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.
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