BEAR NECESSITIES: Jackson, Longshore Lead Redemption Song

We've all heard it, and might've even said it ourselves. But if the SEC is more talented than the Pac-10, no one would've known it watching this game on Saturday.

In last season's opener, these two squads bumped helmets down in Knoxville. And halfway through the third quarter Cal found themselves down by 35. They lost by seventeen. But this time, the Vols headed west, and Cal had redemption on their minds.

They got just that.

With an offense that was way too talen... err, too much for Tennessee, QB Nate Longshore led the Vols up and down the field, showing off his wide array of weapons and firing at seven different receivers. Longshore was also loaded in the backfield where Justin Forsett took 26 carries for 156 yards and one touchdown and Jahvid Best averaged 11.5 yards on his four carries.

And, oh yeah, there's this guy named DeSean Jackson — you may have heard of him — who happens to be Cal's weapon of mass destruction; he had four receptions and after he, in Heisman-like fashion, returned a punt for a 77-yard touchdown, Tennessee never sent another one his way.

Also worth noting is Tennessee's QB Erik Ainge. Going into the game, Ainge sported a broken pinky, and there were doubts about his ability to perform.

Apparently, quarterbacks don't use their pinkies; Ainge was stellar, completing 68 percent of his passes for 271 yards.

Notwithstanding this effort, the Vols came up short, and racking up 45 points against an SEC powerhouse, the Bears didn't just look good; they were, well, golden.

— R. Cooper