The 2006 California Golden Bears football team represented the University of California, Berkeley, in the 2006 NCAA Division I FBS football season. They played their home games at California Memorial Stadium in Berkeley, California, and were coached by Jeff Tedford.
The Bears began the season with a number 12 ranking. After sustaining an upset by then number 23-ranked Tennessee in their opening game, the Bears won their next eight games before suffering another upset to unranked Arizona followed by a subsequent loss to then number 4 USC. All of these defeats came in away games. The Bears qualified for a share of the Pac-10 title after USC was upset by rival UCLA the following week. The team made its second Holiday Bowl in three years, blowing out #21 Texas A&M and finishing the season ranked #14.
Preseason After Jeff Tedford took the Cal football coaching job after their 1–10 2001 campaign, Cal saw an immense improvement in its football program, having five straight winning seasons from 2002 to 2006.
This particular Bears team, with talent returning from their previous season, generated quantified preseason hype amongst NCCA fans, with the preseason AP Poll ranking the Bears 9th overall, while the Coaches Poll rated them 12th overall,2013 NCAA College Football Polls and Rankings for Week 1 – ESPN, retrieved November 3, 2006 resulting in their highest ranking since 1952., retrieved November 3, 2006 After a season-ending injury in the first game of the 2005 season,, retrieved November 3, 2006 sophomore Nate Longshore was named the starting quarterback for the Bears over Joe Ayoob, who had struggled in the 2005 games in which he had started. After a very impressive season, Cal also launched a program to officially campaign for running back Marshawn Lynch to win the Heisman Trophy.Marshawn Lynch, retrieved November 3, 2006
In the College GameDay preview on ESPN, Lee Corso predicted the Bears to win the Pac-10 championship over the USC Trojans, and even went as far to say the Bears would win the national championship over West Virginia, saying "they play a tough schedule, but they could lose to Tennessee and still run 11 straight ball games. I like Cal...I'm telling you, it's Cal versus West Virginia, and then Cal wins it; the national title goes to Cal."
Schedule
Rankings
Game summaries Tennessee
Cal's opener was on the road against the #23 Tennessee Volunteers, a SEC team just coming off of a disappointing 5–6 season under coach Phillip Fulmer. With a hostile crowd of 106,009 watching at Neyland Stadium, Cal was torn to shreds. Tennessee quarterback Erik Ainge went 11 for 18 and passed for 291 yards and 4 touchdowns against the highly touted Cal defense. Vol receiver, Robert Meachem had a breakout game with 5 catches for 182 yards and 2 TD's. Newly appointed starting quarterback Nate Longshore struggled in his first road start, only passing for 85 yards. Heisman candidate Marshawn Lynch was held to 74 yards on 12 carries. While the Bears held Tennessee to 14 first-half points, a quick 80-yard touchdown pass from Ainge to Meachem at the start of the third quarter quickly started a tumble that ended up giving the Volunteers a 35–0 lead by the middle of the third quarter. The Tennessee secondary was then dispatched to finish the Bears off, and Joe Ayoob was substituted for Longshore, putting up 187 yards, including a touchdown. Tennessee racked up 514 yards against the Bears. Ainge later said "This game tonight wasn't just for Tennessee versus California. It was for the South versus the West Coast, the SEC versus the Pac-10."California Golden Bears vs. Tennessee Volunteers – Recap – September 02, 2006 – ESPN, retrieved on November 3, 2006
Because the loss was so lopsided, and because Cal was expected to do highly well this season, many immediately dismissed Cal from any type of national discussion. Cal dropped 13 spots in the AP Poll to #22 and 11 spots in the Coaches Poll to #23, while Tennessee rose twelve spots in the AP poll to #11 and six spots to #17 in the Coaches Poll.
Minnesota
Cal got its first home game of the season on September 9 against the Minnesota Golden Gophers in front of a crowd of 55,035. The Gophers were 1–0 with their win against Kent State. Minnesota scored on its first drive, but the Bears bounced back with a touchdown in the first and second quarter to receivers Robert Jordan and DeSean Jackson, respectively. The Gophers' Dominic Jones responded with a 99-yard kickoff return touchdown. Eventually California pulled ahead on two touchdowns by Jackson, and led 28–17 at the half, and with two more touchdowns in the third and fourth quarter on rushes by Marshawn Lynch, the Bears put the Gophers away 42–17.
Nate Longshore bounced back in a big way from his previous start, finishing 22 for 31 with 300 yards and 4 touchdowns. He later joked about how it felt good to finally play a fourth quarter.
Lynch finished with 139 yards and 2 touchdowns on 27 carries, while backup running back Justin Forsett gathered 77 rushing yards of his own. Receivers Lavelle Hawkins and DeSean Jackson both finished with over 100 yards, with Jackson gathering three touchdowns as well. Cal got 531 yards of offense in all, compared to Minnesota's 352. Minnesota quarterback Bryan Cupito was 21 for 33 with 243 yards and 2 interceptions, both picked by Cal cornerback Daymeion Hughes.
With this loss, the Golden Gophers lost their first non-conference game in 18 tries, the longest streak in the Big Ten., retrieved on November 4, 2006
Cal rose in the polls one spot in the AP Poll to #21, and two spots in the Coaches Poll to #21, after this win.2013 NCAA College Football Polls and Rankings for Week 1 – ESPN, retrieved on November 4, 2006
Portland State
Cal played at home the next week against the Portland State Vikings, a Division I Football Championship opponent that was the last team scheduled on the Bears' 2006 schedule. The Vikings were 2–0 going into this game at California Memorial Stadium before a crowd of 61,082. Portland State scored a field goal on their opening drive, but the Bears responded with three more touchdowns before the first quarter ended, one coming from a Daymeion Hughes 30-yard interception. In the second quarter, Marshawn Lynch posted a 71-yard touchdown run, and another touchdown midway through the third quarter put the Bears put 35–3. Portland State scored two quick touchdowns before the half ended, but the half closed with Cal receiver DeSean Jackson scoring on a 27-yard pass. Cal substituted many of its roster into the game in the second half, and neither team scored in the second half, as the Bears won 42–16, bringing their record to 2–1.
Cal brought in 502 total yards, 335 being in the first half. Nate Longshore passed for 225 yards, 2 touchdowns, and 1 interception. Lynch rushed for 112 yards and a touchdown on 6 carries, and Jackson had five catches for 103 yards and a score. Backup Cal quarterback Steve Levy also played, going 7 for 10 with 66 yards. Vikings quarterback Rob Freeman was 12 for 17 with 119 yards and a touchdown.
Despite this, Cal had three turnovers and 9 penalties which put them back over 100 yards. Both Jackson and Hughes seemed confident they could play better the next week in Pac-10 play.Portland State Vikings vs. California Golden Bears – Recap – September 16, 2006 – ESPN, retrieved on November 4, 2006
With this win, Cal stayed steady in the AP Poll at #21, and rose one spot in the Coaches Poll to #20.2013 NCAA College Football Polls and Rankings for Week 1 – ESPN, retrieved on November 4, 2006
Portland State would finish the season 7–4, 6–2 in the Big Sky Conference.Portland State Football – Vikings News, Scores, Videos – College Football – ESPN, retrieved on November 11, 2006
Arizona State
On September 23, Cal played their first Pac-10 game of the season. This year, the Pac-10 football officials ruled to have twelve game schedules for its teams for the first time, and nine of those twelve games will be conference games, producing a full round-robin tournament in the conference to determine their champion., retrieved on November 4, 2006
They played against the Arizona State Sun Devils, ranked #22 in the AP Poll and #18 in the Coaches Poll. Many expected the Sun Devils to have a good chance to seriously compete for the conference title this year. They entered with a 3–0 record against non-conference opponents.
Arizona State scored on its opening drive, putting them up 7–0 early in the first quarter. But Cal answered back, putting up five straight touchdowns midway through the second quarter, four being passes by Nate Longshore and the fifth being an 80-yard punt return by DeSean Jackson. Arizona State scored again before the half, and just as the half winded down, Daymeion Hughes intercepted a pass for a score to put Cal up 42–14 when the first half was over. Both teams managed one more touchdown each in the second half to give Cal the 49–21 victory. Sun Devils coach Dirk Koetter confessed after the game, "When the pressure builds, even the routine plays become tough. This is exactly what happened to Cal at Tennessee."
Longshore passed for 270 yards and four touchdowns, while Marshawn Lynch added 124 rushing yards on 17 carries, including a receiving touchdown. Daymeion Hughes had his fifth interception in three games. Cal also controlled the ball for only slightly more than 23 minutes, compared to the Sun Devils 36 minutes, even though they easily outscored them.Arizona State Sun Devils vs. California Golden Bears – Recap – September 23, 2006 – ESPN, retrieved on November 4, 2006
After this win, Cal rose one spot in the AP Poll to number 20, and stayed steady in the Coaches Poll at number 20. Arizona State dropped from both polls after the loss.2013 NCAA College Football Polls and Rankings for Week 1 – ESPN, retrieved on November 4, 2006
The Sun Devils finished the season 7–6 (4–5 in the Pac-10), but lost the Hawaii Bowl to Hawaii and fired Koetter soon thereafter and replaced him with Dennis Erickson.Arizona State Football – Sun Devils News, Scores, Videos – College Football – ESPN, retrieved on November 11, 2006
Oregon State
In week 5, Cal headed to Corvallis, Oregon to play the Oregon State Beavers at Reser Stadium. The Beavers had a 2–1 record going into this game, and had yet to play a Pac-10 matchup this season. Last season, the Beavers played a ranked Cal squad at Memorial Stadium in Berkeley and upset them 23–20, dropping the Bears from the rankings for the first time in over a year., retrieved on November 4, 2006
In front of a rowdy crowd, the Bears dominated the Beavers, scoring four touchdowns and hitting a field goal before the Beavers were able to score a field goal as the first half ended. In the second half, the Beavers scored another field goal and a fourth-quarter touchdown, but the Bears also managed another touchdown and field goal to end the game 41–13.
Nate Longshore had a career-high day, passing for 341 yards and four touchdowns, along with one interception. Marshawn Lynch also had a rushing touchdown, along with two receiving ones. DeSean Jackson and Lavelle Hawkins also scored on receiving touchdowns. Oregon State quarterback Matt Moore had 187 passing yards before being replaced in the fourth quarter., retrieved on November 4, 2006
This win propelled the Bears four spots in the AP Poll to #16, and shot them up three spots in the Coaches Poll to #17.2013 NCAA College Football Polls and Rankings for Week 1 – ESPN, retrieved on November 4, 2006 Their record stood at 4–1, with a 2–0 Pac-10 record, while the Beavers left with a 2–2 record, 0–1 in the Pac-10.
With a looming game against the undefeated Oregon Ducks, Coach Tedford confessed that he would "immediately" begin thinking about the showdown.Walnut Creek Breaking News, Sports, Weather, Traffic – ContraCostaTimes.com, retrieved on November 4, 2006