Texas vs. CAL Point Spread, Betting Odds, & Picks 2011 Holiday Bowl Matchup
The Pac-12 and Big 12 conferences meet up in San Diego Dec. 28 in the second of two San Diego bowl games. California ended the regular season strongly, while Texas has staggered to the finish line, but both teams played quality football to qualify for bowl games which a free winner can be found at Wunderdog’s college football picks. This will be a chance to end the season on a high note when they clash in the Bridgepoint Education Holiday Bowl.
Texas has been victorious in all four games vs. Cal, though the last meeting was back in 1970.
The live Holiday Bowl line list the Longhorns as a 3-point favorite, while the total has been listed at 47.5 points.
California
The Golden Bears enter this matchup on a pretty good run, having won three of their last four games, with the only blip a 31-28 defeat to top-10 Stanford. Recently, Cal won at Arizona State, 47-38, to end up fourth in the Pac-12 North (4-5) and post a 2-4 record away from home.
Cal ranks 47th in the country in scoring (30 points per game) while compiling 418 yards per game (252 through the air, 166 rushing). Zach Maynard has hit on 57 % of his passes for 2,806 yards and 17 touchdowns with 11 interceptions. The offensive line has surrendered 22 sacks.
Keenan Allen paces the receiving crops with 89 catches (34 more than anyone else) for 1,261 yards and six scores, while Isi Sofele paces the running game with 1,266 yards and nine touchdowns on 5.5 yards per contest.
Defensively, the Golden Bears rank 52nd in the nation in points given up (24 ppg), surrendering 339 yards per game (209 passing, 130 running) while recording 32 sacks and generating 23 turnovers two of which converted to TDs (Trevor Guyton, fumble; Josh Hill, interception).
Mychal Kendricks paces the defense with 96 stops, adding three sacks, a team-best two interceptions and two fumble recoveries, while D.J. Holt adds 81 tackles with two sacks. Guyton and Ernest Owusu have nine combined sacks, pitching in 69 stops, three forced fumbles and two recoveries.
Texas
The Longhorns started 4-0 but have struggled coming into this contest, dropping three of their last four contests most recently a 48-24 defeat at Baylor. Overall, Texas was 3-3 as a visitor this season, but did win its only contest in the state of California a 49-20 win at UCLA.
The Longhorns rank 42nd nationally in points given up (23 ppg), allowing 316 yards per game (212 through the air, 104 running) while compiling 23 sacks and generating 21 turnovers with one being returned for a TD (Carrington Byndom, pick).
Emmanuel Acho anchors this defensive unit with 122 stops (26 more than any other player), chipping in three sacks and a forced fumble, while Alex Okafor has seven sacks, 54 tackles, two forced fumbles and one recovery. Quandre Diggs adds a team-high three picks with 48 stops and two forced fumbles.
Texas rates 53rd in the country in scoring offense (29 ppg), compiling 404 yards per game (210 running, 194 via the pass). Malcolm Brown leads the ground game with 707 yards and five scores on 4.4 yards per attempt.
David Ash and Case McCoy switch off at QB, combining to connect on 59 % of their attempts for 1,971 yards and 10 scores with 12 picks. The offensive line has given up 26 sacks. Mike Davis is the best receiving target with 45 grabs for 609 yards and one score, while Jaxon Shipley has 40 grabs for 593 yards and three touchdowns in nine games.
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