2011 Holiday Bowl The 2011 Bridgepoint Education Holiday Bowl , the 34th edition of the game , was a postseason American college football bowl game between the Texas Longhorns of the Big 12 Conference and the California Golden Bears of the Pacific - 12 Conference ( Pac - 12 ) , on December 28 , 2011 at Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego , California . The game was the final contest of the 2011 NCAA Division I - Football Bowl Subdivision ( Division I - FBS ) football season for both teams , and it ended in a 21 - 10 victory for Texas . Texas was selected to play in the 2011 Holiday Bowl following a 7 - 5 regular season that included a last - second victory at Texas A & M and double - digit losses to then - No . 1 Oklahoma , then - No . 7 Oklahoma State , and then - No . 18 Baylor . The Longhorns faced California , who also had an identical 7 - 5 regular season , highlighted by an overtime victory at Colorado and a 3 - point loss to then - No . 8 Stanford . California scored the only points of the first quarter on a 49 - yard field goal by placekicker Giorgio Tavecchio . In the second quarter Texas ' placekicker Justin Tucker missed a 38 - yard field goal but were later able to score on a 4 - yard reverse pass touchdown reception by wide receiver Jaxon Shipley . California answered in the third quarter on a touchdown run by running - back Isi Sofele , but the Golden Bears would not score any more points afterwards . Texas scored later in the third quarter on a 47 - yard reception by wide receiver Marquise Goodwin and in the fourth quarter on a 4 - yard run by running - back Cody Johnson to end the game . Texas quarterback David Ash was named player of the game , and finished with 142 passing yards and one touchdown while also attaining a touchdown reception . Texas linebacker Keenan Robinson was named the defensive MVP after finishing with eight tackles and a pass deflection . Teams . Entering the contest , both teams shared a few similarities . Each had an identical record ( 7 – 5 ) and last played in a bowl during the 2009 season , which they both lost ( Texas lost the BCS National Championship Game to Alabama and Cal lost the Poinsettia Bowl , also in San Diego , to Utah . ) Both teams also identical posted losing records ( 5 – 7 ) during the 2010 season . Their respective records in Holiday Bowl were also split . Texas lead the series with Cal 4 – 0 , and was ranked in the nation ’ s top 10 in each of the series ' games . Both teams were strong on defense with the Longhorns standing at No . 14 in total defense ( 315 . 33 ypg ) and the Bears No . 26 ( 339 . 42 ypg ) . Texas . Texas began the season with a four game winning streak which included a defeat of traditional football powerhouse UCLA in Pasadena . Following a loss to then # 1 Oklahoma , the Longhorns only managed to put together three more wins for the rest of the season , although three of their losses during this period came against higher ranked opponents . Texas finished with a 7 – 5 record following the program ' s first losing season since 1997 . This was Texas ' fifth trip to the Holiday Bowl , the most recent being in 2007 , and their prior record was 2 – 2 . The Texas offense came into the game with the nation ' s No . 19 rushing team ( 210 . 42 ypg ) but only No . 85 in passing ( 193 . 58 ypg ) , while the defense had been stingy against the run at No . 11 ( 103 . 67 ypg ) and No . 47 in pass defense ( 211 . 67 ypg ) . California . California began the season with a three game winning streak , during which head coach Jeff Tedford became with the winningest coach in program history . The Bears then had three straight losses , including their sole home loss of the season . They were able to get four more wins , improving to a 7 – 5 mark following the first losing season in Tedford ' s tenure as head coach . This was Cal ' s third Holiday Bowl , the most recent being in 2006 , and their prior record was 1 – 1 . Coincidentally they had faced Texas teams in all of their Holiday Bowl matchups , with Texas Tech in 2004 and Texas A & M in 2006 . Notably , the 2004 appearance resulted after Texas head coach Mack Brown had lobbied for an invitation to the Rose Bowl over Cal . Tedford said the incident " was a long time ago . I felt bad for our team because I really felt like we deserved to be in the Rose Bowl that year , but we ' re in 2011 now and it is a whole different situation . " Cal has a balanced offense , which is No . 37 in total offense ( 418 . 67 ypg ) , No . 38 in passing ( 251 . 50 ) and No . 48 in rushing ( 167 . 17 ypg ) . Game summary . First quarter . Texas received the ball to start the game but was unable to move the ball past midfield despite a fourth down conversion in their own territory . Cal was able to drive 70 yards on its first possession for a 47 - yard field goal . After a three and out , Texas got the ball back when Zach Maynard was picked off by Quandre Diggs , but in turn went three and out . However Maynard was then sacked for a fumble in Cal territory . Second quarter . Texas ' attempt to capitalize on the turnover failed when a 38 - yard field goal missed . Two possessions later the Longhorns started in Cal territory and were able to drive down to the Cal 4 yard line on a 30 - yard reception by tight end Blaine Irby . They then set up a trick play in which receiver Jaxon Shipley threw a pass to quarterback David Ash for the first touchdown of the game . Third quarter . Cal opened the half with a 69 yard drive that was capped off by a 6 - yard touchdown run by Isi Sofele . However Texas came right back with a 47 - yard scoring reception by receiver Marquise Goodwin to take hold of the lead . The Cal defense held following a Sofele fumble on the ensuing drive , but Maynard was sacked on the final Cal possession of the quarter . Goodwin then had a 37 - yard run to put the ball on the Cal 7 yard line . Fourth quarter . This set up a 4 - yard touchdown run by running back Cody Johnson for the game ' s final score . Late in the quarter the final Cal turnover occurred when receiver Marvin Jones fumbled after making a reception .