Thursday, September 22, 2005

Real Football 365: California unlikely to draw a large TV audience

By Darrell Laurant

All the people who fretted that Friday night college football programming on ESPN would cut into the attendance at high school football games probably won't have to worry this week. The University of California Golden Bears are 3-0, 13th-ranked nationally, and highly ranked in both rushing offense and scoring defense. New Mexico State, Friday night's ESPN host (8 p.m. EDT), is 0-3 and lost badly to in-state rival New Mexico last week. This game wouldn't even make a good reality show. Even worse, as far as the Aggies are concerned, Cal RB Marshawn Lynch is expected back in the lineup after breaking his hand two weeks ago against Washington. In his absence, backups Marcus O'Keith and Justin Forsett each rushed for over 100 yards, leaving the Bears -- supposedly pass-happy under Jeff Tedford -- 11th nationally in rushing offense. This has enabled Joseph Ayoob, the QB successor to Green Bay draftee Aaron Rodgers, to ease in gradually.

Cal is also second in the Pac-10 in scoring defense. This does not bode well for a New Mexico State team that averages 27 yards on the ground and features a quarterback (Royal Gill) with more interceptions (5) than touchdown passes (3). LB Desmond Bishop leads a Cal defense that has probably been licking its lips all week. Anybody seen the remote?

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