If this was Clemson's idea of finesse, the Tigers probably don't want California to give them a lesson in power football.
All week leading up to the Citrus Bowl, Cal's Golden Bears listened as the Clemson players described them as being the epitome of glitzy, West Coast football.The trash talk stopped Wednesday after No. 8 Cal built a 17-0 lead in the first quarter and cruised to a 37-13 victory.
"We had a little more incentive," Cal nose guard Mack Travis said. "I think we showed the nation that West Coast football can win games and that we can play with the best of them."
The outcome left Clemson quarterback DeChane Cameron silent on the subjects of Cal's finesse and the 18th-ranked Tigers' preferred physical style.
"Anything that any of us said this week could have fired them up," said Cameron, who completed 15 of 33 passes under heavy pressure and was intercepted once. "I wouldn't say that we took them lightly. They just executed better than we did."
Clemson had the nation's best rushing defense, giving up only 53.4 yards per game this season. Cal ran for 146.
The Tigers had not allowed a runner to reach the 100-yard mark since 1988. Cal's Russell White got 103.
Clemson had surrendered just 86 yards all season on punt returns. Cal's Brian Treggs had five returns for 124 yards, including a 72-yarder for the TD that gave the Golden Bears a 17-0 edge.
"That's about as good as we've played," Cal coach Bruce Snyder said. "I cannot believe that we beat them like this. I don't think I've been more excited."
"This game hurts," Clemson coach Ken Hatfield said. "I think the best team won."
The Tigers also were hurting themselves. They stopped Cal on a third down early in the first quarter, but Brentson Buckner was called for punching quarterback Mike Pawlawski. Buckner was ejected, Cal was given a first down and eventually got the first of Doug Brien's three field goals to make it 10-0.
"They were good enough by themselves," Hatfield said, "We didn't need to help them, but we did."
Pawlawski, voted the game's most valuable player, finished with 230 yards on 21-of-32 passing.