▁one ▁of ▁the ▁country ' s ▁most ▁dangerous ▁deep ▁thre ats . ▁ ▁His ▁first ▁two ▁seasons ▁at ▁California ▁were ▁un qual ified ▁success es ▁for ▁him ▁personally , ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁his ▁Golden ▁Bear ▁team m ates . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 9 0 , ▁California ▁won ▁their ▁first ▁Bowl ▁Game ▁since ▁ 1 9 3 8 , ▁defe ating ▁Wy oming ▁in ▁the ▁Co pper ▁Bowl . ▁ ▁The ▁following ▁season , ▁the ▁B ears ▁domin ated ▁nation ally ▁ranked ▁C lem son ▁in ▁the ▁Cit rus ▁Bowl , ▁which ▁earned ▁them ▁the ▁No . ▁ 7 ▁ranking ▁in ▁the ▁final ▁CNN / USA ▁Today ▁Co aches ▁Pol l , ▁their ▁highest ▁finish ▁since ▁ 1 9 5 0 . ▁ ▁It ▁also ▁marked ▁the ▁first ▁time ▁in ▁school ▁history ▁that ▁California ▁won ▁bow l ▁games ▁in ▁consecutive ▁seasons . ▁ ▁The ▁ 1 9 9 2 ▁season , ▁however , ▁included ▁a ▁new ▁coach . ▁After ▁transform ing ▁the ▁California ▁program ▁from ▁a ▁la ughing stock ▁into ▁a ▁national ▁power , ▁coach ▁Bruce ▁S ny der ▁left ▁Ber keley ▁for ▁Arizona ▁State ▁and ▁was ▁replaced ▁by ▁Keith ▁Gilbert son . ▁Gilbert son ' s ▁squad ▁strugg led ▁to ▁a ▁ 4 - 7 ▁record ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 2 , ▁but ▁Daw kins ▁was ▁one ▁bright ▁spot ▁in ▁an ▁otherwise ▁forget table ▁year . ▁ ▁Daw kins ▁was ▁recognized ▁a ▁cons ensus ▁first - team ▁All - American ▁after ▁the ▁season ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 2 ,