touchdown run, and with Mychal Kendricks taking an interception 68 yards for a game-sealing score.
Player of the Game: California RB Jahvid Best ran 18 times for 102 yards and a score and caught two passes for 51 yards and a touchdown.
UCLA: Passing: Kevin Prince, 21-41, 311 yds
Rushing: Johnathan Franklin, 11-101, 2 TD, Receiving: Logan Paulsen, 5-96
California: Passing: Kevin Riley, 14-23, 205 yds, 3 TD
Rushing: Shane Vereen, 17-154, 1 TD, Receiving: Marvin Jones, 4-89, 2 TD 
What It All Means: With two weeks off after the ugly losses to Oregon and USC, Cal became Cal again with Jahvid Best tearing off big plays, Shane Vereen coming up with several big dashes, and Kevin Riley effectively moving the offense. However, the Cal defense was back to being the Cal defense. UCLA isn’t getting any offense on anyone, but it was able to move the ball without much of a problem. Giving up 448 yards and several big plays to a horrible Bruin attack is a big concern with some decent offenses still to face. The stats are going to look a whole bunch better after next week’s exercise against Washington State.

Oct. 3
USC 30 … at California 3
USC dominated on defense, holding cal to 285 yards and a meaningless late 29-yard field goal, while the offense led the way to three Jordan Congdon field goals and got a 38-yard touchdown run and a four-yard scoring dash from Joe McKnight. Damian Williams caught 101 yards of passes and returned a punt 66 yards for a second quarter touchdown on the way to a 23-0 lead. Taylor Mays led the USC defense with ten tackles.
Player of the Game: USC RB Joe McKnight ran 20 times for 119 yards and two touchdowns, and he caught three passes for 12 yards
California: Passing: Kevin Riley, 15-40, 199 yds, 1 INT
Rushing: Jahvid Best, 14-47, Receiving: Anthony Miller, 4-70
USC: Passing: Matt Barkley, 20-35, 283 yds, 1 INT
Rushing: Joe McKnight, 20-119, 2 TD, Receiving: Damian Williams, 8-101 
What It All Means: Six points in two games. Cal isn’t better than USC, and it ran into a buzzsaw against Oregon, but that’s no excuse for the offense to produce a mere two field goals in the last two games. Part of the problem was the inability of the defense to come up with a stop to get off the field as USC held on to the ball for almost 20 minutes in the second half. But the game was mostly about the ineptitude of the offense with the line being unable to keep Kevin Riley clean while not getting Jahvid Best any room to move. The Bears get two weeks off to lick their wounds, and if they can’t get past UCLA and Washington State in the next two games, it’ll be time to back up the truck.

Sept. 26
at Oregon 42 … California 3
Oregon got down 3-0 on a 47-yard Vince D’’Amato field goal, and then the dismantling began. Jeremiah Masoli connected with tight end Ed Dickson on touchdown passes from 26, nine, and 36 yards away and LaMichael James and Remene Alston each ran for short scores as the Ducks ripped off 42 unanswered points and finished with 524 yards of total offense. Cal was held to 207 yards with just 77 on the ground.
Player of the Game: Oregon QB Jeremiah Masoli completed 21-of-25 passes for 253 yards and three touchdowns, and he ran for 21 yards.
California: Passing: Kevin Riley, 12-31, 123 yds
Rushing: Jahvid Best, 16-55, Receiving: Verran Tucker, 3-71
Oregon: Passing: Jeremiah Masoli, 21-25, 253 yds, 3 TD
Rushing: LaMichael James, 21-118, 1 TD, Receiving: Ed Dickson, 11-148, 3 TD
What It All Means: Yeeeesh. California didn’t have an answer for Jeremiah Masoli as there was no pass rush to bother the Duck quarterback and little help from a defensive back seven that allowed catch after catch. The offense didn’t exactly help the cause with no pass protection for the quarterbacks, allowing five sacks, and providing little room for Jahvid Best. The team appeared completely confused and bewildered, but there’s a chance to quickly make amends. Beat USC, and this will quickly be forgotten. 

Sept. 19
California 35 … at Minnesota 21
Jahvid Best ran for a school-record five touchdowns scoring from 33, two, 27, two and two yards out, with the last two putting the game away after Minnesota tied it at 21 with a seven-yard scoring pass from WR Eric Decker to QB MarQueis Gray. Decker also caught a 26-yard touchdown pass from Adam Weber. The Gophers had their chances late, but a Weber interception ruined the chances.
Player of the Game: California RB Jahvid Best ran 26 times for 131 yards and five touchdowns. He also caught three passes for 17 yards.
Minnesota: Passing: Adam Weber, 21-32, 226 yds, 2 TD, 3 INT
Rushing: DeLeon Eskridge, 7-21, Receiving: Eric Decker, 8-119, 2 TD
California: Passing: Kevin Riley, 16-25, 252 yds
Rushing: Jahvid Best, 26-131, 5 TD, Receiving: Verran Tucker, 3-78
What It All Means: All the talk will about whether or not Jahvid Best belongs in the Heisman chase after his five touchdowns against the Gophers, and while it was a great performance and he’ll be on the national radar, the key is the play of the team as a whole. The defense stepped up in the fourth quarter to keep Adam Weber and the Minnesota passing game under wraps, and the Gophers never got the ground game going. Cal QB Kevin Riley didn’t make any big mistakes in a hostile environment, and he did what he’s best at … handing off to Best.

Sept. 12
at California 59 ... Eastern Washington 7
Tied 7-7 after the first quarter, Cal scored 52 unanswered points with Jahvid Best running for a one-yard score and taking a pass 22 yards for a touchdown, and Shane Vereen running for three short scores. Hounded all day long by the Cal defensive front, EWU managed 14 yards rushing.
Player of the Game: California RB Jahvid Best ran 17 times for 144 yards and a touchdown, and he caught two passes for 19 yards and a score
Eastern Washington: Passing: Matt Nichols, 23-31, 195 yds, 1 TD
Rushing: Darriell Beaumonte, 9-21, Receiving: Nathan Overbay, 7-62
California: Passing: Kevin Riley, 13-20, 148 yds, 1 TD
Rushing: Jahvid Best, 17-144, 1 TD, Receiving: Anthony Miller, 3-48
What It All Means: Cal hasn't exactly gone through the motions, but it was able to blast Maryland and sleepwalk through a light scrimmage against Eastern Washington to start the season red-hot. Now the team needs to prove it can take its show on the road with a date at Minnesota before a huge Pac 10 date at Oregon. Jahvid Best, who hasn't seen much work, should be fully rested, while others have picked up the slack with the rushing game outgaining EWU 342 yards to 14.

Sept. 5
at California 52 ... Maryland 13
California's offense was in high gear ripping off 542 yards starting off with a scintillating 73-yard touchdown dash from Jahvid Best, who then added a two-yard scoring run to spark the route. Maryland managed two early field goals, but a 31-point scoring run, with three of Kevin Riley's four touchdown passes, highlighted by a 39-yarder to Nyan Boateng and a 42-yard play to Marvin Jones, put the game well out of reach. Maryland finally got in the end zone in the fourth quarter with a 39-yard DaRel Scott touchdown run.
Player of the Game: California RB Jahvid Best ran ten times for 137 yards and two touchdowns.
California: Passing: Kevin Riley, 17-26, 298 yds, 4 TD
Rushing: Jahvid Best, 10-137, 2 TD, Receiving: Marvin Jones, 3-74, 1 TD
Maryland: Passing: Chris Turner, 17-30, 167 yds
Rushing: DaRel Scott, 13-90, 1 TD, Receiving: Adrian Cannon, 5-30
What It All Means: There was no excuse about a time change problem this time around, like many Bears groused about last year in the loss at Maryland. Jahvid Best only ran ten times, but he made his mark averaging 13.7 yards per carry. Kevin Riley was almost perfect keeping the chains moving while making the Terps pay for paying attention to Best and the running event. This was the exact type of win the team wanted to make a statement to the rest of the Pac 10, and with Oregon not looking to be so formidable, if the Bears play like they did this week there's an honest shot at being 4-0 before hosting USC.