Contra Costa Times: `Back, back, back' call goes against Cal

LOS ANGELES - The key play came late in the third quarter, Cal needing an inch to get a first down and sustain a drive in a 9-9 game against USC.

Bears quarterback Nate Longshore took the snap, pushed forward for an instant on a sneak, but then was pushed back by the center of the USC line. Both side officials stood on the far side of the 30-yard line, which was where the Bears needed to get for a first down. By the time the officials met in the center of the field, they were standing on Cal's side of the 30. ``You noticed that, too?'' Coach Jeff Tedford asked. ``They kept moving back, back, back.'' Cal punted, USC scored on its next two possessions and the Bears' hopes of their first Rose Bowl since Jan. 1, 1959, were finished.  ``Third-and-inches, and we didn't make that,'' Tedford said. ``That was a big play for us. That would have given us another set of downs. You have to be able to make that play.'' USC Coach Pete Carroll said his defense was the key to the victory. ``Our defense shut them out in the second half. They were absolutely kicking butt.''

• USC kept Cal receiver DeSean Jackson out of action for most of the game. ``They were double-teaming me, triple-teaming me,'' said Jackson, who finished with two catches for 41 yards. ``They played a very hard-fought game.''  Jackson didn't even get any action on returns. The nation's leading punt returner tried twice but netted just 3 yards. Both times he was surrounded immediately. ``USC always had someone in his face, jamming him,'' Tedford said.

• Tedford's summation: ``Our players came in here with confidence that we would win. You have to give USC a lot of credit, that's a great football team. We couldn't sustain two halves. The first half we moved the ball well. The second half, we didn't play well offensively.'' He was asked if USC played better late in the game because it had been in that situation so many times before. ``I don't think playing for the Rose Bowl and a conference championship made our players not play to their ability.  ``Of course, this is disappointing. We work long and hard to get here and play for a conference championship. We played well all season long to get to this spot. You would like to take advantage of it. ``But I wish USC well. I hope they are able to go to the national championship game.''