Dramatic Super Bowl XLIX Win For Former Cal Running Back And Patriots

Information submitted by Cal Athletics:

Former Cal running back Shane Vereen and New England won Super Bowl XLIX in dramatic fashion Sunday with a 28-24 victory over defending Super Bowl champion Seattle and fellow former Golden Bear running back Marshawn Lynch in a game played at the University of Phoenix Stadium.

Vereen had a game-high 11 receptions for 64 yards, while adding four rushes for 13. He had 26 total yards on the Patriots’ game-winning drive with three catches for 19 yards and one rush for seven. The drive was capped when Super Bowl MVP Tom Brady found Julian Edelman in the end zone for a three-yard touchdown pass with 2:02 remaining.

After New England took a 28-24 lead on the game-winning drive, Seattle drove 79 yards to the New England one-yard line and appeared poised to take the lead before Russell Wilson was intercepted by Patriots’ rookie Malcom Butler at New England’s one-yard line with 0:20remaining.

Lynch rushed for a game-high 102 yards and the contest’s lone rushing touchdown on 24 carries with his score coming on a three-yard run with 2:16 remaining in the second quarter. Lynch also had a 31-yard reception on the first play of the Seahawks’ final drive and got Seattle down to the one-yard line with a four-yard run before Wilson threw the interception.

Lynch also scored the lone rushing touchdown in last season’s Super Bowl and is the only former Cal player to have ever scored in the contest. Aaron Rodgers and Craig Morton have thrown for touchdowns in previous Super Bowls.

Vereen was a rookie on New England’s roster when the Patriots were defeated 21-17 by the New York Giants in Super Bowl XLVI but did not play in the game.

Cal has had at least one former player on a Super Bowl roster 13 times in the last 14 seasons.

Lynch and Vereen were among 11 former Cal players involved in this season’s NFL Playoffs with the others Lorenzo Alexander (Arizona), C.J. Anderson (Denver), Thomas DeCoud (Carolina), Justin Forsett (Baltimore), L.P. Ladouceur (Dallas), Ron Rivera (Carolina head coach), Aaron Rodgers (Green Bay), Richard Rodgers (Green Bay) and Jeremy Ross (Detroit). Two others – Brandon Mebane (Seattle) and Marvin Jones (Cincinnati) – were on injured reserve for playoff teams.

SUPER BOWL XLIX
Sunday, February 1, 2015 (University of Phoenix Stadium, Glendale, AZ – 4:30 pm MT/3:30 pm PT, NBC)
New England 28, vs. Seattle 24

NFL PLAYOFFS RESULTS
WILD CARD ROUND
Saturday, January 3, 2015
NFC – at No. 4 Carolina 27, No. 5 Arizona 16 (ESPN)
AFC – No. 6 Baltimore 30, at No. 3 Pittsburgh 17 (NBC)

Sunday, January 4, 2015
AFC – at No. 4 Indianapolis 26, No. 5 Cincinnati 10 (CBS)
NFC – at No. 3 Dallas 24, Detroit 20 (FOX)

DIVISIONAL ROUND
Saturday, January 10, 2015
AFC – at No. 1 New England 35, No. 6 Baltimore 31 (NBC)
NFC – at No. 1 Seattle 31, No. 4 Carolina 17 (FOX)

Sunday, January 11, 2015
NFC – at No. 2 Green Bay 26, No. 3 Dallas 21 (FOX)
AFC – No. 4 Indianapolis 24, at No. 2 Denver 13 (CBS)

CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIP GAMES
Sunday, January 18, 2015
NFC – at No. 1 Seattle 28, No. 2 Green Bay 22 – OT (FOX)
AFC – at No. 1 New England 45, No. 4 Indianapolis 7 (CBS)

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