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By Morris Phillips

All week, Jared Goff’s abilities as a smart, quick-thinking, pocket passer were trumpeted nationwide.

For three hours on Saturday night, the Utah defense did its best to tear apart the junior quarterback’s reputation and any accessible body parts as well.

Goff threw for 340 yards and two touchdowns, but ultimately Cal and its star quarterback were taken down by Utah’s aggressive defense that forced six turnovers–including a career-worst five interceptions thrown by Goff–in the Utes’ heart-stopping 30-24 win over the Bears.

“Boy, our kids played really hard,” Coach Sonny Dykes said.  “I’m disappointed for them.  It’s one of those games we’ll look back on and wish we could have it over.  Just made too many mistakes to win the football game.”

“The secondary did a great job, especially against a team and quarterback like that,” Utah Coach Kyle Whittingham said.  “They were ball hawks back there tonight.”

Goff led the Bears on a potential game-winning drive in the final minutes only to misfire on his final two throws allowing the Utes to take over on downs at their 21-yard line with 26 seconds remaining.  The tremendous burden Goff assumed Saturday as Cal’s best player trying to lead his team to a historic 6-0 start was illustrated on that final drive.  Of the 11 plays on the drive, Goff threw nine passes—completing six—ran twice for short gains, and absorbed a painful hit that resulted in a roughing the passer penalty.

Utah preserved its No. 5 ranking and became the Pac-12’s lone unbeaten team with the win.  The Utes find themselves squarely in the middle of the College Football Playoffs’ discussion regarding which teams will grab the coveted, four spots despite being picked to finish fifth in the Pac-12 South.  Cal falls from the unbeaten ranks, and will have to plenty of adjustments to make in advance of their critical meeting with UCLA on October 22.

The Utes battled through an uneven, offensive effort as well, but were boosted by Devontae Booker, who rushed for a season-best 222 yards on 34 carries.  Booker’s big night helped mask quarterback Travis Wilson’s uneven effort.  Wilson was picked twice and completed 16 of 26 passes for just 170 yards. Utah also failed to convert Goff’s turnovers into a comfortable lead in the first half.  Five of Cal’s six turnovers came in the first half, but Cal trailed just 24-17 at the break.

The Bears led only once, 7-3, late in the first quarter.  Six plays later, Booker broke free on a 40-yard touchdown down the near sideline that gave Utah a 10-7 lead that they never lost.

Cal tied it 10-10 on Matt Anderson’s 22-yard field goal halfway through the second quarter, but the Utes answered right back, coming up with a pair of touchdowns less than two minutes apart to take a 24-10 lead.

The Bears responded right before halftime on Goff’s pass to Darius Powe to draw with 24-17.  The touchdown marked the sixth time in six games that Cal scored points in the final two minutes of the first half.  But with Utah coming out conservative offensively to start the second half and fashioning a drive, the Bears failed to score within the first 5 ½ minutes of the second half for the first time all season.

Cal was even more dependent on Goff in this one, as Utah’s big and fast defensive front virtually eliminated the Bears’ run game in the second half.  Vic Enwere led the Bears in rushing with just 33 yards, and Daniel Lasco fumbled in the first quarter on his only carry of the game.

Kyle Kragen had a huge game along the Cal defensive front with 14 tackles and a sack.

The Bears were attempting to beat a Top-5 team on the road and start 6-0 for the first time since 1950.  Cal also failed stay unbeaten in their sixth game of a season in 2005 and 2007.

While Cal maintains the best overall record in the Pac-12 North at 5-1, Stanford—idle on Saturday—remains the only undefeated team in conference play at 3-0.