1928 California Golden Bears football
Rose Bowl, L 7–8 vs. Georgia Tech
ConferencePacific Coast Conference
Record6–2–2 (3–0–2 PCC)
Head coach
CaptainIrvine Phillips
Home stadiumCalifornia Memorial Stadium
Uniform
Seasons
← 1927
1929 →
1928 Pacific Coast Conference football standings
Conf Overall
Team W   L   T W   L   T
No. 1 USC $ 4 – 0 – 1 9 – 0 – 1
No. 2 California ^ 3 – 0 – 2 6 – 2 – 2
No. 4 Stanford 4 – 1 – 1 8 – 3 – 1
Oregon 4 – 2 – 0 9 – 2 – 0
Washington State 4 – 3 – 0 7 – 3 – 0
Oregon State 2 – 3 – 0 6 – 3 – 0
Idaho 2 – 3 – 0 3 – 4 – 1
Washington 2 – 4 – 0 7 – 4 – 0
UCLA 0 – 4 – 0 4 – 4 – 1
Montana 0 – 5 – 0 4 – 5 – 1
  • $ – Conference champion
  • ^ – Selected as Rose Bowl representative (USC declined)
Rankings from Dickinson System

The 1928 California Golden Bears football team was an American football team that represented the University of California, Berkeley in the Pacific Coast Conference (PCC) during the 1928 college football season. In their third year under head coach Nibs Price, the team compiled a 6–2–2 record (3–0–2 against PCC opponents), finished in second place in the PCC, lost to Georgia Tech in the 1929 Rose Bowl, and outscored its opponents by a combined total of 141 to 36.[1][2] The team was ranked No. 2 in the nation in the Dickinson System ratings released in December 1928.[3]

The Rose Bowl game has become one of the most famous moments in Rose Bowl history.[4] In the second quarter, California's defense forced a Georgia Tech fumble on their own 30-yard line, and the loose ball was scooped up by California center Roy Riegels. He began to run towards the Georgia Tech end zone for a score, but then, in trying to get around the Tech players, he inexplicably turned around and headed in the other direction. Riegels advanced all the way to the Golden Bears' one-yard line before teammate Benny Lom was able to stop him, whereupon he was immediately tackled by what seemed like the entire Georgia Tech team. California elected to punt on the next play; the punt was blocked for a safety, giving the Yellow Jackets a 2–0 lead and what turned out to be the decisive points.[5]

Schedule

DateOpponentSiteResultAttendanceSource
September 29Santa Clara*
W 22–040,000[6]
October 6Saint Mary's*
  • California Memorial Stadium
  • Berkeley, CA
W 7–060,000[7]
October 13Washington State
  • California Memorial Stadium
  • Berkeley, CA
W 13–330,000[8]
October 20USC
  • California Memorial Stadium
  • Berkeley, CA
T 0–074,245 or 80,000[9][10]
October 27Olympic Club*
  • California Memorial Stadium
  • Berkeley, CA
L 0–12
November 3Oregon
  • California Memorial Stadium
  • Berkeley, CA
W 13–0
November 10at Washington
W 6–020,000[11]
November 17Nevada*
  • California Memorial Stadium
  • Berkeley, CA
W 60–0
November 24Stanford
  • California Memorial Stadium
  • Berkeley, CA (Big Game)
T 13–13
January 1, 1929vs. Georgia Tech*
L 7–866,604
  • *Non-conference game

[12]

References

  1. ^ "1928 California Golden Bears Schedule and Results". SR/College Football. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved October 21, 2016.
  2. ^ "California 2015 Football Information Guide" (PDF). CalBears.com. Cal Golden Bears Athletics. p. 162. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 26, 2016. Retrieved October 21, 2016.
  3. ^ "Trojans Rated as Leading College Team in Country". The Brooklyn Daily Eagle. December 9, 1928. p. 42 – via Newspapers.com.
  4. ^ GLICK, SHAV (August 9, 1991). "Wrong-Way Run Finally Turns Out Right: College football: Despite his mistake that cost Cal in 1929, Roy Riegels is inducted into Rose Bowl Hall of Fame". Los Angeles Times. ISSN 0458-3035. Retrieved November 13, 2015.
  5. ^ "Wrong Way Reigels". Georgia Tech Alumni Magazine. Georgia Tech Alumni Association. Spring 1998. Archived from the original on October 26, 2007. Retrieved September 15, 2007.
  6. ^ "Dink" Templeton (September 30, 1928). "Bears Win, 22-0: Lom, Eisan Star for U. C.; Captain Irv Phillips Scores First Touchdown at Berkeley". The San Francisco Examiner. pp. 35, 38 – via Newspapers.com.
  7. ^ William Leiser (October 7, 1928). "Bears Triumph, 7-0: Pass Lom to Norton, Wins for California". The San Francisco Examiner. pp. 35, 39 – via Newspapers.com.
  8. ^ '16 Cougar Football (PDF). Washington State University Athletics. p. 81.
  9. ^ USC Football 2017 Media Guide (PDF). University of Southern California Athletics. p. 70.
  10. ^ Theon Wright (October 21, 1928). "Lom's Great Punting Checks Trojan Attack: Price's Defense Crushes Don Williams' Flank Plays". Oakland Tribune. pp. 1D, 3D – via Newspapers.com.
  11. ^ 2017 Washington Football Information (PDF). University of Washington Athletics. p. 189.
  12. ^ 2015 Football Information Guide (PDF). Cal Athletics. 2015. p. 162. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 26, 2016.


Categories