Cal will have one more chance to put a happy ending on its horror film of a season, getting a berth to play Air Force in the Armed Forces Bowl on Dec. 31 in Fort Worth, Texas. "You know how, in a scary movie, you start out with like 10 people in a house?" senior cornerback Brandon Hampton said last week. "One guy branches off, doing his own thing, and dies. One guy gets caught behind and dies. It keeps going and keeps getting worse until there's like three people left.
"That's been our season. I get sick when I think about it. Hopefully, I won't be scared by this for the rest of my life." Despite falling from the pinnacle of the college football world to the Pac-10's sixth-place bowl tie-in, a victory in Fort Worth would secure a sixth consecutive winning season for the first time in half a century and could go a long way toward setting the tone for next year. Cal had its season-ending banquet Sunday, so the players and coaches were not available for comment, but coach Jeff Tedford and athletic director Sandy Barbour released statements in an e-mail. "I've heard great things about the bowl, and we have always had a lot of respect for Air Force," Tedford said. "This should be a great experience for our players and our fans."
After Arizona lost to Arizona State on Saturday, Cal knew it secured a bowl berth, but whether it would land in San Francisco's Emerald Bowl or in Fort Worth was sketchy. When the Fiesta Bowl snubbed hometown Arizona State, the Bears were slotted in the conference's final bowl game. "We're very excited to be playing in our fifth bowl in a row," Barbour said. "Texas and the Armed Forces Bowl (representatives) are known for their hospitality, and we're looking forward to a great experience." This will be Cal's first trip to Texas since 1997, when it beat Houston 35-3. The Bears dominated Texas A&M 45-10 in last season's Holiday Bowl. "I've been in this business a long time, and I can tell those who plan to attend this year's (game) are in for a treat ... because these two teams are fun to watch," bowl executive director Tom Starr said. Air Force (9-3) accepted an invitation last week. Cal (6-6) has lost six of seven after moving to No. 2 in the nation after Week 6.
Armed Forces Bowl
Who: Cal (6-6) vs. Air Force (9-3)
Where: Fort Worth, Texas
When: 9:30 a.m. Dec. 31
Note from blog editor: Why am I having flashbacks of the Aloha Bowl against Navy?
1 comment:
"because these two teams are fun to watch"
Hm. Materially misrepresent much?
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