Bears can't make plays in Duck weather
The pass was high and well out of reach -- a fitting finale to a cold, gray afternoon. Cal, unable to make big plays in the passing game, lost to nemesis Oregon 27-20 Saturday amid the din and drizzle of Autzen Stadium. The last pass, at the end of overtime, epitomized the Bears' efforts: Quarterback Joe Ayoob overthrew tight end David Gray, who was open and just a few unfettered steps from the end zone. It was just one more miscue in a day of missed opportunities.
Ayoob threw some bad balls, receivers dropped would-be catches and the offensive line had a few lapses in protection. Persistent showers and gusting winds didn't help. At the end, instead of going on to tie the game to force a second overtime, the Bears lost again at Autzen -- continuing a streak that began with a defeat here in 1989. "It's not on Joe," coach Jeff Tedford said. "It comes down to everybody." Ayoob was 10-for-26 with three interceptions -- not all of them his fault -- and was sacked three times. Tailback Marshawn Lynch rushed for 189 yards, leading a running game that despite its numbers was sporadic and slow off the mark. The Bears' defense gave up 375 yards. Tailback Terrence Whitehead ran for 119 yards, only his second 100-yard game of the year. And two Oregon quarterbacks, Dennis Dixon (of San Leandro High) and Brady Leaf (brother of Ryan), combined for 24 completions in 39 attempts for 232 yards and two touchdowns. "It's about making plays," Tedford said. "Against a Top 20 football team, in their house where it's tough enough to play, you've got to make the plays." No. 15 Oregon (8-1, 5-1 Pac-10) remains high in the conference standings and in contention for a prestigious bowl game. No. 23 Cal (6-3, 3-3) is already bowl eligible, but the pickings may grow scarce. The Bears must regroup for next Saturday's game against No. 1 USC at Memorial Stadium. Then they close the regular season with the Big Game at Stanford. Cal had a chance to win the game in regulation -- although it was a longshot. The Bears had the ball on the Oregon 37 on 4th down, with no time outs and the clock winding down. The field goal unit rushed on the field -- in what the Bears call their Mayday drill -- and Tom Schneider rushed a 53-yard attempt that was a few feet left. The ball was snapped with just one second remaining, and Schneider said he may not have had time to accurately get a line on the wind. "It was a heartbreaker," said Schneider, whose kick had enough distance to break the 20-20 tie. In overtime, Oregon scored on a four-yard touchdown pass from Leaf to James Finley. "It was a perfect throw," Cal cornerback Tim Mixon said. Then Cal got the ball at the 25. Lynch ran for two yards. Ayoob threw two incomplete passes. It came down to 4th down, with the full-house crowd of 58,309 growing deafening. Gray got open over the middle, and the ball was a good 10 feet too high. "I wish I could go back and do that one again," Ayoob said. "I just threw it over his head. I don't know what to say about it. ... "I take responsibility for the loss." Lynch bristled when told of Ayoob's comments, saying it was a team loss. "If Joe is going to put in on him, I'll put it on me," he said. The Cal passing game was so anemic that Lynch had a team-high three catches for a mere 13 yards. No one was making excuses, but the nasty Northwest weather clearly was getting to the visiting Californians. Ayoob was using a hand-warmer throughout the game, and his hands grew numb after long stretches on the field. Wide receiver DeSean Jackson, who was overthrown on an apparent go-ahead touchdown play in the fourth quarter, tipped a ball into the hands of a defender on one of the interceptions and dropped several good throws, said it was difficult to get a good grip on the ball. Plus, he said, "Our concentration wasn't there. ... We just let it slip away from us." Still, Tedford said he was proud of his players. "We're right there in all three of our (losses)," he said. "It's not an effort thing. ... It's a lesson young teams learn -- to make plays when you have the opportunities."
Not all his fault, but ...
Cal QB Joe Ayoob certainly didn't have a good game:
Com-Att: 10-26
Yards: 88
TD-INT: 0-3
-- With Cal down 10-7 and facing 3rd down from the Oregon 30-yard line in the second quarter, Ayoob took a sack that pushed the Bears out of field goal range.
-- Ayoob was sacked and fumbled in the third quarter, giving Oregon the ball at the Cal 18. The Ducks scored on the next play for a 20-10 lead.
-- Ayoob was 1-for-3 passing for -4 yards on Cal's final possession in regulation, which ended when Tom Schneider missed a 55-yard field-goal attempt.
-- Ayoob was 0-for-3 in overtime, overthrowing a wide-open David Gray on the game's final play.
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