An early injury to star running back Malik Sherrod and two first-quarter interceptions by Mikey Keene were catalysts for a terrible start to the Sun Bowl and a disappointing finish to the season as Fresno State fell to Cal 31-14.
Sherrod would return and top 100 yards on just 11 carries, but it was far too little, too late for a Fresno offense that couldn't move the ball for large portions of the game.
Defensively, it was more of the same. Korey Foreman did his job in his final collegiate game, racking up two more sacks to take his school-record single-season total to 22 and place him among the top five greatest single-season sack totals in NDL history. But the secondary got torched repeatedly and showed no signs of life.
Keene wouldn't top 100 yards passing as he threw four interceptions on the day. The second one was a killer, a pick-6 that put Cal up 14-0 and basically ended the contest before it started.
"I'm honestly glad to be heading out of here," Coach JasonUK said as he torched the team on his way out of town. "If not for Korey, this defense is damn near useless. I could outrun this secondary and I am out of shape. And I'm not sure Mikey could hit water sometimes if he fell out of a boat."
The Fresno State athletic department announced after the game that Jason had handed in his resignation, and that he flipped them all off on his way out the door.
Debbie Downer’s Final Bow: A Win, But Is There Really Hope for the Bears?
Well, Bears fans, it’s been a long, excruciating season. A season that gave us just enough glimmers of hope to drag us along, only to crush our dreams when it mattered most. And now, after the humiliation in the ACC Championship (which we’re apparently not allowed to talk about—thanks, Coach Gonzales), the Cal Golden Bears finished their season with a 31-14 win over Fresno State in the Sun Bowl. A win is a win, but let’s be honest: this isn’t the redemption story we were hoping for, now, is it?
First, let’s get the obvious out of the way: Fresno State came out swinging… sort of. On their first play, they showed a little life, running back Sherrod ripping off an 8-yard run. But Cal’s defense, who—let’s face it—needed to save face after their last outing, quickly put Fresno on their heels. Uluave and company swarmed them, with an early interception, and Cal capitalized with a quick strike—a 56-yard bomb to Jaydn Ott, who single-handedly did his best to save the game plan all season long.
Oh, and of course, the defense wasn’t done there. Nohl Williams decided he had had enough of Fresno’s weak offense and took matters into his own hands—literally—snagging an interception and jogging it into the end zone to make it 14-0. At this point, we all knew what was coming next: a few punts, an uninspired three-and-out by Fresno, and suddenly Cal is looking like they might actually have an offense. But hey, it’s easy to look good when the Bulldogs are handing out turnovers like they’re free samples at Costco.
But here’s the thing, Bears fans: we all know how this script goes. Sure, Cal surged ahead to a 21-0 lead by leaning on Ott and some decent play-calling (which, let’s be honest, has been about as rare as a solar eclipse this season). The defense bent but didn’t break, until of course, Fresno decided to remember how to play football and put together a nice little drive, capped off by a jet sweep to make it 21-7.
For a brief moment, we were all probably thinking the same thing: “Oh no, here we go again.” Would Cal crumble in the second half and let this game get away? Would the ghosts of their earlier collapse against SMU come back to haunt them? It sure seemed like a possibility when Fresno State was this close to clawing their way back into the game before the half.
But just when things were teetering on the edge, Cal—miraculously—pulled it together. Rodgers found Mikey Matthews for a 37-yard score, and just like that, the air was sucked out of Fresno’s comeback attempt. Craig Woodson’s interception right before the half was the proverbial nail in the coffin. After that, the second half was more or less academic. Cal added a field goal, Fresno State found the end zone again in garbage time, but ultimately, this one was over.
So, here we are. Cal finishes the season with a respectable 10-4 record, but we all know this season will be remembered more for its missed opportunities than anything else. The ACC Championship game disaster is still looming over this team, no matter how many pats on the back Coach Gonzales wants to give out for this “positive finish.” Positive finish? Sure, we won the Sun Bowl, but does that really make up for failing to capture a conference title? Does it really make up for falling flat on our faces when it mattered most?
And What About Coach Gonzales?
Ah, yes—let's address the elephant in the room. Rumor has it that Coach Gonzales may not even return to Berkeley next season. Some people seem to think that’s a bad thing, that bigger programs might be circling like vultures, ready to pluck him away after what they’re calling an "overachieving" season at Cal. Overachieving? Sure, we won 10 games, but at what cost? A conference title would’ve been the real achievement. But let’s be real, with other high-profile coaches reportedly on the market, I’m not convinced the bigger fish are ready to bite on Gonzales just yet.
So, what happens if he leaves? Well, on one hand, maybe a fresh start wouldn’t be the worst thing for a program that seems forever stuck in the “almost” category. But on the other hand, do we really think there’s a line of top-tier coaches just waiting for the chance to come to Berkeley? Unlikely. If Gonzales stays, we’ll get more of the same—a team that can look great one week and completely fall apart the next. If he leaves? Who knows. The idea of starting from scratch again doesn’t exactly fill me with optimism.
Coach Gonzales, for his part, isn’t saying much. After the Sun Bowl win, he gave the usual post-game platitudes about how proud he is of his players, how they exceeded expectations, blah blah blah. But you can’t ignore the tension in his voice—he knows he might have one foot out the door. And honestly? Maybe it’s time for a change. The pundits might love his "scrappy underdog" story, but here in Berkeley, we're not just trying to exceed low expectations—we're trying to win something real.
Debbie’s Final Take: As we head into the offseason, I’ll give credit where it’s due—this team did play hard all year long, and they probably exceeded the expectations of the so-called pundits. But let’s not sugarcoat things: this team was supposed to compete for an ACC title and a shot at the College Football Playoffs, and they came up short. The Sun Bowl win is nice, but is it really enough to make us believe that the Bears can get over the hump next year? I doubt it.
And if Gonzales leaves? Well, Bears fans, I wouldn’t hold my breath waiting for a savior to stroll into town. The offseason will be full of uncertainty, and whether Coach Gonzales stays or goes, one thing remains the same—there’s a lot of work to be done before we’re ready to be real contenders.
So yes, enjoy the win, Bears fans, but don’t let the final score fool you. We’ve been here before, and unless some big changes are made in the offseason, we might just find ourselves right back here next year—disappointed, frustrated, and wondering what might have been.
Until next season… Stay pessimistic, my friends.
Debbie Downer, Signing Off
CONNECT WITH US ONLINE:
WHOS ONLINE:
12 Guests in the last 5 minutes Legend: NDL Admin | Conference Commish | Media Team | NDL Coaches
HOME
Discord