University of California Berkeley - Blue and Gold Yearbook (Berkeley, CA)

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story by Megan Kinninger Photos by Jerry Tsai Most people considered the Golden Bear (iiotlwll scoson of 20(11 ;i ilisasrer. The team played 1 1 games only to win one. Ilie lone win was the last game of the season against Rutgers on No etnher 23, 200 1 with a score of 20- 1 0. As a result of ha ing the third most challenging schedule in the nation, the team ' s average point deficit in the final statistics was 22.7 points. V irhout that sole ictory, the Bears would have joined ranks with three C;al football teams from the lS ' Os who had winless .seasons, (-al fans deserted the stands, which often looked bleak as the season continued. 1 lead coach Tom 1 lolmoe lost most respect from the lans anil ended up resigning hv the end of the sea.son, ending his fifth season with the program. Was there a .saving grace for this disastrous .season beyond the one win against a less-than-respectable team. ' A look at the l()4th Big Ciame, which took place November 1 7, gives a taste of the true Golden Bear spirit, a spirit that can oh iouslv shine through a lackluster season. Most predicted that Cal was going into this game without a hope of even coming close to the Stanford C:ardinal, ranked I ,kh in the nation at the time. Would the ri alrv li e on. ' ( ould Oal step above its losing season to play well against the (Cardinal, its all-tin)e ri al. ' The answer came with three minutes and one second left in the first ([uarter when Calilornia ' s junior safety Nnamdi .Asomugha intercepted a pass from Stanford ' s (;hris Lewis and ran for a 16-yard touchdown. This score iraxe ( al the lead 10-7 over Cal ' s offensive line sets to face its rival — the Stanford defensive line. To celebrate a touchdown, junior tight end Tom Swoboda lifts a teammate In the air.

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Stanford. Cal and Cardinal fans, equally distributed at Stanford Stadium ' s 71,150 attendance, stood in amazement. The Bears were not only playing well, but also leading the Cardinal. There seemed to be hope as the Bears stepped up for this game as if the rest of the season had not happened. Fans surely recalled miraculous plays and finishes of Big Games past, 4Q of which were decided by a touchdown or less and five of which were determined in the last play. For just about the first time of the 2001 season, the Bears had hope and against their biggest rival — an even greater feat. Both teams traded scores for the rest of the game. The Bears actually had momentum. Midway through the third quarter, the Bears capitalized on another interception when standout freshman running back Terrell Williams scored on a one-yard dive to close the scoring gap to Bears 20-Cardinal 21. Bears fans went crazy. However, less than a minute later, the Cardinal responded with a 79-yard touchdown pass to make the score Cardinal 28- Bears 20. Although the Bears were scoring consistently, the Cardinal was responding and still leading. The fourth quarter began with yet another Cardinal touchdown, giving the team a 1 5-point lead. Contrarv to past performances in the 2001 season, the Bears refused to die. With 13 minutes and one second left in the fourth quarter, junior cornerback LaShaun Ward, who had a total of five receptions for 86 yards, received a 48-yard touchdown pass from junior quarterback Kyle Boiler, who went 20-of-46 for 278 yards on the day. A two-point conversion was completed from Boiler to freshman tailback Jordon Hunter to bring the Bears within seven, 28-35. The crowd was in shock. This game was not supposed to be anywhere near close and now the Bears were one touchdown away from a tie in the fourth quarter. For the remaining 1 1 minutes of the game, all momentum came to an end. Neither team could score and the ball was punted a total of seven times. The Bears needed a touchdown to tie the game, but this seemed to be an impossibility. Both defenses held strong. It appeared there was nowhere to go. The crowd in the stadium sat on the edge of its seats. With 27 seconds left, Cal recei ed a punt on their 3 1 yard line. This was the Bear ' s last chance. Three plays were run for 19 yards. Boiler sent a Hail players looked to the sky and awaited the drop of the ball. What was to happen to Cal ' s seemingly last effort to save a disappointing season. ' The Cardinals batted the ball down in the endzone and the Bears realized they had added yet another loss to their record. Cal fans turned their heads in disappointment. The loss hurt players and fans alike, but what counted was the Bears ' performance in the face of an e.vceedinglv high obstacle. The Golden Bear 2001 football team stepped up to the challenge of the Big Game and relinquished a bit of respect from their 1-10 season bv giving the Cardinal a run for its money. A tradition was upheld in the face of disaster. And the Bears rolled on. m For the first time in the 2 season, the Bears had hop tand against their greatest ival — an even greater fea i nning head-on into the opponent, freshman running back Michael Sparks drives for extra yardage. licr quarterback Kyle Boiler drops back into the pocket, looks for his receiver, and sets to throw with ;eye intently on his target.