California vs. Texas: The 7 Best Matchups of the 2011 Holiday Bowl

A bowl battle between two 7-5 teams usually doesn't draw a lot of national interest, but when you look at the type of talent that California and Texas have this year, you can see that the 2011 Holiday Bowl is definitely worth checking out.

The Bears and the Longhorns may not have had the type of campaigns that they were hoping for this year, but they both will have the chance to salvage their seasons with a bowl win, and they'll also have the opportunity to build some much-needed momentum for next season.

There will be a lot of playmakers on the field in San Diego, and here's a look at which teams will hold the edge in the key position battles of the game.

QB: Zach Maynard vs. Case McCoy and David Ash

Cal QB Zach Maynard certainly had his fair share of growing pains in his first season as a starter, but the junior signal-caller grew up a lot this season, and looking back on it, he definitely showed some flashes of his enormous potential—he could become a future star under QB guru Jeff Tedford.

Sure, his numbers—57 percent completion percentage, 17:11 touchdown to interception ratio—weren't exactly mind-blowing, but Maynard showed that he's got all the skills to be an impact player at the quarterback position in the years to come.

Those same types of glimpses of hope weren't shown by either of Texas' two quarterbacks, Case McCoy or David Ash, who both struggled this season replacing Garrett Gilbert. 

Ash and McCoy will split reps in the Holiday Bowl, but I wouldn't be surprised if Maynard outperforms the both of them, just as long as he can handle the pressure he's going to face from the ferocious Texas defensive front seven.

Edge: Zach Maynard

RB: Isi Sofele vs. Malcolm Brown

With so many quality running backs in the Pac-12 this year, Cal's Isi Sofele didn't get a ton of national publicity before the season started, but he certainly made a name for himself with his performance in 2011.

Sofele was the star of Cal's offense this year, as he rushed for 1,270 yards and scored nine touchdowns.

The 5'8'', 190-pound junior isn't the biggest back around, but he's got the strength and physicality to run in between the tackles, and he also has the speed and shiftiness to make things happen on the outside.

Malcolm Brown arrived at Texas this year with high expectations, and the former five-star recruit certainly didn't disappoint in his first season. The 6'0'', 215-pound freshman missed three games due to injury, but he still managed to rush for 707 yards and score five touchdowns.

Brown has as much natural ability as any other back in the country and he's got the potential to be a star in 2012, but since he's coming off an injury, I'll give the slight edge to Sofele for this game.

Edge: Isi Sofele

WR: Keenan Allen vs. Mike Davis

There's no question about who the best wide receiver in the Holiday Bowl will be.

Cal's Keenan Allen is an absolute stud receiver who took the Pac-12 by storm this season, as he hauled in 89 passes for 1,261 yards and caught six touchdowns.

Allen may not have had the most consistent play at quarterback this year, but he certainly didn't let that hinder him.

The 6'3'', 205-pound sophomore is set to be one of the star receivers of the 2012 season, and if he can put up a big performance against Texas, he's really going to gain a lot of buzz for next season.

Edge: Keenan Allen

DL: Alex Okafor and Jackson Jeffcoat vs. Trevor Guyton

Texas defensive ends Alex Okafor and Jackson Jeffcoat definitely opened some eyes this season, as they both stepped up and became the impact players of Texas' defensive line following the departure of Sam Acho.

Okafor and Jeffcoat combined for 12 sacks and 27 tackles for loss in 2011, and they established themselves as two of the premier edge-rushers in the country.

Cal's Trevor Guyton also became the leader of his defensive line this year after the departure of Cameron Jordan.

Guyton racked up five sacks and 11 tackles for loss, but the fact that Texas has two ends the caliber of Okafor and Jeffcoat gives the Longhorns a definitive advantage.

Edge: Alex Okafor and Jackson Jeffcoat

LB: Emmanuel Acho vs. Mychal Kendricks

Texas' Emmanuel Acho and Cal's Mychal Kendricks are two of the best linebackers in the country that nobody really talked about this season.

Acho and Kendricks both led their respective teams in tackles, as Acho racked up 109 while Kendricks totaled 94 stops, and the two seniors really made an impact on NFL scouts. 

These two will both be playing on Sundays next year, and they'll probably be the two best defenders on the field in the Holiday Bowl. If I had to give a slight edge to either, I would go with Emmanuel Acho because without him, I don't think the Texas defense would have been anywhere near as good as it was this season.

Edge: Emmanuel Acho

DB: Sean Cattouse vs. Kenny Vacarro

There won't be any true standout defensive backs to watch in the Holiday Bowl, but there will be two talented safeties to keep an eye on.

Even though neither of them could be categorized as a true defensive difference-maker, Cal's Sean Cattouse and Texas' Kenny Vaccaro both enjoyed solid seasons this year.

Cattouse racked up 71 tackles and picked off two passes, while Vaccaro finished with 68 stops and also had two picks.

It wouldn't be surprising to see either player make a momentum-swining defensive play in the Holiday Bowl, but if I was a betting man, I would say that Cattouse is the more likely of the two to come up with that big play.

Edge: Sean Cattouse

K: Justin Tucker vs. Giorgio Tavecchio

Most college football fans don't usually tune into a game to see a great kicker battle, but that may be exactly what they get in the Holiday Bowl.

Texas' Justin Tucker and Cal's Giorgio Tavecchio were two of the most accurate kickers in the country in 2011, as Tucker knocked through 85 percent of his kicks, while Tavecchio blasted through 86 percent of his attempts.

I would love to have either of these kickers playing for my favorite team, but I'll give the slight edge to Tucker for making that huge game-wining kick against arch-rival Texas A&M on Thanksgiving night.

Edge: Justin Tucker