Cal Football: Golden Bears' Bowl History

Cal's 25th postseason matchup: Bears face Texas Tech in the Independence Bowl at Shreveport, Louisiana.

Cal returns to postseason action for the first time since 2019 on Saturday when the Bears take on Texas Tech in the Independence Bowl at Shreveport, Louisiana.

This is Cal's 25th bowl appearance, dating back to the 1920 Rose Bowl, when coach Andy Smith's "Wonder Team" stunned the college football world with a 28-0 victory over heavily favored Ohio State.

The Bears are 12-11-1 in bowl games. 

Saturday's game kicks off at 6:15 p.m. PT and will be aired on ESPN.

CAL’S BOWL HISTORY

— 2019 REDBOX BOWL: Cal 35, Illinois 20

Chase Garbers threw 4 TDs and ran for a fifth score and Christopher Brown Jr. rushed for 120 yards

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— 2018 CHEEZ-IT BOWL: TCU 10, Cal 7

Jaylinn Hawkins had 3 interceptions but the Bears threw 5 in an almost unwatchable game

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Jared Goff / Photo courtesy of Cal Athletics

— 2015 ARMED FORCES BOWL: Cal 55, Air Force 36

Jared Goff capped a prolific career with 467 passing yards and 6 TDs, 3 of them to Kenny Lawler

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— 2011 HOLIDAY BOWL: Texas 21, Cal 10

The Longhorns stuffed the Bears’ run game, holding them to 7 rushing yards in a decisive outcome

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— 2009 POINSETTIA BOWL: No. 23 Utah 37, Cal 27

Shane Vereen rushed for 122 yards and a TD but Utah won its 9th straight bowl game

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— 2008 EMERALD BOWL: Cal 24, Miami 17

Jahvid Best ran for 186 yards and Nate Longshore threw the winning TD to Anthony Miller with 2:37 left

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— 2007 ARMED FORCES BOWL: Cal 42, Air Force 36

Kevin Riley threw for 269 yards and 3 TDs as the Bears rallied to win after a slow start

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— 2006 HOLIDAY BOWL: No. 20 Cal 45, No. 21 Texas A&M 10

Marshawn Lynch and Justin Forsett combined for 235 rushing yards and Nate Longshore threw for 235 and a TD

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Marshawn Lynch / Photo courtesy of Cal Athletics

— 2005 LAS VEGAS: Cal 35, BYU 28

Marshawn Lynch ran for 194 yards and 3 TDs and DeSean Jackson caught 2 scoring passes

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— 2004 HOLIDAY BOWL: No. 23 Texas Tech 45, No. 4 Cal 31

Miffed they weren’t at the Rose Bowl, the Bears were sliced up by Sonny Crumbie’s 520 passing yards

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Aaron Rodgers / Photo courtesy of Cal Athletics

— 2003 INSIGHT BOWL: Cal 52, Virginia Tech 49

Aaron Rodgers threw for 2 TDs and ran for 2 and Tyler Fredrickson won it with a 35-yard FG as time expired

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— 1996 ALOHA BOWL: Navy 42, Cal 38

Pat Barnes threw 3 touchdowns but Navy rolled up 646 yards of offense on the Bears

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— 1993 ALAMO BOWL: Cal 37, Iowa 3

Dave Barr threw 3 TDs, Jerrott Willard had a pick-6 and the Bears held Iowa to 90 total yards

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Russell White / Photo courtesy of Cal Athletics

— 1991 FLORIDA CITRUS BOWL: No. 14 Cal 37, No. 13 Clemson 13

Cal’s best team since the Pappy Waldorf era got big days from Russell White & Brian Treggs to blitz Clemson

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— 1990 COPPER BOWL: Cal 17, Wyoming 15

Picked last in the Pac-10, the Bears instead scored Cal’s first bowl victory since the 1938 Rose Bowl

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— 1979 GARDEN STATE BOWL: No. 20 Temple 28, Cal 17

Cal’s first bowl appearance in 20 years was over quickly as the Owls zoomed to a 21-0 first-quarter lead

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— 1958 ROSE BOWL: No. 2 Iowa 38, No. 16 Cal 12 (Jan. 1, 1959)

The Hawkeyes steamrolled Cal with 429 rushing yards in the Bears’ most recent Rose Bowl appearance

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— 1950 ROSE BOWL: Michigan 14, Cal 6 (Jan. 1, 1951)

A third straight New Year’s Day defeat at Pasadena left the Bears at No. 5 in the final AP Top-25

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— 1949 ROSE BOWL: No. 6 Ohio State 17, Cal 14 (Jan. 1, 1950)

The undefeated Bears led 7-0 at halftime before the Buckeyes kicked a game-winning field goal with 1:57 left

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— 1948 ROSE BOWL: No. 7 Northwestern 20, No. 4 Cal 10

Jackie Jensen ran 67 yards for a touchdown but left the game with leg cramps

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Vic Bottari / Photo courtesy of Cal Athletics

— 1937 ROSE BOWL: No. 2 Cal 13, No. 4 Alabama 0 (Jan. 1, 1938)

Vic Bottari’s two TDs helped the Bears claim the mythical national championship

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— 1928 ROSE BOWL: Georgia Tech 8, Cal 7 (Jan. 1, 1929)

Most remembered for Roy Reigels’ infamous “Wrong Way” run on a fumble return

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— 1921 ROSE BOWL: Cal 0, Washington & Jefferson 0 (Jan.1, 1922)

The Presidents, reportedly armed with older players, forced a scoreless tie on quagmire of a field

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Brick Muller, left, and coach Andy Smith / Photos courtesy of Cal Athletics

— 1920 ROSE BOWL: Cal 28, Ohio State 0 (Jan. 1, 1921)

Andy Smith's “Wonder Team” routed the favored Buckeyes, sparked by Brick Muller’s stunning 50-yard TD pass

Cover photo of Jackie Jensen courtesy of Cal Athletics

Follow Jeff Faraudo of Cal Sports Report on Twitter: @jefffaraudo