2007 Armed Forces Bowl History & More

Bell Helicopter Armed Forces Bowl Profiles, History, Best Bowl Moments & More

California (6-6) vs. Air Force (9-3)

Dec. 31, 12:30 p.m. ET, ESPN

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- 2007 CFN Armed Forces Bowl Preview

Scroll Down For Each Team's Bowl History

By Richard Cirminiello

Armed Forces Bowl History formerly the Fort Worth Bowl
2006	Utah 25, Tulsa 13
2005	Kansas 42, Houston 13
2004	Cincinnati 32, Marshall 14
2003	Boise State 34, TCU 31

Best Bear Bowl Moment: You’ve got to venture all the way back to 1938 and the days of Vic Bottari to find a truly meaningful Cal bowl victory.  The “Thunder Team”, as they were dubbed, shut out Alabama 13-0 in the Rose Bowl, en route to the Bears’ second and last national championship.  Cal finished its season in Pasadena eight times from 1921-1959, but hasn’t been back since.

Best Falcon Bowl Moment: One of the most decisive postseason wins in Air Force history came in the 1998 Oahu Bowl, a 45-25 demolition of the Pac-10’s Washington.  The Falcons were uncommonly balanced in the lopsided victory, generating 232 yards on the ground and 267 yards through the air from game MVP, QB Blane Morgan.   

Tulsa's best win ... Tulsa 20 ... Southern Miss 6
Cauvey Jackson tore off a 59-yard scoring run early in the first quarter for all the points Tulsa would need thanks to a brilliant performance from the defense. Southern Miss gained 243 yards and turned it over twice while only managing two second-quarter Darren McCaleb field goals. Tulsa was able to put it away for good in the fourth quarter on a seven-yard Paul Smith touchdown run and a two-yard Courtney Tennial dash. Linebackers Nelson Coleman and Nick Bunting combined for 27 tackles for the Golden Hurricane.

Tulsa's worst loss ... SMU 34 ... Tulsa 24
Justin Willis threw two touchdown passes and ran for a six-yard score as SMU overcame a 24-7 halftime deficit to score 27 unanswered points pulling away on a 14-yard Blake Warren touchdown run with just over five minutes to play. Tulsa got up early helped by short touchdown runs from Courtney Tennial and Paul Smith along with a 12-yard Idris Moss touchdown catch, but the offense couldn't keep drives going in the second half as SMU held on to the ball for almost 18 minutes. Moss finished with 13 catches for the Golden Hurricane

Utah's best win ... Utah 20 ... TCU 7
Utah got two touchdown passes from Brett Ratliff to Brett Casteel and the defense forced three turnovers in the fourth quarter to go 2-0 in Mountain West play. TCU got a one-yard Lonta Hobbs touchdown run in the second quarter, but failed to connect on a few chances in the second half and got many of its 310 yards on a garbage time final drive. Louie Sakoda hit field goals from 29 and 32 yards out for the Utes.

Utah's worst loss ... Wyoming 31 ... Utah 15
Wyoming got out to a 31-0 lead helped by a 24-yard touchdown catch from Michael Ford and a four-yard run from Karsten Sween. The defense got into the act in the second half with Julius Stinson returning an interception 42 yards for a touchdown. Utah finally got on the board with a 35-yard Eric Weddle fumble return for a score, but the offense didn't get in the end zone until just over four minutes to play on a three-yard Derrek Richards touchdown catch.

2006 Bell Helicopter Armed Forces Bowl
Utah 25 ... Tulsa 13
Utah outgained Tulsa 405 yards to 254 and had no problems moving the ball, but it finished off several drives with field goals. Fortunately for the Utes, Louie Sakoda hit all four of his attempts connecting from 45, 39, 41, and 34 yards, to go along with a ten-yard touchdown pass to Brent Casteel for a 19-7 lead going into the fourth quarter. Tulsa's offense never got on track only managing a one-yard Paul Smith touchdown run capitalizing on a Bobby Blackshire interception of Brett Ratliff. Tulsa appeared to be back in it only down six, but Eric Weddle took over moving over from the defensive side to run Utah's offense, literally, with a key late drive running seven times with a four-yard touchdown dash sealing the win.
Player of the game ... Utah's Eric Weddle ran ten times for 56 yards and a touchdown, made six tackles, recovered a fumble was in on half a sack and picked off a pass
Stat Leaders: Utah - Passing: Brett Ratliff, 23-34, 240 yds, 1 TD, 1 INT
Rushing: Brent Casteel, 7-66  Receiving: Brian Hernandez, 8-55
Tulsa - Passing: Paul Smith, 0-27, 158 yds, 1 INT
Rushing: Courtney Tennial, 6-53  Receiving: Tarrion Adams, 9-63

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California Bowl History (9-8)

2006	Holiday	California 45, Texas A&M 10
2005	Las Vegas	California 35, BYU 28
2004	Holiday	Texas Tech 45, California 31
2003	Insight	Cal, 52, Virginia Tech 49
1996	Aloha	Navy 42, California 38
1993	Alamo	California 37, Iowa 3
1992	Citrus	California 37, Clemson 13
1990	Copper	California 17, Wyoming 15
1979	Garden St	Temple 28, California 17
1959	Rose	Iowa 38, California 12
1951	Rose	Michigan 14, California 6
1950	Rose	Ohio State 17, California 14
1949	Rose	Northwestern 20, California 14
1938	Rose	California 13, Alabama 0
1929	Rose	Georgia Tech 8, California 7
1922	Rose	California 0, Wash & Jeff 0 (tie)
1921	Rose	California 28, Ohio St 0
2004	Motor City	Connecticut, 39, Toledo 10
2002	Motor City	Boston Coll 51, Toledo 23
2001	Motor City	Toledo 23, Cincinnati 16
1995	Las Vegas	Toledo 40, Nevada 37
1984	California	UNLV 30, Toledo 13
1981	California	Toledo 27, San Jose St 25
1971	Tangerine	Toledo 28, Richmond 3
1970	Tangerine	Toledo 40, Will. & Mary 12
1969	Tangerine	Toledo 56, Davidson 33
2004	N. Orleans	So Miss, 31, North Texas 10
2003	Liberty	Utah 17, So Miss 0
2002	Houston	Oklahoma St. 33, So Miss 23
2000	GMAC	Southern Miss 28, TCU 21
1999	Liberty	So Miss 23, Colorado St 17
1998	Human.	Idaho 42, Southern Miss 35
1997	Liberty	So Miss 41, Pittsburgh 7
1990	All-Amer.	Nor Carolina 31, So Miss 27
1988	Indep.	Southern Miss 38, UTEP 18
1981	Tangerine	Missouri 19, So Miss 17
1980	Indep.	So Miss 16, McNeese St 14
1958	Tangerine	East Texas St 10, So Miss 9
1957	Tangerine	West Texas St 20, So Miss 13
1954	Sun	UTEP 37, Southern Miss 14
1953	Sun	Pacific 26, Southern Miss

Air Force Bowl History (8-8-1)

2002	San Fran.	Virginia Tech 20, Air Force 13
2000	Silicon Valley	Air Force 37, Fresno State 34
1998	Oahu	Air Force 45, Washington 25
1997	Las Vegas	Oregon 41, Air Force 13
1995	Copper	Texas Tech 55, Air Force 41
1992	Liberty	Mississippi 13, Air Force 0
1991	Liberty	Air Force 38, Mississippi St. 15
1990	Liberty	Air Force 23, Ohio St. 11
1989	Liberty	Mississippi 42, Air Force 29
1987	Freedom	Arizona St. 33, Air Force 28
1985	Bluebonnet	Air Force 24, Texas 16
1984	Indep.	Air Force 23, Virginia Tech 7
1983	Indep.	Air Force 9, Mississippi 3
1982	Hall of Fame	Air Force 36, Vanderbilt 28
1971	Sugar	Tennessee 34, Air Force 13
1963	Gator	North Carolina 35, Air Force 0
1959	Cotton	Air Force 0, TCU 0

- 2007 CFN Armed Forces Bowl Preview