1968 California Golden Bears football
ConferencePacific-8 Conference
Record7–3–1 (2–2–1 Pac-8)
Head coach
Home stadiumCalifornia Memorial Stadium
Seasons
← 1967
1969 →
1968 Pacific-8 Conference football standings
Conf Overall
Team W   L   T W   L   T
No. 4 USC $ 6 – 0 – 0 9 – 1 – 1
No. 15 Oregon State 5 – 1 – 0 7 – 3 – 0
Stanford 3 – 3 – 1 6 – 3 – 1
California 2 – 2 – 1 7 – 3 – 1
Oregon 2 – 4 – 0 4 – 6 – 0
UCLA 2 – 4 – 0 3 – 7 – 0
Washington State 1 – 3 – 1 3 – 6 – 1
Washington 1 – 5 – 1 3 – 5 – 2
  • $ – Conference champion
Rankings from AP Poll

The 1968 California Golden Bears football team was an American football team that represented the University of California, Berkeley in the Pacific-8 Conference (Pac-8) during the 1968 NCAA University Division football season. In their fifth year under head coach Ray Willsey, the Golden Bears compiled a 7–3–1 record (2–2–1 in Pac-8, fourth) and outscored their opponents 243 to 114.[1][2] Home games were played on campus at California Memorial Stadium in Berkeley, California.

This year's team came to be known as "The Bear Minimum", led by defensive lineman Ed White, an All-American and future member of College Hall of Fame. Relying on its defense, Cal ranked as high as eighth in the AP poll in early November. The Bears won 21–7 at Michigan in the season opener and shut out No. 10 Syracuse 43–0 in late October. Earning three shutouts, California held its opponents to 10.4 points a game.[3] As of 2011, The Bear Minimum still held Cal's records for opponents' average gains per play – 3.60, as well as the fewest rushing touchdowns per season – five (same as the 1937 "Thunder Team"). Its average yards per rush was 2.51 which is still second only to the "Thunder Team" with 2.50 yards per rush.[4]

California's statistical leaders on offense were quarterback Randy Humphries with 1,247 passing yards, Gary Fowler with 665 rushing yards, and Wayne Stewart with 679 receiving yards.[5]

Schedule

DateTimeOpponentRankSiteTVResultAttendanceSource
September 21at Michigan*
W 21–771,386[6]
September 28Colorado*
ABCW 10–037,500[7]
October 5San Jose State*No. 18
  • California Memorial Stadium
  • Berkeley, CA
W 46–031,279[8]
October 1211:00 a.m.at Army*No. 16
L 7–1032,000[9]
October 19UCLA
  • California Memorial Stadium
  • Berkeley, CA (rivalry)
W 39–1543,107[10]
October 26No. 10 Syracuse*No. 11
  • California Memorial Stadium
  • Berkeley, CA
W 43–052,172[11]
November 2at WashingtonNo. 8
T 7–752,000[12]
November 9at No. 1 USCNo. 11
L 17–3580,787[13]
November 16OregonNo. 18
  • California Memorial Stadium
  • Berkeley, CA
W 36–831,253[14]
November 23StanfordNo. 18
  • California Memorial Stadium
  • Berkeley, CA (Big Game)
L 0–2073,987[15]
November 30at Hawaii*
W 17–1219,042[16]
  • *Non-conference game
  • Rankings from AP Poll released prior to the game
  • All times are in Pacific time

[17]

Roster

1968 California Golden Bears football team roster
Players Coaches
Offense
Pos. # Name Class
TE 84 Jim Brady So
G 55 Gerald Borgia Jr
G 65 Jerome Champion Jr
RB 40 Gary Fowler Jr
TE 85 George Harris Jr
QB 13 Randy Humphries Jr
C 51 Bill Laveroni Jr
FB 83 John McGaffie Sr
OT 77 Mike Meers Jr
QB 15 Dave Penhall So
TE 83 John Phillips Jr
OT 78 Bob Richards Sr
G 66 Dan Ryan Jr
WR 90 Wayne Stewart Sr
WR 21 Paul Williams Sr
Defense
Pos. # Name Class
DE 66 Irby Augustine Jr
LB 50 Phil Croyle So
DT 67 Mark Hultgren Jr
DB 38 Gordie Johnson Jr
DB 42 Eric Kastner Jr
DE 89 Mike McCaffrey Sr
LB 56 Dennis Pitta Sr
DT 72 Larry Reis Sr
DL 73 Steve Schultz Jr
DB 35 Jim Sheridan Jr
DL 70 Ed White Sr
DB 18 Ken Wiedemann Jr
LB 53 Jerry Woods Sr
Special teams
Pos. # Name Class
Head coach
Coordinators/assistant coaches
Legend
  • (C) Team captain
  • (S) Suspended
  • (I) Ineligible
  • Injured Injured
  • Redshirt Redshirt

References

  1. ^ "1968 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. 165. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 26, 2016. Retrieved October 21, 2016.
  3. ^ "The Golden Bears". The Bear Insider. November 12, 2013. Archived from the original on October 27, 2015.
  4. ^ "California Golden Bears 2011 Football Information Guide" (PDF). p. 171. Archived from the original (PDF) on August 21, 2014. Retrieved October 24, 2016.
  5. ^ "1968 California Golden Bears Stats". SR/College Football. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved October 21, 2016.
  6. ^ "Michigan vs California Summary of Football Game Statistics" (PDF). NCAA Football Statistics. NCAA. Archived from the original (PDF) on March 6, 2018. Retrieved February 26, 2018.
  7. ^ "California vs Colorado Summary of Football Game Statistics" (PDF). NCAA Football Statistics. NCAA. Archived from the original (PDF) on March 6, 2018. Retrieved February 26, 2018.
  8. ^ "California vs San Jose State Summary of Football Game Statistics" (PDF). NCAA Football Statistics. NCAA. Archived from the original (PDF) on March 6, 2018. Retrieved February 26, 2018.
  9. ^ "Army vs California Summary of Football Game Statistics" (PDF). NCAA Football Statistics. NCAA. Archived from the original (PDF) on March 6, 2018. Retrieved February 26, 2018.
  10. ^ "California vs UCLA Summary of Football Game Statistics" (PDF). NCAA Football Statistics. NCAA. Archived from the original (PDF) on March 6, 2018. Retrieved February 26, 2018.
  11. ^ "California vs Syracuse Summary of Football Game Statistics" (PDF). NCAA Football Statistics. NCAA. Archived from the original (PDF) on March 6, 2018. Retrieved February 26, 2018.
  12. ^ "Washington vs California Summary of Football Game Statistics" (PDF). NCAA Football Statistics. NCAA. Archived from the original (PDF) on March 6, 2018. Retrieved February 26, 2018.
  13. ^ "USC vs California Summary of Football Game Statistics" (PDF). NCAA Football Statistics. NCAA. Archived from the original (PDF) on March 6, 2018. Retrieved February 26, 2018.
  14. ^ "California vs Oregon Summary of Football Game Statistics" (PDF). NCAA Football Statistics. NCAA. Archived from the original (PDF) on March 6, 2018. Retrieved February 26, 2018.
  15. ^ "California vs Stanford Summary of Football Game Statistics" (PDF). NCAA Football Statistics. NCAA. Archived from the original (PDF) on March 6, 2018. Retrieved February 26, 2018.
  16. ^ "Hawaii vs California Summary of Football Game Statistics" (PDF). NCAA Football Statistics. NCAA. Archived from the original (PDF) on March 6, 2018. Retrieved February 26, 2018.
  17. ^ 2015 Football Information Guide (PDF). Cal Athletics. 2015. p. 165. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 26, 2016.


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