California quarterback Chase Garbers (7) starts the quarterback keeper against the Washington State Cougars during the first quarter at Memorial Stadium in Berkeley on Sat Oct 2, 2021 (AP News photo)

By Morris Phillips and Michael Duca

It’s tough to lose three straight but it’s tougher to lose on your own home field which the Cal Golden Bears (1-4) did at UC Berkeley Memorial Stadium to the Washington State Cougars (2-3) 21-6.

The Cougars quarterback Jayden De Laura threw for three touchdowns, was 25-41 for 219 yards and was intercepted twice but the defense held their ground and De Laura and the offense just got enough scoring for the win.

On one of the two passes from De Laura to wide out Calvin Jackson Jr who made a one handed catch in the end zone at the corner. This was De Laura’s first game back since suffering a leg injury two weeks ago against the USC Trojans.

The 25 completions out of 41 attempts for De Laura tied his career best in a game and it helped the Cougars pick up their first win at Cal since the 2013 season. “It felt fine to go out there,” de Laura said. “I knew I had to bring some energy and do my part. I just gave the receivers and the running backs the ball and let them make plays.”

Jackson Jr had his way with the Cal defense with six receptions for 53 yards Jackson’s teammate wide receiver De’Zhaun Stribling had a pretty decent afternoon himself with four catches for 36 yards and one touchdown.

The Cal offense just sputtered and it was tough especially to lose at home and Bears quarterback Chase Garbers came up empty handed for the afternoon not being able to throw one touchdown, going 14-30 for 152 yards and an interception.

The Bears next opponent the Oregon Ducks (4-1) No.3 next Sat Oct 9 who were just knocked off by the Stanford Cardinal (3-2) 31-24 will be pumped and ready to go and it’s the last thing the Bears want is to walk into a hornets nest which they can expect at Autzen Stadium in Eugene.

Garbers says the Bears need to be prepared and they need to find out who they are, “These next two weeks we’re really going to find out who we are as a team, who we are as people. They had our number, they did a great job and they just outplayed us. That happens.”