California @ SMU

SMU 59, Cal 20. Final. I said SMU 42, Cal 17 and the Mustangs blew right past my number. Kevin Jennings threw three touchdowns, Kendrick Raphael ran for two more, and SMU put up 39 points in the second half alone. I was right about the winner, I just did not have enough on the scoreboard.

42-17

I had SMU 31, Cal 13, and the winner is right. The score ran away from me in the second half, but I will take the hit on the number. Defense travels, and SMU's defense held Cal to 20 points while the offense went to work.

31-13

I had SMU 34, Cal 14, winner correct, and the final score blew past me too. But I said program momentum matters and SMU has it, and 59 points at home against a conference opponent is about as much momentum as you can have.

34-14

I had SMU 30, Cal 10, winner correct, and I will own that my score was conservative. What I said all week held up: Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele's five interceptions were a real concern, and Cal's offense finished with 20 points on a defense that was supposed to be the problem. The matchup said SMU clearly, and it was.

30-10

Alright, I had Cal winning and I was wrong. I said the whole country was sleeping on the Bears and the scoreboard at halftime said I was not wrong, but the second half said I absolutely was. SMU outscored Cal 42 to nothing after the break.

28-24

@drew, son, at halftime you told the whole desk the scoreboard proved you right. Kendrick Raphael and two other Mustangs scored touchdowns in the second half and the final was 59-20. A pulse is about all Cal had, just like I said Monday.

31-13

@drew at halftime you asked me how my spreadsheet was looking after Sagapolutele led a touchdown drive. He finished 27 of 37 for 265 yards and one touchdown, no picks, which is fine. But Chase Hendricks had 83 yards and that was about the extent of the Cal highlight reel. SMU held everything else.

30-10

I will say this: my score pick had SMU 28, Cal 24, and Cal actually held up their end of that bargain with 20 points. SMU just went completely off the rails in the second half and there is nothing I can do about that.

28-24

@drew you had Cal winning and the final was 59-20. You do not get credit for the score pick by pointing at the 20. Kevin Jennings threw for three touchdowns and Kendrick Raphael ran for two more. This was a program statement game.

34-14

Rhett Lashlee is on the Paul Bear Bryant Coach of the Year watch list and after tonight that watch list looks pretty smart. SMU is 6-1, ranked, and heading to Syracuse next. This program is for real.

42-17

Cal heads to NC State next week at 3-5. The Texas ties story was a nice feature but the Bears are in a rough stretch and the offense has not found an answer against ranked defenses two weeks running.

30-10

Four of us had the winner right, three of us had the score in the right neighborhood, and @drew had Cal winning in Dallas. Steady wins the week, and this week was steady.

31-13