Daily Cal: Defense Plays Pivotal Role For Second Week in a Row

Bishop's Pick Clinches Victory; Bears Rack Up Five Interceptions for First Time in 19 Years

BY Brian Bainum

Desmond Bishop had two chances to put the Washington football team away Saturday. The Cal linebacker let the first attempt slip out of his hands, but there was no chance he would allow a second opportunity pass him by. Bishop intercepted Huskies quarterback Carl Bonnell at the goal line in overtime to clinch the Bears’ 31-24 win and extend their winning streak to seven games. The play set off a wild celebration, culminating what had been a roller coaster of a game at Memorial Stadium. Bishop, instead of taking a knee and automatically ending the game, tried to run it back for a touchdown with almost the entire Cal sideline following in his wake. He was caught from behind at around the Washington 20-yard line.

“I was torn between telling him to get down and yelling at the guys to get back on the sideline,” Bears coach Jeff Tedford said. “From my vantage point, it looked like the (receiver) was open and he came in and stepped right in front of it. It was a great play.” The interception came only minutes after Bonnell’s Hail Mary was in Bishop’s grasp, but Robert Peele and Daymeion Hughes also made a play on the ball. The ensuing deflection landed in the hands of the Huskies’ Marlon Wood, who dove into the end zone to tie the game with zeros on the clock.

Read the entire article here.