Cal Tops Miami in Emerald Bowl
Gotta love the Bears!
Zack Follett forced a fumble by Jacory Harris deep in Miami territory with 3:28 left, and Anthony Miller scored the go-ahead touchdown on his first career catch moments later in California’s 24-17 victory in the Emerald Bowl.
From the Associated Press:
Jahvid Best rushed for a bowl-record 186 yards and two touchdowns, yet the Golden Bears (9-4) still needed a big defensive play and an unlikely hero to hold off the Hurricanes (7-6) in front of a Bay Area crowd teeming with screaming Cal fans.
Harris played well in the freshman’s second career start, going 25-of-41 for 194 yards and two TDs while subbing for the suspended Robert Marve. Harris had won 31 straight starts dating back to his high school career in South Florida, but his fumble cost the Hurricanes in their first bowl game under coach Randy Shannon.
Nate Longshore shook off a dismal 10-for-21 performance in his final college game with that sharp scoring pass to Miller for Cal. The Golden Bears won for the fifth time in a school-record six consecutive bowl appearances under coach Jeff Tedford.
Laron Byrd and Thearon Collier caught Harris’ scoring passes for Miami, which tied it on Matt Bosher’s 22-yard field goal with 9:13 to play.
After Cal’s Giorgio Tavecchio missed a 34-yard field goal with 4:24 left, Follett knocked the ball away from Harris while dropping the quarterback from behind on third down. Cameron Jordan recovered and returned it to the Miami 2, where Longshore connected with Miller, a freshman who hardly played this season.
Tedford chose Longshore, the oft-booed senior, to start his final college game instead of Kevin Riley, the Bears’ starter for most of this year and the hero of last season’s comeback victory in the Armed Forces Bowl. If Riley is injured, the Bears didn’t acknowledge it — and Longshore struggled all the way until his final throw.
Tags: Anthony Miller, Bowl Game, Cal, Cal Bears, College Football, Emerald Bowl, Hurricanes, Jacory Harris, Jahvid Best, Jeff Tedford, Laron Byrd, Miami, Miami Hurricanes, Nate Longshore, Randy Shannon, Thearon Collier, Zack Follett
You can comment below, or link to this permanent URL from your own site.
December 30, 2008 at 2:48 am
[...] Cal Tops Miami in Emerald Bowl at Kreuzer’s Korner [...]