(Written by jsnell)

Let’s see… TV on, check. Find where the heck CSTV is (DirecTV 610, which I had to add via the Sports Pack and pay an extra $10 for just so I could watch this game…), check.

All righty then.

10:57 AM: I’m so glad they’re showing this repeat of the TCU-Baylor 27-0 butt kicking from last week. Wow.

11:01 AM: Phil says, “You are looking live at a non-highly-defined Fort Collins, CO.” We HDTV people are so spoiled.

11:10 AM: Three and out. Not an impressive opening drive for the vaunted Cal juggernaut.

11:14 AM: Now that’s how you punt to DeSean Jackson. Punt to the 3 and have it kick out of bounds. Geez.

11:20 AM: Another stalled series, but with a couple of first downs, at least. Roll on you Bears? Next time? Also, CSTV sucks. Fuzzy picture, terrible “news” crawl at the bottom of the screen listing who’s been suspended or arrested, and some pretty awful cheap-o commercials. And Trev Alberts!

11:24 AM: Colorado State’s driving like they’re Tennessee. Cal’s defense continues its tradition of shaky starts.

11:28 AM:

Touchdown, Colorado State. 7-0 CSU.

11:31 AM:

DeSean Jackson, the Heisman is calling. 70-yard end around for a touchdown. He makes moves on two guys and that’s it. Wow. Is this guy for real?

Roll on you 70-yard running plays… Cal 7, CSU 7.

11:34 AM: Today’s the day for the end around. CSU on a 43-yarder. Also, Phil points out, three things for Cal to work on in practice: 1) tackling. 2) Tackling. 3) TACKLING!!!!

11:38 AM: This defense doesn’t look like it can stop a… thing that’s easily stopped. And yet they seem to play pretty well at the goal line. Force a third and goal, and then hit the QB as he throws — Cal interception.

11:42 AM: Couple of good runs by Forsett to get away from the goal line. Longshore still has fantastic protection. Deep pass is a miss and the screen pass doesn’t work nearly as well as it did last week. Third and long… looks like Hawkins didn’t get it, but a generous spot gives Cal the first down. That was about as bad as the spots Tennessee got last week. But wait! This time, they check the videotape. And there’s no way he got close. If the referees don’t overturn us, they need to set the TiVo in the booth ablaze…. and the bad spot is reversed, so TiVo lives to fight another day.

11:46 AM: End of first quarter. Tied at 7.

11:52 AM: Actual CSTV headline on its bottom-of-screen crawl: “BREAKING NEWS! South Carolina Quarterback was suspended last week for missing Summer School Classes.” Last week you say? Thanks for telling me.

11:53 AM: DeSean Jackson freaks out the punter and he shanks it out of bounds at the 50.

11:55 AM: Morrah with a great leaping catch near the goal line, but now he’s down. I think he just got the wind knocked out of him — nobody hit him. Before the Morrah pass, a nice first down on a long pass to Hawkins.

11:58 AM: Forsett pushes it in from two yards out. Touchdown Bears! Cal 14, CSU 7. Really nice drive — Cal’s offense in sync for the first time today.

12:06 PM: CSU driving now, with a few good passes. Nice delay when the officials decide to review a completion that was clearly legitimate. Was the TiVo feeling lonely?

12:09 PM: Not liking the secondary. Syd’Quan Thompson with a head slap and then he lets the receiver run away from him for a big gain. Also, bad tackling. And now here comes a run by the backup Colorado State RB, down to the Cal 15.

12:11 PM: Phil says: “Basically, they’re counting on the opposing offense to make bad throws. Because they sure don’t cover guys.”

12:14 PM: Touchdown Colorado State. 14-14 tie. The CSU quarterback “broke the plane,” by which I mean he was nowhere near the plane, but I guess we college football fans have to accept that the officiating’s going to be questionable most of the time.

12:21 PM: First Longshore sack of the year. Third and 17! Well, this obviously calls for a three-yard screen pass, and now it’s kicky kicky time! Thin air, I guess. And it’s good! 47-yard field goal by Kay. Wow. Cal 17, CSU 14.

12:28 PM: Halftime! Cal leads by three, 17-14.

Halftime recap: DeSean Jackson had a great single play and the Cal offense had a really nice drive, but stalled a couple other times. The Cal defense has been playing poorly, especially (for the second straight game) in pass coverage. However, a goal-line stand that led to a turnover has kept Cal ahead for now. Still, the defense will need to adjust at the half (as it did last week) for Cal to win this one.

12:44 PM: Tedford: “We have to tackle better. We just have to tackle better.”

12:49 PM: Kickoff! And we’re back at it. Colorado State ball, 1st and 10 on the 27.

12:50 PM: Big sack on first down for Cal, Alualu tosses Hanie back to the 15, loss of 10.

12:52 PM: D-Jax fields a short punt on the run and returns it 15 yards into CSU territory.

12:53 PM: Funny shot. On special teams this week Best is wearing a number 14 jersey over his number 4 jersey, specifically so Cal doesn’t get flagged for double numbers again. Then on the sideline someone frantically yanks it off of him so he can go back on the field as number 4 — and get a first down! Roll on you Bears…

12:56 PM: CSU doesn’t fall for the fake end-around, Longshore pressured and has to throw it away. Kicky kicky again. Jordan Kay from 41… it’s good! Cal 20, CSU 14.

1:02 PM: So, uh, my son peed on the couch. (He’s three and has a fever and while we were happy that he fell asleep on the couch, that’s turned into a horror show all of a sudden) Apparently while I was cleaning that up, Cal’s defense stiffened mightily and forced a CSU punt. Fortunately I am not a superstitious fan, otherwise I would be forcing my son to pee on my couch at every CSU possession from now on.

1:05 PM: D-Jax has the first down, but tries to get more, turns around, fumbles the ball back behind the first-down marker, and falls on it. Take your first down, DeSean. Not every play must be a highlight reel play. Stupid.

1:06 PM: Cal goes for it on 4th and 2, Longshore throws to Hawkins for a touchdown, but it’s all called back on a hold on Mike Tepper. Gah!

1:08 PM: Phil says: “Someone really needs to instill in the Cal receivers the notion that on 3rd down, you should concentrate on getting the first down.”

1:11 PM: Another three and out for CSU. The pee magic is still in effect!

1:12 PM: My son is back with me (see photo above) and we’re now pee free. Hooray.

1:14 PM: Running game is stalled out. Two rushes, 4 yards. Third down. Longshore fumbles the snap, passes incomplete, and it’s punt time. At some point CSU is going to realize they can win this game, guys…

1:18 PM: Felder hits Hanie and Cal picks up his fumble. First down Bears!

1:20 PM: Another false start penalty pushes Cal back to second and long. Long pass to DeSean is overthrown in the end zone. On 3rd and 13, Forsett gains a first down on a really nice run… and it’s called back on a holding penalty on Cal. DUMB.

1:22 PM: End of third quarter. Cal 20, CSU 14.

1:25 PM: Longshore misses Hawkins on 3rd and long redux, and Cal will have to punt. Longshore not looking sharp here.

1:27 PM: Phil: “I’m getting an Arizona vibe here.” I concur. CSU offense is moving the ball again.

1:30 PM: Justin Moye gets the interception off a Hanie pass and returns it 28 yards, but then Cal gets called for unsportsmanlike. Cal ball at the CSU 42, but it should be at the 27.

1:34 PM: Jahvid Best runs for a first down on the misdirection. You get Best in space and he’s dangerous.

1:38 PM: And James Montgomery is heard from! Runs it down to the 2 yard line. First and goal, Cal!

1:39 PM: Touchdown Bears! James Montgomery again, this time for the score. Cal 27, CSU 14.

1:42 PM: That was a pretty good drive, penaties notwithstanding.

1:46 PM: Hanie with a nice long pass to the 50. I’m a lot more comfortable with the 13-point-lead, but let’s hope the Cal defense isn’t.

1:47 PM: 7:29 to go in the 4th. CSU with a nice pass play, first down at the Cal 32.

1:49 PM: Syd Thompson makes a play batting a ball away from the CSU receiver. On 3rd and 9, Cal blitzes and Ezeff knocks away Hanie’s pass downfield. Fourth and 9, an incompletion and Cal takes over on downs with 6:39 to go.

1:51 PM: Holy cow. Jahvid Best breaks a zillion tackles (okay, three) and runs for a 64-yard touchdown on what should have been a short gain. Cal 33, CSU 14 with 5:49 to go.

1:55 PM: This is the second event I’ve liveblogged this week. Gotta say, the Steve Jobs presentation on Wednesday was better. But I will take a Cal win regardless. This was one of those cases where Cal had to shake off the cobwebs and struggle a bit before pulling away. Colorado State strikes me as one of those teams that will cause you trouble but if you can get up on them by two touchdowns, you’re basically out of reach.

2:00 PM: Hanie with a 67-yard bomb to Morton, Touchdown Colorado State! Cal 34, CSU 21. 4:37 to go.

2:02 PM: CSU gets an onside kick. First down CSU at the 50. 3:40 to go.

2:03 PM: Deep pass, complete. First down CSU inside the 5. 3:15 to go.

2:05 PM: Bell on the handoff, Touchdown Colorado State! Cal 34, CSU 28.

2:05 PM: This is getting scary. That’s 14 CSU points in about five realtime minutes.

2:07 PM: CSU goes for the loft kick and it goes out of bounds. Cal ball with 2:54 to go.

2:07 PM: Forsett runs for a gain of 4. Timeout. Forsett again, short gain. Timeout. 2:39 to go, 3rd down.

2:10 PM: Are these CSU fans kicking themselves for leaving early?

2:10 PM: Montgomery with the ball. First down Cal. 2:34 to go, CSU out of timeouts.

2:11 PM: Montgomery, gain of 2. Clock moving under 2:00.

2:12 PM: Montgomery runs for a first down. 1:23 to go.

2:13 PM: The final gun! Despite a late desperation rally, CSU falls short. Final Score: Cal 34, CSU 28.

2:15 PM: Tedford: “We didn’t play very well… It’s obvious that you need to tackle, that you need to play four quarters in all phases of the game. We’re very fortunate that we got a win here.”