I hope you fellas will indulge me...go you ****ing BEARS!

[tr1]

Buffs outmanned by Cal, lose 52-7 in Pac-12 preview

By Tom Kensler

The Denver Post

Posted: 09/11/2010 01:32:46 PM MDT

Updated: 09/11/2010 06:23:14 PM MDT

http://www.denverpost.com/ci_16051222

Colorado quarterback Tyler Hansen suffered a rough afternoon against the California Bears. (AP | Ben Margot)

BERKELEY, CALIF. — It's a year premature, perhaps two, to call Colorado's visit here an official welcome to the Pac-10 Conference. But if California is only the seventh-best team in CU's future league, as the preseason Pac-10 media poll projected, it's obvious the Buffaloes have much work to do to even be competitive.

Not only was California (2-0) never threatened, the Bears were rarely slowed today in romping 52-7 over a Colorado team that continued its struggles in road games.

"We just got off to a bad start, and it got worse from there," CU coach Dan Hawkins said.

The Buffs (1-1) lost for the 14th consecutive time in games played outside the state of Colorado, including the 2007 Independence Bowl loss to Alabama. Some California fans must have wondered why Colorado was invited to join their league.

"This was the most embarrassing game of my life," CU wideout Scotty McKnight said. "I did not expect it to be like this. We flat-out did not show up today."

Colorado finally got on the scoreboard with 2:37 left in the third quarter, and even that came with frustration. Junior quarterback Tyler Hansen scored on a 4-yard scramble but was hit as he reached the ball across the goal line. Hansen clutched a knee and remained down as medical personnel hustled onto the field.

After a couple of minutes, Hansen got up and jogged to the bench. And, showing some toughness, he was back in CU's huddle for the subsequent series.

"Cal's a lot faster and more athletic than Colorado State was," Hansen said. "We knew that coming in. But their speed surprised us a little bit. We underestimated how fast they were. I think that was the biggest key."

Said Cal linebacker Jarred Price: "There's a lot of speed in the Pac-10. Big 12 has speed out there too but that's more of a powerhouse. The Pac-10 is more speed. Power against speed, I'll take speed every time."

As seems to be customary in road games, Colorado

California's Keenan Allen, right, breaks the tackle of Colorado's Tyler Ahles during the first half of today's game in Berkeley, Calif. (AP | Ben Margot)

fell behind early and by a bunch. Taking advantage of superior field position, the hosts jumped on CU in the first quarter with two touchdown passes from Bears senior quarterback Kevin Riley.

The Buffs couldn't get anything going in the early going, and they couldn't seem to get out of their own way. Colorado committed three penalties in its first two series. And then Cal's sack-smelling defense began to get to Hansen.

"They were very fast, very strong, a lot of speed off the edge," offensive coordinator Eric Kiesau said. "We were having a hard time getting all (our offensive linemen) to stand on them. It was tough at the beginning because of the speed of the game."

Cal's pass rush even made an All-American candidate look pedestrian. CU's senior left tackle Nate Solder was beaten around the end, and Hansen had to flee the pocket after almost every snap. He was sacked four times in the first half alone. That's a tough way to go.

How poorly did Colorado play in the first half? Consider this. After finally moving the ball, the Buffs got zero points after lining up with first-and-goal from the Bears' 3-yard line late in the second quarter. Two penalties against the CU offense — a chop block against junior Ryan Miller and a false start by Solder — pushed the Buffs back. And then, on third-and-goal from the 23, Hansen was sacked.

Senior place-kicker Aric Goodman was called in for a 41-yard field-goal attempt. His kick hooked wide left.

Colorado got the ball back, but Hansen, trying to avoid a sack, tried to get the ball to tight end Ryan Deehan with a left-handed pass. It sailed high, off Deehan's hands, and was returned 41 yards for a touchdown by inside linebacker Mike Mohamed just 11 seconds before halftime.

Colorado managed just 79 yards in total offense in the first half on 36 offensive plays.

Colorado had not faced Cal since exactly 28 years earlier in Boulder, a 31-17 Bears victory which marked the coaching debut of CU's Bill McCartney, as well as Joe Kapp of Cal.

This one wasn't nearly that close.

Colorado hosts Hawaii on Saturday, a game designated as "Alfred Williams Day" to honor the former CU standout's induction into the College Football Hall of Fame in December.

Read more: Buffs outmanned by Cal, lose 52-7 in Pac-12 preview - The Denver Post http://www.denverpost.com/ci_16051222#ixzz0zHBlvvxD

[tr1]

Granted, the Bears tend to fizzle at the end of the season (since I graduated in 1977...ugh!)

But, I think we have something special this year.