California vs Nevada

[donovan]

End of 3rd quarter and Nevada up 38 to 24. Regardless of outcome, California has some real issues...like said so many times already, they tackle like the do not want to get their white uniforms dirty. Nevada is tenacious and that may make the WAC more interesting...still irrelevant, so don't worry...that some have thought.

[donovan]

Well..big win for Nevada. Their defense was not great, Cal's was terrible. I think the PAC 10 is wide open this year. The WAC will be entertaining...do not think any team will go undefeated. Not very good basic football tonight. Balls just thrown all over the air. Cal's coaching did not seem to be in the game that much. Lot of bad Cal decisions on the field and from the sideline.

[Dossenator]

I wanted to see this game but had work that had to get done....well, that is work that had to get done so I could watch college football all day Saturday. I think several teams have a shot at the Pac-10 title this year: Oregon, Stanford, Arizona...maybe someone else. Should be fun.

[Cane from the Bend]

Allen...Allen...Allen...

For three quarters this was a common insert by the commentators... about the explosive youngster, Keenan Allen.

You would have thought he was just having a phenomenal game, however, it turns out that it simply wasn't.

At the eleven minute mark left in the 4th quarter; Keenan Allen caught his first reception, and then commentator, Mark Neely, said:

"The first catch For Allen. We've been waiting to showcase the impressive freshman Keenan Allen."

He caught an 8 yard pass...
It would be his only catch of the game; as the next pass to him was a 20 yard drop for an incompletion.

<>

Why all the hubbub about Allen, when the bigger story was the manhandling California was receiving by the full throttle Wolf Pack of Nevada...

Here's a few stats:

Coming into tonight's game; Cal had the #1 rated defense, allowing just 159 yards per game, 1 touchdown scored against them, averaging 5 points yielded per game... last week, had 6 sacks, 5 recovered turnovers, 2 of which were returned for touchdowns . . . Cal, as a team, had scored an average of 52 points per game.

Tonight, California gave up 52 points, 5 touchdown passes, 499 yards . . . threw 3 crucial interceptions, 1 of which was returned 82 yards for a touchdown, was held to 31 points.

<>

Nevada looked very impressive in this game.

I will be looking forward to watching their next game, @ BYU.

Much congratulations to them, they deserve it...

Although, donovan is right, in that their defense needs work. They outran California tonight, yet, planning on getting into a track-meet event with every team is going to get you into trouble, especially once you're in conference play, where the defenses are more tuned to your game style.

And I have a feeling, that a running match versus Boise State, or Fresno State, could easily be turned into a marathon of offense.

That being said...

<>

I would like to take this opportunity, to give a little praise to a worthy player, who only got a brief mention of his name by one of the commentators.

#4 Brandon Wimberly, for Nevada.

Two important plays made by this athlete should not go unrecognized.

On a 28 yard reception, by Rishard Matthews, down to the California 4, two Bears defenders were able to strip the ball free from Matthews' hands, causing him to fumble the ball, which the rolled onto the goal line, where Rishard scrapped his way forward, putting his hand securely onto the football, before tucking it into his body... after a replay, the call of a Touchdown was made.

Many accolades showered down from the announcers booth, "What a heads up play","What determination","What awareness"... yes this is all true.

What seemingly went unnoticed is Brandon Wimberly, who, in the endzone, made a spectacular diving block; one that separated two of California's defensive backs from a position to recover the loose ball. One defender, he cut off from turning toward the ball, the other was knocked backwards, pushing him away from the ball.

One dive, one block, two defenders unable to recover said fumble... Touchdown Nevada!

Matthews gets all the Love...

.

The other play I thought significant enough to mention, is the onside kick Cal attempted @ the 6:20 mark left in the 4th quarter.

The commentator did say, "Wimberly, who has the best hands of any wide receiver on the Wolf Pack offense, made the recovery."

What makes this play so important, is Cal had a sparked, moved the ball very efficiently, scoring in just about 1 minute , bringing the score within two possessions ... not using either one of their two remaining timeouts.

Also, the ball was touched by another Nevada player, who had it knocked out of his hands, then, Wimberly hopped up, between 4 of the Bears recovery team players, pulling down the football, then running out of bounds @ the Cal 41.

If Cal would have recovered that kick... they would have had new life, the momentum, and likely enough time to get a stop on the Pack, had the Bears put another drive together as quickly as that previous one.

Instead, Nevada was able to break a huge run, for a touchdown, on that drive; extending their lead to 21 points.

<>

Sometimes, a good performance by an incredible player goes unmentioned...

I didn't want to let that happen, so, I took notice; and shared it with all of you.

Anybody else want to chime in here, and bring attention to a performance, by an obscure name, that will likely not be highlighted by the media @ large.?.

.

.

.

[..fanatic]

Allen...Allen...Allen...

For three quarters this was a common insert by the commentators...
.

Didn't see the need to repeat your entire post - just wanted to reference it.

Insightful commentary, Cane. I watched the game casually so I didn't really think about the plays in the manner you pointed out. The announcing crew was horrendous so I simply turned the sound off for much of it. I know this has been raised before, but why do these clowns spend so much time discussing everything but the game they are televising.

BTW, am I the only one who thinks the refs blew a call early in the game when a Nevada player fumbled the ball through the end zone. Should've been a touchback and Cal's ball at the 20 but they didn't even review it.

Back to the announcers - when I was still listening to them, one guy credited a block by the center as such a huge deal on a TD run by Nevada. The guy didn't even have anyone to block as the other linemen cleared the path. Literally, he never blocked a soul (didn't have to). When the replay showed the announcer was hallucinating, he compounded his mistake by saying something stupid like, "see what I mean". Pathetic.

[Grayghost]

Unfortunately...or perhaps fortunately, I did not get to see this game, because as someone above posted, I had work to do. The only thing I got to see was the 3rd qtr score as I went to bed.

I was going to start a thread, if no one else had, entitled, "Hello Cal...Welcome to the WAC" in counterbalance to my thread about cal last week.

This game does not suprise me. Cal has a game like this every year it seems. Usually it comes against someone they should beat...on the road. Although I did not give Cal the gimme on this on because I know how tough it is to play in Reno, and Nevada has an explosive offense. I thought Cal's defense might be suspect, despite last weeks game. I chalk that up more to Colorado's offensive ineptitude than Cal's stellar defense.

A great win for Nevada and the WAC.

Back to the drawing board for Tedford and Co.

[Eric]

Unfortunately...or perhaps fortunately, I did not get to see this game, because as someone above posted, I had work to do. The only thing I got to see was the 3rd qtr score as I went to bed.

I was going to start a thread, if no one else had, entitled, "Hello Cal...Welcome to the WAC" in counterbalance to my thread about cal last week.

This game does not suprise me. Cal has a game like this every year it seems. Usually it comes against someone they should beat...on the road. Although I did not give Cal the gimme on this on because I know how tough it is to play in Reno, and Nevada has an explosive offense. I thought Cal's defense might be suspect, despite last weeks game. I chalk that up more to Colorado's offensive ineptitude than Cal's stellar defense.

A great win for Nevada and the WAC.

Back to the drawing board for Tedford and Co.

It was a tough loss to handle. If Nevada is going to compete at a higher level, they have to tackle better. They have consistently had the worst tackling I have seen for at least the last four seasons. Their secondary is also terrible. It helped to get this game at home, but games on the road will be tougher for them. I think BYU is their first road test of the season, so if I had to guess today I would assume they will lose that matchup. But BYU's defense looks pretty unathletic in my opinion, so there may be a matchup issue. Good news for Nevada is that they get Boise State at home....

[WoVeU]

Nevada's defense is like watching Three's Company! Just inept to the point of looking apathetic every time I have seen them play! It is hard to watch, as I already have rather low regard for the state of humanity!