Pickin' Splinters » Brian Remington http://www.pickinsplinters.com There's always room for one more on the bench. Fri, 10 Feb 2012 02:05:38 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 This Date in College Football Belt History – September 4 http://www.pickinsplinters.com/2009/09/04/this-date-in-college-football-belt-history-september-4/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=this-date-in-college-football-belt-history-september-4 http://www.pickinsplinters.com/2009/09/04/this-date-in-college-football-belt-history-september-4/#comments Fri, 04 Sep 2009 16:08:34 +0000 Casey http://www.pickinsplinters.com/?p=4637 wilson-leather-official-ncaa-footballThe UCLA Bruins of coach Terry Donahue opened the season against the California Golden Bears of coach Keith Gilbertson.  California’s QB Dave Barr threw 3 touchdown passes but it was two failed 2-point conversion attempts by UCLA that spelled the difference in a 27-25 Golden Bear victory to claim The Belt.  The win gave the Golden Bears The Belt for the second time & first since 1990.  The Golden Bears got on the board after S Matt Clizbe returned a Bruins’ punt 33 yards to the UCLA 38-yard line &, 2 plays later, Barr found WR Mike Caldwell open for a 40-yard touchdown pass.  On Clizbe’s next punt return he fumbled with UCLA’s S Travis Collier recovering at the California 24-yard line.  The turnover set-up a 36-yard field goal by All-American PK Bjorn Merten but the Bruins still trailed 7-3.  The Golden Bears then put together a 6-play, 63-yard drive with Barr connecting with Caldwell from 36 yards for a 14-3 advantage heading into the 2nd quarter.  Another field goal by Merten, this on from 30 yards, opened the 2nd quarter but California countered with a 27-yard field goal from PK Doug Brien for a 17-6 lead.  The Bruins finally got into the end zone on their next drive, an 8-play, 76-yard effort with RB Daron Washington scoring on a 1-yard touchdown run with just 2:26 left in the half.  California was not done as they drove 76 yards in 2:14 with Barr hitting TE Brian Remington for a 6-yard touchdown giving the Golden Bears a 24-13 lead at intermission.  The only points of the 3rd quarter came with just 0:20 left when UCLA’s QB Wayne Cook threw to All-American WR J.J. Stokes for a 5-yard touchdown pass on a drive helped by an excessive celebration penalty against California when the defense thought they had stopped a third down play.  The Bruins tried for a 2-point conversion after the touchdown but, in spite of a diving attempt, Stokes was unable to hold on to Cook’s pass & UCLA still trailed 24-19.  Brien’s 23-yard field goal pushed the California lead back to 8 points at 27-19 with 5:48 left in the game but kept the Bruins with hopes of a tie.  UCLA drove 80 yards in 7 plays with RB Skip Hicks breaking loose on his second carry as a collegian for a 40-yard touchdown run.  Again, the Bruins tried for the 2-point conversion but Cook’s pass to Stokes this time was over his head & the Golden Bears led 27-25 with 3:05 to play.  UCLA had a last chance with the ball at their own 17-yard line with 1:36 to play & no timeouts.  The Bruins drove to the California 20-yard line before the Golden Bears’ All-Pac 10 S Eric Zomalt intercepted a Cook pass with just 0:15 left.  Barr finished with 213 yards passing with 3 touchdowns while RB Lindsey Chapman added 160 yards rushing.  For UCLA, Cook threw for 230 yards with a touchdown while Stokes had 7 catches for 106 yards with his touchdown.  The Bruins finished the season 8-4; Pac 10 Co-Champs, ranked 18th nationally while the Golden Bears finished 9-4 & ranked 25th nationally.  UCLA would play for The Belt again in 6 weeks.

The College Football Belt

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