By Morris Phillips
BERKELEY, CA–This was a football game where the Cal Bears could overcome a bunch of damaging mistakes with one, brilliant, timely play. Brent Austin made that play, and Cal survived, beating North Carolina 21-18 on Friday night at Memorial Stadium.
With less than 4 minutes remaining, and UNC’s Nathan Leacock steaming toward the end zone with the go-ahead touchdown, Austin stripped Leacock at the one-yard line, and recovered the ball in the end zone for a turnover. The Bears then drained the remaining clock of all but six seconds to secure the win.
That’s as good an individual play as we’ve had this season,” coach Justin Wilcox said. “It was an unbelievable play.”
Wilcox didn’t like as much as he did like from his team as they lead throughout but suffered from too many dropped passes, and not enough physicality to counter the Tar Heels’ run game. But the Bears (5-2, 2-1 in the ACC) pulled through to remain in the chase for the conference title with a trip to Virginia Tech up next.
“The execution has to be much, much better, but we found a way to win,” Wilcox admitted.
Outside of Austin’s heroics, Jacob De Jesus was the team’s star with 13 catches for 105 yards and a touchdown that gave Cal a 14-7, first quarter lead. Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele threw for 209 yards and kept Cal from committing any turnovers. Kendrick Raphael provided substance in the run game with 81 yards rushing and Cal’s third and final touchdown of the game.
The key? Sagapolutele, afforded a lead, played patiently, and didn’t get frustrated as his receivers dropped many of his 18 incompletions
“I’m just grateful for our coaches and staff for believing in me and trusting me, and putting me in places to make a play,” said De Jesus, who also had to pick himself up after a couple of untimely drops.
“Jacob did an excellent job for us,” Wilcox said. “He’s always going to show up.”
The embattled Tar Heels did little to ease the magnifying glass on themselves and Coach Bill Belichick with two turnovers and an offense that whiffed on its first three possessions. Cal forced six UNC punts and played much of the second half with a two-score lead.
“You can’t turn the ball over and win,” Belichick said. “It’s just too hard. We’ve got to eliminate some of those kind of mistakes.”
Cal is one win from six wins and bowl eligibility. Also, they can avoid a losing conference record for the first time since 2009 with three more wins.
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