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ByBernieWilson TheAssociatedPress SAN DIEGO The Minnesota Golden Gophers are as ready as they can be to play a bowl game they considered skipping just 10 days ago. As 10-point underdogs, the Gophers will have their hands full against Luke Falk and Washington State (8-4) in the Holiday Bowl on Tuesday night. The Golden Gophers (8-4) are trying to regroup after backing down from their threat to skip this game if 10 teammates sus- pended after a sexual assault in- vestigation weren't reinstated. Their boycott lasted less than 36 hours, with university lead- ership never blinking. The players backed down amid pressure from many who read details of the allegations. Once they arrived in San Di- ego, the Golden Gophers tried to put that behind them and focus on playing in a bowl that has a tradition of wild finishes. "We have practiced well, so that hasn't been an issue," coach Tracy Claeys said Monday. "At the same time you want them to have fun and enjoy the things that are here. As a staff we just ask that when we're on football time, and those three or four hours a day, that they concen- trate and do their best to pre- pare for the game. ... They've done a good job of separating that from the trips that we have been able to do as a team." Here are some things to watch when the Golden Gophers play in their first California bowl game since the 1962 Rose Bowl: TALL TASK Among the 10 Min- nesota players suspended were starting defensive backs Ki- Ante Hardin and Antoine Win- field Jr., and key backup Antonio Shenault. Claeys will have to ro- tate in new players who will face Washington State's Air Raid of- fense led by Falk, who com- pleted 71 percent of his passes in throwing for 4,204 yards and COLLEGE FOOTBALL GOPHERS FOCUS ON WSU IN HOLIDAY BOWL PHOTOBYDYLANBUELL—GETTYIMAGES KiAnte Hardin of the Minnesota Golden Gophers is one of 10players who is suspended from the team and unable to play in the Holiday Bowl against Washington State on Tuesday. NATI HARNIK — THE ASSOCIATED PRESS FILE The Minnesota Golden Gophers have a new sunny bowl venue by the sea to explore in San Diego. They will play in the Holiday Bowl in San Diego against Washington State on Tuesday. By Cam Inman Bay Area News Group SANTA CLARA Chip Kelly, fresh off ending a franchise-record 13- game losing streak, is not talk- ing about his possible encore as 49ers coach next season. That was the case in Mon- day's press conference, as well as any discussions up to this point with the York-family ownership. "I'm concerned with Seat- tle," Kelly said of Sunday's sea- son finale against the Seahawks at Levi's Stadium. "(Next year's status) shouldn't be discussed during the season, so we'll dis- cuss it after the season." Kelly talks regularly with 49ers co-owner John York and his son, CEO Jed York, but Kelly noted they haven't yet broached 2017. Kelly added that the Yorks routinely have been in the locker room after games, including Sat- urday's last-minute, 22-21 come- back win over the host Los An- geles Rams. Did that overdue win earn Kelly a second season? Jed York did not return a message seek- ing comment, and neither he nor his parents have commented on Kelly or, for that matter, general manager Trent Baalke, who is in his seventh season as their personnel czar. If a new GM is hired, it's fair to reason that Kel- ly's fate could be up to Baalke's replacement. History is — and is not — on Kelly's side whether he will re- 49ERS SF, Kelly mum on next season's status By Doug Feinberg The Associated Press It's been a wonderful few months for Cal coach Lindsay Gottlieb. She's pregnant with her first child due next spring, her team is unbeaten through non-confer- ence play and now the Bears are back in the Top 25. The Bears en- tered The Associated Press wom- en's basketball poll at No. 21 on Monday. UConn remained the top choice, as the unanimous No. 1. "Definitely for me I think it's nice, but I understand how these things go. A lot of it is percep- tion," Gottlieb said. "For these young women who handled los- ing last year and finished strong. They did nothing but bring this program back to where we can be. Hopefully it's a motivating factor to keep doing what we are doing." The Bears are 12-0 and off to the best start in school history. They open up Pac-12 play in Ar- izona on Thursday before facing No. 18 Arizona State on Sunday. "You look at every weekend and there isn't an easy one," Gottlieb said of the conference which has seven teams ranked and three more just outside the Top 25. "For us going to start at Arizona is a re- peat of what we did last year that didn't go so well. Our players are motivated and ready for confer- ence play." Cal was 15-17 last season, the first losing one under Gottlieb. With most of the team back, in- cluding star sophomore forward Kristine Anigwe, the Bears have been stellar so far. "It's a very similar cast of char- acters to last year. Every sin- gle person was in a new role last year," Gottlieb said. "We have sim- ilar talent and much more under- standing in roles. ... Whether you call it gelling, maturing or just owning roles better. It's Cal ver- sion 2.0." While Cal has won its first 12 games to start the season, UConn continues to roll. The Huskies re- ceived all 33 first place votes again after beating then-No. 12 Ohio State and Nebraska to stretch their winning streak to 86 consecutive games. UConn faces No. 4 Maryland on Thurs- day. A victory would be the team's 30th straight on the road tying the NCAA record. It would also leave them three victories short of matching the 90-game over- all winning streak the school set from 2008-11. WOMEN'S COLLEGE BASKETBALL UC on n st il l unanimous No. 1 in AP hoops poll TONY AVELAR — THE ASSOCIATED PRESS FILE Matt McGloin (14) will take over at quarterback for the Oakland Raiders in place of the injured Derek Carr. By Josh Dubow The Associated Press ALAMEDA Two days after los- ing star quarterback Derek Carr to a broken leg that dealt a seri- ous blow to Oakland's Super Bowl hopes, Raiders coach Jack Del Rio has no regrets about the decision to pass the ball with a 19-point lead in the fourth quarter. Del Rio said Monday that the decision to stay aggressive with 11 minutes left Saturday and Oak- land leading Indianapolis 33- 14 was validated when the Colts rallied within eight points before losing . "You won by one score basi- cally," Del Rio said. "Andrew Luck, people here in the Bay Area have a pretty good understanding of what he's capable of. I know I do. We felt like you had to keep the pedal down on that opponent and that quarterback and that game. You're talking about a team fac- ing elimination." The decision to pass on a sec- ond-and-18 proved harmful when usually reliable left tackle Donald Penn lost his footing and allowed his first sack of the season. Trent Cole twisted Carr to the ground and broke his right leg on the sack . Now, instead of looking to roll into their first playoff berth since 2002 behind Carr and a high- powered offense, the Raiders (12- 3) hand the reins to Matt Mc- Gloin. The 2013 undrafted free agent hasn't started a game since that year. McGloin will get his first test Sunday in Denver when the Raid- ers can clinch the AFC West and a first-round bye with a victory over the Broncos, or if Kansas City loses in San Diego. If Oak- land loses the game and the di- vision, the Raiders will open the postseason on wild-card weekend at AFC South champion Houston. With so much still at stake, the Raiders have no time to feel bad RAIDERS DelRionotsecond-guessingcall Oakland called pass play with 19-point lead when Carr injury occurred Only team in modern era to have fired back-to-back coaches a er one season BOWL PAGE 2 RAIDERS PAGE 2 49ERS PAGE 2 ELAINE THOMPSON — THE ASSOCIATED PRESS FILE Cal was 15-17last season, the first losing one under coach Lindsay Gottlieb. With most of the team back, including star sophomore forward Kristine Anigwe, le , the Bears have been stellar so far. SPORTS » redbluffdailynews.com Tuesday, December 27, 2016 MORE AT FACEBOOK.COM/RBDAILYNEWS AND TWITTER.COM/REDBLUFFNEWS B1