ANG Newspapers: Bears pair shine on in sloppy win

Forsett gains 235 yards, Ayoob sharp at QB in disjointed effort

By Dave Newhouse, STAFF WRITER 

LAS CRUCES, N.M. — Joe Ayoob's emergence as a big-time quarterback was more evident Friday night, and Justin Forsett has become — pound for pound, inch by inch — one of the nation's most explosive running backs. That's the good news. The bad news is Cal gave a disjointed and disappointing effort in a 41-13 victory over New Mexico State. "It wasn't a perfect game by any means," Cal coach Jeff Tedford said in a gross understatement. "We have a lot to learn from." A national television audience looked on, as Ayoob threw the ball more sharply, and with greater variety than in his previous three games, even though the 30-point favored Golden Bears were as flat and disorganized as they've been this season.  Ayoob hardly was a one-man show, as Forsett, starting again for the injured Marshawn Lynch, had the fourth greatest day ever by a Cal running back with 235 yards, giving him 422 yards rushing in two games.   "He definitely makes things happen," Ayoob said. "He can hit the smallest crease and be 25 yards up the field."  Ayoob completed 17 of 26 passes for a career-best 284 yards. He had more zip on his throws Friday, especially on sideline routes, which coach Jeff Tedford calledwith greater frequency.  "I consider myself an accurate passer," Ayoob said. "I feel a lot more comfortable. It's (from) playing more."  Ayoob, the junior transfer from City College of San Francisco, threw for one touchdown and scored three times on runs. Freshman DeSean Jackson caught nine passes for 130 yards. Cal, ranked 13th and 14th in two polls, improved to 4-0 against the 0-4 Aggies.

However, Cal had a fundamentally unsound game, and a number of foolish decisions by the Bears gave the underdog Aggies enough inspiration to make the game much closer than was anticipated.  Tedford's pregame concerns about his team lacking cohesion and a top 10 look were proven in the New Mexico badlands. The Aggies were averaging 28.7 yards per game rushing, but Justine Buries burned the Bears with 103 yards on the ground — the first 100-yard rushing game against Cal in nine games. And Cal's special teams experienced a disastrous evening with missed field goals and a 94-yard kickoff return for a touchdown.  "We had a letdown on special teams," Tedford said. "That's not like us."  The coach is holding his breath on wide receiver Lavelle Hawkins, who had his biggest day yet at Cal — three catches for 51 yards — but was helped off the field in the second half with an ankle injury.  The game started out like a track meet and turned into a three-legged sack race. Cal scored on its first possession for the third time in four games. Ayoob connected on a 54-yard swing pass to fullback Chris Manderino at the Aggies' 13. Tough running by Forsett completed the drive, the watch-charm sophomore scoring from a yard out. Tom Schneider's PAT kick was blocked by Courtney Bryan — a bad omen.  The crowd at Aggie Memorial Stadium was small, 11,312, but rowdy. Some local fans were admonished over the public address system for throwing things at the Cal players.  New Mexico State scored on its first possession for the first time this season, Coner Foley kicking a 28-yard field goal. Wasting no time, Cal went 80 yards in two plays, a 39-yard run by Forsett and Ayoob's 41-yard touchdown pass to Jackson upped the Bears' lead to 13-3.

But an excessive celebration penalty against Jackson and Robert Jordan after the touchdown forced Cal to kick off from its 20. David Lonie boomed one to the 6, and Chris Williams, after two handoffs, brought it back 94 yards, eluding the last tackler in Lonie.  It was the first kickoff return for a touchdown against Cal since 1995, and New Mexico State's first kickoff runback for a score since 2001. The Bears led 13-10, with 23 combined points having been scored in fewer than six minutes. The next two series produced no scoring before Cal marched 73 yards, highlighted by Forsett's 35-yard run to the 2. Ayoob sneaked the final yard, and Cal increased its lead to 20-10.  "I definitely can't give enough credit to the offensive line and the receivers who are blocking for me," Forsett said. "I'm a little sore. I'll sit in some ice, and I'll be all right."  The game slowed in the second quarter, as the Aggies' Foley missed two field goals. And Cal hurt itself twice more foolishly — Lavelle Hawkins gave up a first-down pass by circling backward, and linebacker Anthony Felder kept an Aggies' drive alive with a late hit