The 72,516 fans at Memorial Stadium did their best to provide a homefield advantage resembling Neyland Stadium's edge, packing Strawberry Canyon well before kickoff and out-shouting the 10,000 Volunteer fans packed into the south endzone. Bears fans shouted at the top of their lungs when DeSean Jackson scampered 77 yards for his sixth career punt return for a touchdown. Jackson led the 12th-ranked Golden Bears as they avenged last season's humiliating loss to the No. 15 Volunteers with a 45-31 victory Saturday night.
Justin Forsett rushed for 156 yards and a score, and Nate Longshore passed for 241 yards and two TDs as the Bears (1-0) racked up the most points scored against the Volunteers in 12 years to win the opening weekend's only matchup between ranked schools. Tennessee's first trip to the West Coast since 1997 was hardly encouraging for coach Phillip Fulmer's defense, which hadn't given up this many points since a 62-37 loss to Florida in 1995.
Cal led 38-21 early in the third quarter. But the Volunteers pulled within seven points on Daniel Lincoln's field goal in the opening minute of the fourth at 38-31. Then Forsett's TD run with 9:10 to play pushed Cal back to a comfortable lead. Tennessee's no-huddle offense finally bogged down in the fourth quarter and the Cal defense finished off the Bears' eighth straight home victory since 2005.
Erik Ainge had 271 yards passing and three TD throws despite an injured finger. Ainge wore a white wrap on two fingers of his throwing hand after injuring his pinkie during practice this week. The senior was exceptionally sharp while completing 14 of his first 15 throws. Arian Foster rushed for 89 yards and Chris Brown caught two TD passes from Ainge.
The Volunteers also had a scare with 4:10 to play when starting defensive end Xavier Mitchell left the field on a stretcher with his neck immobilized after a hard tackle. Tennessee had no immediate word on the nature of the senior's injury.
I have now posted three stories on the Tennessee Volunteers facing the California Golden Bears tonight. Some of you have commented and I appreciate it. But where is Lisa? I mean, I am in her arena, supposedly at least. But she has yet to even comment on my Vols representing the SEC taking on her PAC 10 University of Southern California rival.
Oh Lisa, come out and play! Come out and play warrior! I know for the most part I cut and paste. I prefer to call it editing. But nevermind that, what are your thoughts on the game?
From utsports.com
After more than four weeks of grueling preseason practices, the Vols finally open the 2007 season Saturday in a primetime showdown with the California Golden Bears.
The heaviest weight placed on Tennessee’s back is that of the entire Southeastern Conference. There are three games featuring SEC teams against BCS opponents on opening weekend, but only Tennessee faces a ranked team.
In all, the SEC will play 13 regular season games against BCS opponents, and judging from preseason rankings, this weekend’s game sits behind only the LSU-Virginia Tech matchup when it comes to national title implications. Of course, anything can change by Nov. 24, when the final four of the 13 games are played.
“We are always thinking about representing the conference,” quarterback Erik Ainge said. “But once it is kicked off, that all goes away. We will go out there and represent Tennessee and the SEC, but our focus is on the game itself.”
The word ‘revenge’ has also been used over and over again. Cal has reportedly been seething for a full calendar year after its lopsided 2006 loss on Rocky Top.
On the field, Tennessee’s defense will have to contend with one of the Pac-10’s best quarterbacks in junior Nate Longshore, not to mention a group of veteran receivers including Heisman Trophy candidate DeSean Jackson. The Vols’ offense looks to establish the run against a Cal defense that lost three of its four starting defensive linemen from a year ago.
“We are going to approach this one like we would any other game,” junior linebacker Jerod Mayo said. “We know what kind of talent they have, and our coaches will have us prepared. Our focus is on what we can do, what we have prepared to do, not what they can do.”
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