California Bowl Football Game

Fresno State and Bowling Green meet today in what will be the last California Bowl football game in its present format and could be the last ever. The Bulldogs (10-1) beat Bowling Green in California Bowls in 1982 and 1985 and in the 1961 Mercy Bowl. The only time the Falcons (10-1) beat Fresno State was in a 1983 regular-season game. The California Bowl's matchup between champions of the Mid-American and Big West conferences ends after this season.

The California Bowl may have gone the way of some other postseason football games that remain only memories. The NCAA refused to certify the game for this year. California Bowl executive director Susan Tatham said NCAA officials told her Monday that the game didn't have enough financial support to keep it afloat. Local officials fell about $500,000 short of a $1.75-million fund-raising goal, even with a 90-day extension granted by the NCAA, Tatham added.

The head coaches were quick to praise their opponent's speed as Western Michigan and Fresno State prepared for the California Bowl football game today at 1 p.m. "Western Michigan has much more speed than any other MAC (Mid-American Conference) team that has played here," Fresno State Coach Jim Sweeney said. Bronco Coach Al Molde agreed but hinted that Fresno State may be faster. "We probably had more quickness than any other team in our conference," Molde said.

The California Bowl might not be played in 1992 because of financial problems. The bowl, which matched winners of the Big West and Mid-American conferences until those conferences recently moved their annual game to Las Vegas, is strapped with $99,000 in unpaid obligations from last season. Boosters seek $750,000 in donations to put on next December's game at Fresno.

Fresno's California Bowl will seek certification as an open postseason football game at an NCAA special events meeting April 26-27. For the last 11 years, the bowl has matched champions of the Big West and Mid-American conferences, but their agreement ended after the 1991 game. Local sponsors are seeking an open game because the host school, Fresno State, has left the Big West for the Western Athletic Conference.

The California Bowl, a fixture in Fresno since 1981, may be heading for Las Vegas. The Las Vegas Review-Journal reported Wednesday that the NCAA postseason committee has approved the transfer of the game, which features the champions of the Big West and Mid-American conferences.

The NCAA has granted Fresno's California Bowl a waiver of a requirement that postseason football games must be played in stadiums seating at least 50,000. The five-year waiver is the first step in an attempt to have an open bowl at Fresno State's 40,500-seat Bulldog Stadium, starting in 1992. "Getting the waiver was a critical first hurdle," Neale Stoner, the bowl's executive director, said. The next hurdle will be a request to the NCAA special events committee in January to certify the bowl.

The California Bowl may have gone the way of some other postseason football games that remain only memories. The NCAA refused to certify the game for this year. California Bowl executive director Susan Tatham said NCAA officials told her Monday that the game didn't have enough financial support to keep it afloat. Local officials fell about $500,000 short of a $1.75-million fund-raising goal, even with a 90-day extension granted by the NCAA, Tatham added.

It's the big-play offense of San Jose State against the stingy defense of Central Michigan when the teams meet in today's California Bowl. The Spartans (8-2-1) averaged 35.2 points (12th best in the nation), but the Chippewas (8-2-1) led the nation in scoring defense, giving up 8.9 points per game. "Most of our wins were in dominating fashion," San Jose State Coach Terry Shea said.

Sheldon Canley scored a California Bowl-record five touchdowns, one on a 59-yard run, as San Jose State scored a 48-24 victory over Central Michigan Saturday. The Big West-champion Spartans led, 26-10, in the third quarter when Canley broke through the line, cut to the left and back to the center of the field around several defenders for the touchdown that put the game out of reach.

Fresno's California Bowl will seek certification as an open postseason football game at an NCAA special events meeting April 26-27. For the last 11 years, the bowl has matched champions of the Big West and Mid-American conferences, but their agreement ended after the 1991 game. Local sponsors are seeking an open game because the host school, Fresno State, has left the Big West for the Western Athletic Conference.

Fresno State and Bowling Green meet today in what will be the last California Bowl football game in its present format and could be the last ever. The Bulldogs (10-1) beat Bowling Green in California Bowls in 1982 and 1985 and in the 1961 Mercy Bowl. The only time the Falcons (10-1) beat Fresno State was in a 1983 regular-season game. The California Bowl's matchup between champions of the Mid-American and Big West conferences ends after this season.

The NCAA has granted Fresno's California Bowl a waiver of a requirement that postseason football games must be played in stadiums seating at least 50,000. The five-year waiver is the first step in an attempt to have an open bowl at Fresno State's 40,500-seat Bulldog Stadium, starting in 1992. "Getting the waiver was a critical first hurdle," Neale Stoner, the bowl's executive director, said. The next hurdle will be a request to the NCAA special events committee in January to certify the bowl.

Sheldon Canley scored a California Bowl-record five touchdowns, one on a 59-yard run, as San Jose State scored a 48-24 victory over Central Michigan Saturday. The Big West-champion Spartans led, 26-10, in the third quarter when Canley broke through the line, cut to the left and back to the center of the field around several defenders for the touchdown that put the game out of reach.

It's the big-play offense of San Jose State against the stingy defense of Central Michigan when the teams meet in today's California Bowl. The Spartans (8-2-1) averaged 35.2 points (12th best in the nation), but the Chippewas (8-2-1) led the nation in scoring defense, giving up 8.9 points per game. "Most of our wins were in dominating fashion," San Jose State Coach Terry Shea said.

Neale Stoner, a former athletic director at Cal State Fullerton and Illinois, was named executive director of the California Raisin Bowl on Friday. Stoner, 53, will take over Feb. 1 from Glen Driscoll, who is retiring as head of the first of each winter's college bowl football games. Stoner was chosen from 70 applicants, said John Wallace, president of the sponsoring Greater San Joaquin Valley Sports Assn.

Neale Stoner, a former athletic director at Cal State Fullerton and Illinois, was named executive director of the California Raisin Bowl on Friday. Stoner, 53, will take over Feb. 1 from Glen Driscoll, who is retiring as head of the first of each winter's college bowl football games. Stoner was chosen from 70 applicants, said John Wallace, president of the sponsoring Greater San Joaquin Valley Sports Assn.

Linebacker Ron Cox is Fresno State's best pass rusher. But he's dangerous even when he doesn't get the quarterback. Cox missed a chance for a fourth-quarter sack, but intercepted David Riley's pass and returned it 58 yards for the game-clinching touchdown as Fresno State won the California Bowl, 27-6, over Ball State Saturday. "The interception was an awesome play by Cox," said Fresno Coach Jim Sweeney, whose Bulldogs have won this game four times in nine years.