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Cal has won back-to-back games. Can it keep up the momentum against Clemson?
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- Cal has won back-to-back games. Can it keep up the momentum against Clemson?
The California Golden Bears have a short week with Clemson flying 3,000 miles into the Bay Area for an ACC matchup at California Memorial Stadium on Friday, Sept. 25. It's a true test for the Golden Bears , who are now coming off consecutive wins.
Cal pummeled Wagner Saturday, 49-7, starting with a 29-point first quarter outburst. It was a necessary momentum-boost for the Golden Bears as they get into the thick of their tough schedule, starting with Dabo Swinney's Clemson Tigers . Following Clemson , the Golden Bears have UNLV, Virginia Tech , Wake Forest and No. 16 SMU.
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It's not going to be easy for California.
First-year Cal head coach Tosh Lupoi got his first win at California Memorial Stadium with 35,586 in attendance. It was the energy that the Golden Bears needed coming off their road win against Syracuse. Lupoi wants that same energy, that same vibe against Clemson when Swinney and company come to town.
"If you have any plans that's not coming to the Cal game, you need to cancel them," Lupoi told reporters. "We want to make this a miserable environment for the opponent that's coming in Friday night."
Look back at who we picked as the best college football players of this millennium. The challenge was difficult. There were all-time greats in competition for spots on the first and second team. Heisman winners, Hall of Famers and future NFL superstars were among those left out in the voting by more than 10 college football writers and editors at USA TODAY Sports. Nineteen schools are represented on the first team that includes spots for specialists. Six teams have multiple players among that group with Alabama and Miami (Fla.) leading the way with three apiece. First-team offense
QB Cam Newton, AuburnNewton was only a college starter for one season, but he certainly made it count. On his way to the Heisman Trophy in 2010, he racked up 4,327 total yards and 50 touchdowns while leading Auburn to a national championship despite playing on offense with no players who ever recorded a rushing or receiving yard in the NFL. There are other passers with gaudier career numbers, but no college quarterback in the sportÕs modern history has been so singularly impactful.
RB Adrian Peterson, OklahomaPeterson burst on the scene, rushing for 1,925 yards and 15 touchdowns as a freshman in 2004 for an Oklahoma team that went undefeated in the regular season. Injuries limited his output in his final two seasons, but he still finished his three-year college career with 4,041 yards and 41 touchdowns while displaying a rare combination of raw power, agility and speed.
RB Reggie Bush, USCBush wasn't just a star, but a national phenomenon, someone whose fame transcended his sport. The versatile running back was the most electrifying player to come out of USC in a decade in which the Trojans helped define the sport. His 2,218 total yards and 18 touchdowns during his Heisman Trophy-winning junior season in 2005 only did so much to explain his brilliance. Even 20 years later, his highlights are as jaw-dropping as any a college player has ever put together.
WR Larry Fitzgerald, PittsburghThe player with the second-most receiving yards in NFL history offered a peek at his prodigious talent in college, where he had 1,672 receiving yards, 22 touchdowns and a slew of acrobatic catches at Pitt in 2003. As a sophomore on a five-loss Panthers team, he was edged out by Oklahoma quarterback Jason White in one of the closest and most contentious Heisman Trophy votes this century.
WR DeVonta Smith, AlabamaAs a freshman, Smith was on the receiving end of Tua TagovailoaÕs title-winning pass in the 2018 College Football Playoff championship game. By the time he was a senior, he finished with 1,856 receiving yards and 23 touchdowns Ñ both of which rank him in the top 10 all-time in the FBS in a season Ñ for a dominant Alabama team that gave Nick Saban his final national championship. That season, he became the first wide receiver to win the Heisman Trophy since 1991.
TE Brock Bowers, GeorgiaBowers was a colossus, someone whose listed measurements of 6-4 and 240 pounds somehow seemed like they were underselling him. He was Georgia's leading receiver in each of his three seasons at the school, a stretch in which the Bulldogs went 42-2 and won two national championships.
OT Joe Thomas, WisconsinA Wisconsin program that has been a factory for offensive linemen for the past 30 years has likely never produced a finer one than Thomas. Before setting an NFL record by logging 10,363 consecutive snaps, Thomas was a two-time first-team All-American for the Badgers. He has earned enshrinement in both the College Football Hall of Fame and Pro Football Hall of Fame.
G Quenton Nelson, Notre DameThe 6-5, 330-pound Nelson was a unanimous All-American as a senior in 2017 while serving as the centerpiece of a Notre Dame offensive line that won the Joe Moore Award. That promise he showed in college has carried over to the NFL, where he has been a three-time first-team All-Pro for the Indianapolis Colts.
OT Bryant McKinnie, MiamiOn a 2001 Miami team considered by many to be one of the greatest, most talented teams in college football history, there were few, if any, stars bigger than McKinnie, literally. The 6-9 All-American lineman won the Outland Trophy in 2001 and was eighth in Heisman Trophy voting, one of the highest finishes for an offensive lineman in the past 40 years. Perhaps most impressively, he never allowed a sack in his college career.
G Barrett Jones, AlabamaJones won three national championships with the Crimson Tide and a long list of postseason accolades. In addition to earning first-team All-SEC honors three times, Jones won the Outland Trophy as a junior left tackle and then the Rimington Trophy as a center the next year, becoming the first and still only player in college football history to win both awards at two positions.
C Maurkice Pouncey, FloridaA Day 1 starter for the Gators, Pouncey had his best year as a junior in 2009, when he captured the Rimington Trophy and was a consensus All-America selection. Overall, Pouncey started 39 games over three years and helped Florida capture the 2008 national championship.
All-Purpose Christian McCaffrey, StanfordFew players this century have made as big an impact in so many ways. After sharing touches as a freshman in 2014, McCaffrey exploded with a memorable sophomore campaign that saw him post 2,019 rushing yards and an NCAA-record 3,864 all-purpose yards in finishing second for the Heisman. His performance in that yearÕs Rose Bowl ranks among the best in the gameÕs history.
First-team defense
DT Ndamukong Suh, Nebraska
There have been few if any more intimidating interior linemen in the sport’s history. Suh’s four-year run at Nebraska is defined by an unforgettable senior season: 85 tackles, 20½ tackles for loss, 12 sacks and an interception. He finished fourth in the Heisman voting, and might’ve been robbed.
DT Aaron Donald, PittsburghBefore taking the NFL by storm, Donald was a wrecking ball for the Panthers who, like Suh, hit another level as a senior. In 2013, Donald had 28½ tackles for loss and 11 sacks in taking home the Lombardi, Nagurski, Bednarik and Outland trophies.
DE Terrell Suggs, Arizona StateSuggs was a menace for the Sun Devils in the early 2000s and one of the most productive pass rushers in college football history. He recorded 10 sacks during his sophomore season and was first-team all-Pac-10. Things got better as a junior in 2002. Suggs was a unanimous first-team All-American and winner of Lombardi Award and Nagurski Trophy while setting an NCAA single-season record with 24 sacks that still stands.
DE Myles Garrett, Texas A&M
The future No. 1 overall draft pick was an immediate hit for the Aggies, pulling down 11½ sacks and 14 tackles for loss as a freshman and then led the SEC with 12½ sacks and 19½ tackles for loss one year later. While slowed by injuries in his third and final season, Garrett captured first-team All-America honors for the second time.
LB Manti Te'o, Notre DameA second-team All-American as a junior after a campaign with a team-high 128 tackles, Te'o was the defensive leader for Notre Dame as the Fighting Irish reached the Bowl Championship Series title game in his senior season. He has a storage closet full of hardware, including the Bednarik, Nagurski, Lombardi and Butkus awards. That same year, Te'o became the second primary defender to finish second in the Heisman voting. He finished his career ranked third in program history in tackles.
LB Will Anderson, AlabamaAn outside linebacker that also played at the line of scrimmage, Anderson crammed 62 tackles for loss and 34½ sacks into three seasons at Alabama, helping the Tide win one national championship in 2020 and play for another the following season. He was a two-time SEC defensive player of the year and twice won the Nagurski Award. Anderson finished fifth for the Heisman Trophy in as a sophomore then captured the Bednarik Award and Lombardi Award as a junior.
LB Paul Posluszny, Penn StateBy the time his Nittany Lions' career concluded in 2006, Posluszny had etched his name among the best in the long line of Penn State linebackers. The two-time Bednarik Award winner and Butkus Award recipient recorded 372 tackles, then a school record, including 35 for loss and nine sacks, adding three forced fumbles and a pair of interceptions.
CB Patrick Peterson, LSUIn addition to developing into one of the gameÕ's top cover corners in his three-year collegiate stint, Peterson led the SEC in punt return average and was second in kickoff return average in his final season with the Tigers in 2010. He swept the Thorpe and Bednarik Awards in his final college season and finished his LSU career with seven interceptions and 135 total tackles.
S Ed Reed, MiamiReed's collegiate career began in 1998 but he qualifies for selection after finishing his senior season in 2001. He definitely saved his best for last as a unanimous All-America selection while helping lead the Hurricanes to the national championship. His nine interceptions that 2001 season brought his career total at Miami to 21, with five returned for touchdowns, while also recording four forced fumbles, four blocked punts, and 288 total tackles.
S Roy Williams, Oklahoma
Williams was a dynamic player and all-Big 12 selection when the Sooners won the national championship in 2000. But it was his final season that made him a legend in Norman and propelled him toward NFL stardom. The 2001 Jim Thorpe and Bronko Nagurski Award winner wrapped up his Oklahoma career with 287 tackles with 34 for loss, still a school record for a defensive back. And oh yeah, there was that "Superman" forced fumble that sealed the team's win against archrival Texas.
CB Tyrann Mathieu, LSUDubbed the Honey Badger for his ferocity, Mathieu made quite an impression in just two seasons with the Tigers in which he forced 11 fumbles and snagged four interceptions and was an elite returner. As a freshman, he totaled 57 tackles and was most valuable player of the Cotton Bowl. He shined as sophomore in 2011, winning the Bednarik Award and finishing fifth in Heisman voting. Mathieu was suspended the following season before entering the NFL draft.
First-team specialists
PR Devin Hester, Miami
Hester contributed on all three units during his three-year stint as a Hurricane from 2003-05, however he is most remembered for his electrifying returns that earned him Walter Camp All-America recognition as a sophomore and foreshadowed his record-setting pro career. In all he scored eight touchdowns in college, half of which came on punt returns, and amassed 2,070 all-purpose yards.
KR CJ Spiller, Clemson
Though his primary position was running back, the flashy Tiger was a constant scoring threat regardless of field position. He amassed 7,588 all-purpose yards and returned eight kicks for touchdowns, with a total of 21 scores of 50-plus yards during his four-year collegiate stint from 2006-09.
K Roberto Aguayo, Florida StateThough it was harder to find a catchy nickname for him like members of the Gramatica family, Aguayo was nevertheless automatic during his three years kicking for the Seminoles. The 2013 Lou Groza Award winner totaled 405 points at FSU and was perfect on 198 PAT attempts, and he never missed a field goal inside of 40 yards. He immediately endeared himself to FSU fans as a freshman in 2013 by nailing a career-best 53-yarder against Miami.
P Tory Taylor, IowaPerhaps no program's fans appreciate their punter more than Iowa's, and few did it better than Taylor. The 2023 Ray Guy Award winner helped the Hawkeyes to a 10-3 record as a senior despite the team averaging just 16.6 points a game. Taylor averaged 46.3 yards per punt over his career and led the Bowl Subdivision in kicks downed inside the 20 three years in a row.
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Are your picks among the top college football players of the 2000s?
Look back at who we picked as the best college football players of this millennium. The challenge was difficult. There were all-time greats in competition for spots on the first and second team. Heisman winners, Hall of Famers and future NFL superstars were among those left out in the voting by more than 10 college football writers and editors at USA TODAY Sports. Nineteen schools are represented on the first team that includes spots for specialists. Six teams have multiple players among that group with Alabama and Miami (Fla.) leading the way with three apiece. First-team offense
QB Cam Newton, AuburnNewton was only a college starter for one season, but he certainly made it count. On his way to the Heisman Trophy in 2010, he racked up 4,327 total yards and 50 touchdowns while leading Auburn to a national championship despite playing on offense with no players who ever recorded a rushing or receiving yard in the NFL. There are other passers with gaudier career numbers, but no college quarterback in the sportÕs modern history has been so singularly impactful.
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/27
Are your picks among the top college football players of the 2000s?
Look back at who we picked as the best college football players of this millennium. The challenge was difficult. There were all-time greats in competition for spots on the first and second team. Heisman winners, Hall of Famers and future NFL superstars were among those left out in the voting by more than 10 college football writers and editors at USA TODAY Sports. Nineteen schools are represented on the first team that includes spots for specialists. Six teams have multiple players among that group with Alabama and Miami (Fla.) leading the way with three apiece. First-team offense
QB Cam Newton, AuburnNewton was only a college starter for one season, but he certainly made it count. On his way to the Heisman Trophy in 2010, he racked up 4,327 total yards and 50 touchdowns while leading Auburn to a national championship despite playing on offense with no players who ever recorded a rushing or receiving yard in the NFL. There are other passers with gaudier career numbers, but no college quarterback in the sportÕs modern history has been so singularly impactful.
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Are your picks among the top college football players of the 2000s?
RB Adrian Peterson, OklahomaPeterson burst on the scene, rushing for 1,925 yards and 15 touchdowns as a freshman in 2004 for an Oklahoma team that went undefeated in the regular season. Injuries limited his output in his final two seasons, but he still finished his three-year college career with 4,041 yards and 41 touchdowns while displaying a rare combination of raw power, agility and speed.
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Are your picks among the top college football players of the 2000s?
RB Reggie Bush, USCBush wasn't just a star, but a national phenomenon, someone whose fame transcended his sport. The versatile running back was the most electrifying player to come out of USC in a decade in which the Trojans helped define the sport. His 2,218 total yards and 18 touchdowns during his Heisman Trophy-winning junior season in 2005 only did so much to explain his brilliance. Even 20 years later, his highlights are as jaw-dropping as any a college player has ever put together.
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WR Larry Fitzgerald, PittsburghThe player with the second-most receiving yards in NFL history offered a peek at his prodigious talent in college, where he had 1,672 receiving yards, 22 touchdowns and a slew of acrobatic catches at Pitt in 2003. As a sophomore on a five-loss Panthers team, he was edged out by Oklahoma quarterback Jason White in one of the closest and most contentious Heisman Trophy votes this century.
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WR DeVonta Smith, AlabamaAs a freshman, Smith was on the receiving end of Tua TagovailoaÕs title-winning pass in the 2018 College Football Playoff championship game. By the time he was a senior, he finished with 1,856 receiving yards and 23 touchdowns Ñ both of which rank him in the top 10 all-time in the FBS in a season Ñ for a dominant Alabama team that gave Nick Saban his final national championship. That season, he became the first wide receiver to win the Heisman Trophy since 1991.
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TE Brock Bowers, GeorgiaBowers was a colossus, someone whose listed measurements of 6-4 and 240 pounds somehow seemed like they were underselling him. He was Georgia's leading receiver in each of his three seasons at the school, a stretch in which the Bulldogs went 42-2 and won two national championships.
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OT Joe Thomas, WisconsinA Wisconsin program that has been a factory for offensive linemen for the past 30 years has likely never produced a finer one than Thomas. Before setting an NFL record by logging 10,363 consecutive snaps, Thomas was a two-time first-team All-American for the Badgers. He has earned enshrinement in both the College Football Hall of Fame and Pro Football Hall of Fame.
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G Quenton Nelson, Notre DameThe 6-5, 330-pound Nelson was a unanimous All-American as a senior in 2017 while serving as the centerpiece of a Notre Dame offensive line that won the Joe Moore Award. That promise he showed in college has carried over to the NFL, where he has been a three-time first-team All-Pro for the Indianapolis Colts.
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OT Bryant McKinnie, MiamiOn a 2001 Miami team considered by many to be one of the greatest, most talented teams in college football history, there were few, if any, stars bigger than McKinnie, literally. The 6-9 All-American lineman won the Outland Trophy in 2001 and was eighth in Heisman Trophy voting, one of the highest finishes for an offensive lineman in the past 40 years. Perhaps most impressively, he never allowed a sack in his college career.
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G Barrett Jones, AlabamaJones won three national championships with the Crimson Tide and a long list of postseason accolades. In addition to earning first-team All-SEC honors three times, Jones won the Outland Trophy as a junior left tackle and then the Rimington Trophy as a center the next year, becoming the first and still only player in college football history to win both awards at two positions.
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C Maurkice Pouncey, FloridaA Day 1 starter for the Gators, Pouncey had his best year as a junior in 2009, when he captured the Rimington Trophy and was a consensus All-America selection. Overall, Pouncey started 39 games over three years and helped Florida capture the 2008 national championship.
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All-Purpose Christian McCaffrey, StanfordFew players this century have made as big an impact in so many ways. After sharing touches as a freshman in 2014, McCaffrey exploded with a memorable sophomore campaign that saw him post 2,019 rushing yards and an NCAA-record 3,864 all-purpose yards in finishing second for the Heisman. His performance in that yearÕs Rose Bowl ranks among the best in the gameÕs history.
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First-team defense
DT Ndamukong Suh, Nebraska
There have been few if any more intimidating interior linemen in the sport’s history. Suh’s four-year run at Nebraska is defined by an unforgettable senior season: 85 tackles, 20½ tackles for loss, 12 sacks and an interception. He finished fourth in the Heisman voting, and might’ve been robbed.
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DT Aaron Donald, PittsburghBefore taking the NFL by storm, Donald was a wrecking ball for the Panthers who, like Suh, hit another level as a senior. In 2013, Donald had 28½ tackles for loss and 11 sacks in taking home the Lombardi, Nagurski, Bednarik and Outland trophies.
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DE Terrell Suggs, Arizona StateSuggs was a menace for the Sun Devils in the early 2000s and one of the most productive pass rushers in college football history. He recorded 10 sacks during his sophomore season and was first-team all-Pac-10. Things got better as a junior in 2002. Suggs was a unanimous first-team All-American and winner of Lombardi Award and Nagurski Trophy while setting an NCAA single-season record with 24 sacks that still stands.
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DE Myles Garrett, Texas A&M
The future No. 1 overall draft pick was an immediate hit for the Aggies, pulling down 11½ sacks and 14 tackles for loss as a freshman and then led the SEC with 12½ sacks and 19½ tackles for loss one year later. While slowed by injuries in his third and final season, Garrett captured first-team All-America honors for the second time.
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LB Manti Te'o, Notre DameA second-team All-American as a junior after a campaign with a team-high 128 tackles, Te'o was the defensive leader for Notre Dame as the Fighting Irish reached the Bowl Championship Series title game in his senior season. He has a storage closet full of hardware, including the Bednarik, Nagurski, Lombardi and Butkus awards. That same year, Te'o became the second primary defender to finish second in the Heisman voting. He finished his career ranked third in program history in tackles.
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LB Will Anderson, AlabamaAn outside linebacker that also played at the line of scrimmage, Anderson crammed 62 tackles for loss and 34½ sacks into three seasons at Alabama, helping the Tide win one national championship in 2020 and play for another the following season. He was a two-time SEC defensive player of the year and twice won the Nagurski Award. Anderson finished fifth for the Heisman Trophy in as a sophomore then captured the Bednarik Award and Lombardi Award as a junior.
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LB Paul Posluszny, Penn StateBy the time his Nittany Lions' career concluded in 2006, Posluszny had etched his name among the best in the long line of Penn State linebackers. The two-time Bednarik Award winner and Butkus Award recipient recorded 372 tackles, then a school record, including 35 for loss and nine sacks, adding three forced fumbles and a pair of interceptions.
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CB Patrick Peterson, LSUIn addition to developing into one of the gameÕ's top cover corners in his three-year collegiate stint, Peterson led the SEC in punt return average and was second in kickoff return average in his final season with the Tigers in 2010. He swept the Thorpe and Bednarik Awards in his final college season and finished his LSU career with seven interceptions and 135 total tackles.
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S Ed Reed, MiamiReed's collegiate career began in 1998 but he qualifies for selection after finishing his senior season in 2001. He definitely saved his best for last as a unanimous All-America selection while helping lead the Hurricanes to the national championship. His nine interceptions that 2001 season brought his career total at Miami to 21, with five returned for touchdowns, while also recording four forced fumbles, four blocked punts, and 288 total tackles.
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S Roy Williams, Oklahoma
Williams was a dynamic player and all-Big 12 selection when the Sooners won the national championship in 2000. But it was his final season that made him a legend in Norman and propelled him toward NFL stardom. The 2001 Jim Thorpe and Bronko Nagurski Award winner wrapped up his Oklahoma career with 287 tackles with 34 for loss, still a school record for a defensive back. And oh yeah, there was that "Superman" forced fumble that sealed the team's win against archrival Texas.
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CB Tyrann Mathieu, LSUDubbed the Honey Badger for his ferocity, Mathieu made quite an impression in just two seasons with the Tigers in which he forced 11 fumbles and snagged four interceptions and was an elite returner. As a freshman, he totaled 57 tackles and was most valuable player of the Cotton Bowl. He shined as sophomore in 2011, winning the Bednarik Award and finishing fifth in Heisman voting. Mathieu was suspended the following season before entering the NFL draft.
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First-team specialists
PR Devin Hester, Miami
Hester contributed on all three units during his three-year stint as a Hurricane from 2003-05, however he is most remembered for his electrifying returns that earned him Walter Camp All-America recognition as a sophomore and foreshadowed his record-setting pro career. In all he scored eight touchdowns in college, half of which came on punt returns, and amassed 2,070 all-purpose yards.
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KR CJ Spiller, Clemson
Though his primary position was running back, the flashy Tiger was a constant scoring threat regardless of field position. He amassed 7,588 all-purpose yards and returned eight kicks for touchdowns, with a total of 21 scores of 50-plus yards during his four-year collegiate stint from 2006-09.
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K Roberto Aguayo, Florida StateThough it was harder to find a catchy nickname for him like members of the Gramatica family, Aguayo was nevertheless automatic during his three years kicking for the Seminoles. The 2013 Lou Groza Award winner totaled 405 points at FSU and was perfect on 198 PAT attempts, and he never missed a field goal inside of 40 yards. He immediately endeared himself to FSU fans as a freshman in 2013 by nailing a career-best 53-yarder against Miami.
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P Tory Taylor, IowaPerhaps no program's fans appreciate their punter more than Iowa's, and few did it better than Taylor. The 2023 Ray Guy Award winner helped the Hawkeyes to a 10-3 record as a senior despite the team averaging just 16.6 points a game. Taylor averaged 46.3 yards per punt over his career and led the Bowl Subdivision in kicks downed inside the 20 three years in a row.
The Cal offense took time to get going in the first two games against UCLA and Syracuse. Sophomore quarterback Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele took no time getting going against Wagner. His confidence looked different, he was given more time and threw crisp passes, right on target where the ball needed to be. Sagapolutele finished 27-for-33 for 413 yards, a career-high, and three touchdowns.
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Those are the types of game that Sagapolutele is capable of having. He makes quick reads and gets the ball out fast. Sometimes he will extend plays with his feet.
The Golden Bears' offense is going to be more dynamic as running back Adam Mohammed , a Washington transfer, continues to emerge. Against Wagner, Mohammed accounted for 169 of the team's 492 yards, and had three touchdowns.
Mohammed finished with 13 rush attempts for 91 yards and two scores. He caught two passes for 78 yards and a touchdown. He was a difference maker for Cal, as he was able to get going early and often. It's the performance Cal needs from Mohammed as it prepares for Clemson. He opened the offense up for receivers to get open.
"Yeah, well, he's a captain for a reason, and someone that was a big part of our talent acquisition, and he's been a lead by action individual," Lupoi told reporters. "I'm not making any comparisons of him to other people, but a guy I played with here and started my coaching career, a young man named Marshawn Lynch . That's a very close friend of mine, he had a unique ability to ignite the defense.
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"That's what I think Adam can do at times, where the physicality he runs with and running and pumping his legs through contact, breaking tackles. When you have what you call a 'home run back,' and he's a guy that can run with physicality, but can take a misfit or an explosive run and finish it for a touchdown as well as he demonstrated today."
It helped Oregon transfer Cooper Perry score his first collegiate touchdown with 4:08 left in the second quarter after his 16-yard reception from Sagapolutele. Chase Hendricks has been a dependable target for Sagapolutele. He had nine catches for 98 yards on Saturday. It was his best game this season. All he was missing was a score, which he had in each of Cal's first two games.
It takes a team effort, especially on the defensive side of the ball. Kingston Lopa is the leader of this defense as a defensive back in the safety position. Lopa, who transferred from Oregon following Lupoi, sees the entire field and he's instinctively quick enough to make the play, whether it's delivering a crucial hit or breaking up a pass.
Last week, Lopa earned ACC Defensive Player of the Week honors with three interceptions and a go-ahead touchdown against Syracuse, putting the defense on his shoulders. It wasn't as flashy against Wagner, but he showed off the same capability. He led the team with five tackles, including four solo and a tackle for loss. He had another interception, his NCAA-leading fifth. Lopa's play is important and dictates how things will go for Cal.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Cal has won back-to-back games. Can it keep up the momentum against Clemson?
