Tag: California Golden Bears

Stanford brings a series-best eight-game winning streak to Cal for the Big Game on Saturday

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Photo credit: gostanford.com

By: Ana Kieu

The Stanford Cardinal brings a series-best eight-game winning streak to Memorial Stadium in Berkeley on Saturday against the Cal Golden Bears in the 121st Big Game, but players know it’s going to be a fresh slate.

“It’s one of the more competitive games we play all season,” said Bobby Okereke. “They’re scrappy guys and have a good offense. Their running back (Patrick Laird) is really good, so we’re expecting a dogfight.”

Okereke and upperclassmen will explain the significance of Stanford’s oldest rivalry to young players, especially out-of-staters. But there is only one way to understand and appreciate the atmosphere, emotion and tradition that rewards the winner with year-long bragging rights and The Axe.

“You just have to experience it,” Okereke said.

Bryce Love has faced Cal three times and rushed for a combined 200 yards and two scores, including a 48-yard dash his freshman year. He ran for 101 yards and contributed a key 57-yard scoring run in last year’s 17-14 win.

Love knows the Bears will be wired Saturday as they’re tired of losing. They boast a stout defense, but he welcomes the challenge on the other side of the Bay Area.

“In my mind, playing in hostile environments…that’s fun,” Love said.

Love’s advice to teammates is simple.

“Just every away game, concentrate on what you can control,” said Love. “You know it’s going to be loud. Focus on the little things, like the offensive line calls and your reads. The rest will take care of itself.”

The Stakes
Stanford (6-4, 4-3 Pac-12) and Cal (6-4, 3-4) became bowl eligible with wins last Saturday, the Cardinal downing Oregon State (48-17) and the Bears surprising USC (15-14).

David Shaw competed against Cal as a player and is 7-0 as a head coach. Asked if winning the Big Game has more meaning than upsetting a No. 1-ranked team, he didn’t hesitate.

“This game for me is in a different category,” said Shaw. “There’s something about holding that Axe after the game.”

In a series that began in 1892, Stanford leads 63-46-11. The Cardinal scored 2,097 points while the Bears have tallied 1,926.

Quick Turnaround
Shaw isn’t surprised how quickly Cal head coach Justin Wilcox has improved the program. The Bears play with passion and for each other.

“They’re playing with a lot of confidence,” Shaw said. “They’re playing fast and physical and are on the attack all the time. We’ve got to start fast because I know they will.”

Back on the Field
J.J. Arcega-Whiteside returned to practice after missing the OSU game with an injury and could play. He leads the team in receiving and ranks fourth nationally in touchdown catches with 11.

“He’s got a chance if he makes it through the week,” Shaw said.

Trevor Speights is also back and should play, while junior offensive lineman Devery Hamilton is questionable.

Jet Toner and Joey Alfieri are expected to resume practicing but the latter will not play Saturday. Also sidelined are Casey Toohill, Nate Herbig and Drew Dalman.

Only Time Will Tell
Connor Wedington could see action depending on the progress of Arcega-Whiteside. Wedington has appeared in only three contests this season due to injury and will likely redshirt.

“He’s geared on getting that,” said Shaw. “We’ll use him wisely.”

Under the new NCAA rules, a player can compete in four games during the season without sacrificing a year of eligibility.

“That’s what I love about this new rule,” said Shaw. “It gives him flexibility.”

Different Combinations
The Cardinal has used six different offensive line combinations to start the game this season due to injuries. Only Walker Little has started all 10.

“It’s been different, but a lot of guys have responded,” Shaw said.

Last week, Nick Wilson, Dylan Powell and Henry Hattis stepped up.

“We’ll probably see some combination of those guys,” said Shaw.

Numbers
According to Pro Football Focus, KJ Costello achieved the highest passer rating of Power-5 quarterbacks when kept clean last week (155.7). Arcega-Whiteside has the highest targeted passer rating when targeted of any Pac-12 wide receiver (140.6).

“K.J. is an awesome leader,” said Colby Parkinson, who caught four touchdown passes from him against Oregon State to match the school record. “It’s great to see him grow into that role.”

Last week, Costello became just the third Stanford quarterback to collect six 300-yard passing games in a season. John Elway did it six times in 1982 and Steve Stenstrom accomplished it eight times in 1993.

Tough Losses
Stanford’s four losses this season have come against No. 3 Notre Dame (10-0), No. 8 Washington State (9-1), No. 17 Washington (7-3) and No. 21 Utah (7-3). They are a combined 33-7.

Scouting Report
The Cal defense ranks No. 15 nationally and first in the Pac-12, allowing 4.7 yards per play. The Bears also rank No. 16 in the country in total defense (318.6) and No. 27 in points allowed per game (21.1).

The unit is led by Evan Weaver and Jordan Kunaszyk, who have combined for 222 tackles. Additionally, the secondary has pilfered 14 passes, returning three for touchdowns.

Offensively, Laird is the heart and soul. He has rushed for 771 yards, caught 43 passes for 269 yards, and has found the end zone eight times.

“He breaks tackles, he’s quick and explosive,” said Shaw. “A lot in this game comes down to willpower. This guy runs like his life is on the line every play and I appreciate it.”

In addition to beating to USC, Cal upset No. 10 Washington (12-10), and had No. 10 Washington State on the ropes in Pullman before the Cougars escaped with a 19-13 victory in the final 32 seconds, their lowest point total of the season.

Fun Fact
Stanford football players have conducted interviews in three foreign languages this season: Arcega-Whiteside (Spanish), Jesse Burkett (Japanese) and Osiris St. Brown (German).

Local Boy
Jack Richardson grew up in Salinas and both parents were standout student-athletes on The Farm. His mother, Teresa, was a two-time All-American in volleyball and is a member of the Stanford Athletics Hall of Fame. His father, Kevin, was a standout linebacker and recorded a team-high 113 tackles in 1987.

Kevin proposed to Teresa by hiring a plane to fly over Stanford Stadium during the 1991 Big Game.

Notes
The contest will be televised on Pac-12 Network … Stanford has permitted one touchdown in the third quarter and no more than seven points to any opponent … Parkinson’s 166 receiving yards against OSu were the most by a Cardinal tight end since Coby Fleener (173) in the 2011 Orange Bowl against Virginia Tech … Parkinson averages 17.8 yards per catch … Costello ranks in the top-20 nationally in seven statistical categories. He leads the conference in passing efficiency (156.9) and yards per attempt (8.65) and is second in passing yards (2,854) … Arcega-Whiteside’s 11 receiving touchdowns are tied with Ken Margerum for No. 2 in Stanford history, three behind all-time leader James Lofton … Shaw said sophomore quarterback Davis Mills could be available to play in a bowl game.

Quote
“He’s a mismatch everywhere.”
— Shaw on Parkinson

Home is where the heart is: Cal Bears easily handle the Hampton Pirates 80-66

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Photo credit: @Pac12Network

By: Ana Kieu

The California Golden Bears defended Haas Pavilion after a 80-66 win over the Hampton Pirates on Tuesday night. In case you didn’t know, Hampton men’s basketball is based in Hampton, Virginia (go look it up if you don’t believe me!).

Anyhow, it was a good win for the Bears, who showed the Cal students, alumni and fans that home is where the heart is. The Bears’ starting lineup consisted of Darius McNeill, Paris Austin, Justice Sueing, Matt Bradley and Andre Kelly.

The Bears pounced on the Pirates from the get-go. Paris Austin opened the scoring with the first basket of the game and Justice Sueing followed up by hitting two from the line. The Bears trailed by only one point at the time, but they overcame adversity and went on a 10-0 run–thanks to scores from Austin, McNeill and Connor Vanover–midway through the first half. The Bears brought a far-fetched 48-31 lead to the locker room at the end of the first half.

The Bears slightly cooled off in the second half. The Pirates outscored the Bears 35-32, but the game was pretty much out of reach for the visiting team.

At a media break, Hampton closed the lead 54-44, while Cal was unable to score in 3:06 (minus the fact that Kelly led the Bears with four points at the time. The Bears picked up the pace, which led to four Bears in double figures with under six minutes on the scoreboard. The Bears then went on a 7-0 run in the last 2:25 to close out the game on a high note. Also, note that Austin hit a three-pointer to extend the Bears’ lead back to double digits.

The Bears got a 80-66 win over the Pirates in their home opener. Austin led the Bears with 20 points and six assists in the victory. As a result, Austin earned the Opus Bank #12Best moment tonight.

Notes
The Bears’ nonconference schedule includes more than 18,000 miles of travel.

The bulk of Cal’s nonconference travel comes in a 20-day span between roundtrip travel to China (November 2 to 10) and Brooklyn, N.Y. (November 16 to 21). Other stops away from Haas Pavilion include Fresno, Calif. and a trip through the Caldecott Tunnel to face Saint Mary’s.

No other team in the nation will travel more during their nonconference slate than Cal.

Up Next
The Bears return home to host the Detroit Titans on Thursday, November 15 at 7:00 pm PT on PACN.

All About The Coaching: Cal’s improbable 15-14 upset win over USC rooted in strategy and adjustments

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By Morris Phillips

How to end a 14-game losing streak in 60 easy steps. If it sounds complicated, that’s because it is.

What isn’t complicated is this: Normally stoic Cal head coach Justin Wilcox richly deserved to cut it all the way loose with his emphatic gesturing as his Bears put the finishing touches on their improbable comeback win at USC Saturday night.

And USC coach Clay Helton might want to skip listening to sports radio on his lengthier than usual drive home after the game.

Wilcox’s Bears ended their 14-game losing streak to USC at the Los Angeles Coliseum with a performance that was literally all over the place. But regardless of the methods, Wilcox predicted it, scripted it and willed it, giving creedence to his mandate that his football team win at least six games this season and go bowling for the first time since 2015.

“I appreciate what it means to be bowl-eligible. It’s hard to win in this conference and it’s hard to win at USC,” Wilcox said. “It’s a big deal for all the Cal Bears out there.”

To make it happen, Cal played dead in the first half, came roaring back into the game in the third quarter, and stay focused–if not productive–to seal the deal in the fourth.

Firstly, kick returner Ashtyn Davis flubbed the opening kickoff, briefly losing the ball, only to recover it at the three-yard line with a knee on the turf where he was ruled down. On the first play from scrimmage, Patrick Laird was dropped after a 2-yard gain, and Chase Garbers threw a pair of incomplete passes, forcing Cal to punt.

Inauspicious start for the Bears? Yes. It would continue.

Confident that it could key on Laird, and stop the Cal receivers in their tracks, the Trojans defense shined in the first half, limiting the Bears to three first downs and 60 yards in total offense. Meanwhile, USC would recover from failing to capitalize on excellent field position afforded by Cal’s poor first position. After seeing a fake field goal turned pass to the kicker blow up in playcaller Helton’s face, the Trojans stayed patient, scoring touchdowns on two of their four second quarter possessions to lead 14-0 at the half.

Helton, who assumed play-calling duties from offensive coordinator Tee Martin following back-to-back losses in the final two games in October, dialed up a pair of touchdowns that overcame the absences of reveiver Michael Pittman Jr. and running back Stephen Carr. With quarterback J.T. Daniels back from missing a game due to a concussion, the Trojans functioned admirally. After Daniels 23-yard pass to Tyler Vaughns for a touchdown, USC led 14-0 with more than half of the second quarter to go.

But things would change dramatically in the third quarter when a snap over Daniels’ head would result in a safety with Aca’Cedric Ware recovering the ball in the end zone with a pair of Cal defenders in proximity for a possible touchdown. The Bears trailed 14-2 at that point.

But superior field position would set up Cal’s first touchdown, and Traveon Beck’s interception would set up Cal’s second touchdown. After Garbers scampered in from five yards out, the Bears led 15-14 with time remaining in the third.

Over Cal’s next three possessions–all in the fourth quarter–Cal would run just 12 plays and gain 36 yards, jeopardizing their lightning rally in the third. But Cal’s defense made it work, coming up with a pair of sacks and timely pass breakups to keep the Trojans sinking in mud. As soon as USC reached midfield and approaching position for a lead-changing field goal try, Evan Weaver would come up with a sack of Daniels to force a punt.

Weaver would record a game-best 12 tackles and a second sack on USC’s previous possession.

With Cal needing first downs to bleed out the clock, they did just that, running 10 plays that evaporated the game’s final 4:50, and setting off a wild celebration on the Cal sideline while the majority of the Coliseum fell silent.

The Bears improved to 6-4 with games at home against Stanford and Colorado remaining that could turn Cal’s season from encouraging to extraordinary.

Meanwhile, the Trojans again blew a lead, falling to 5-5, and increasing the chatter across Southern California that Helton should be fired. If the Trojans can’t beat UCLA next week and/or Notre Dame after Thanksgiving, the rumblings will grow even louder.

Plenty Of Room To Grow: Cal Bears look inexperienced in 76-59 loss to Yale in China

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By Morris Phillips

Truthfully, the 2018-19 Cal Bears basketball team is less experienced than the previous version that featured seven newcomers and landed in the Pac-12 basement a year ago.

You didn’t need a close-up observation to conclude that. Nor did most get one. The Bears opened their season with a ragged loss to Yale, 76-59 in Shanghai, China on Saturday afternoon, which was shown live in the U.S. on Friday night.

One statline immediately jumped off the page for Cal: they shot 20 percent from the field in the first half, registering just one assist.

“(Yale) found a very good rhythm in sharing the ball and running their plays all the way through. We have to do a better job of that,” coach Wyking Jones said. “We have to trust each other. We have to continue to trust each other more on the offensive end.”

The Bears led briefly, 9-8 with 10:24 remaining in the first half before the Bulldogs put the game away with a 15-0 run that came with leading scorer, Miye Oni, on the bench with two fouls. While Yale patiently ran their sets seeking favorable matchups to drive or shoot, the Bears failed to set each other up, instead settling for tough shots.

Cal started returning sophomores Justice Sueing and Darius McNeill, junior transfer point guard Paris Austin along with freshmen Matt Bradley and Andre Kelly. Missing was the experience, size and shot blocking ability provided by graduated seniors Marcus Lee and Kingsley Okoroh. With only two returning starters and Juwan Harris-Dyson unavailable due to a hand injury, Cal had few options stylistically.

Meanwhile, Yale, picked to finish third in the Ivy League, had Oni, more experience, and the continuity provided by coach James Jones heading the Bulldogs for the 20th, consecutive season.

“We did a good job defensively, getting stops, and rebounding. And then we were able to get in a good rhythm on offense,” said Jones, the Ivy League’s longest tenured coach.

Oni, limited to just 17 minutes on the floor due to fouls, still put up 16 points with three made 3-pointers. The 6’6″ junior guard shared high scoring honors for Yale with reserve Azar Swain.

Austin led Cal with 18 points, but managed just two assists. Leading returning scorer Sueing finished with 9, missing 11 of his 14 shot attempts.

NBA Hall of Fame inductee Yao Ming and Joseph Tsai, Yale graduate and Alibaba co-founder, sat together courtside at the annual Pac-12 international showcase held at the Baoshan Sports Center. The game concluded a week of touring and goodwill for players from both schools.

The Great Escape: No. 8 Washington State avoids Cal’s upset bid with a touchdown in the game’s final minute

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By Morris Phillips

Preparation, effort and playmaking put the Cal Bears on the precipice of the biggest upset in the Pac-12 Conference this season. But ultimately, the Bears were let down Saturday night by late-game execution in a frustrating 19-13 loss at No. 8 Washington State.

Aesop Winston Jr. caught a 10-yard touchdown pass with 32 seconds remaining to break a 13-13 stalemate, and the Cougars escaped with their Pac-12 title and national championship aspirations intact.

The improving Bears remain one game short of bowl eligibility, and the Cougars stay on track for possibly the biggest season in their program’s history, but it almost didn’t turn out that way.

“I think it’d be a war, and it was,” coach Mike Leach said. “It came down clear to the end and I was proud of our guys for sticking in there and finding a way to win when it’s tough.”

“We knew we could have won that game,” Cal’s Brandon McIlwain said. “Today it just didn’t go that way. Out team fights. We compete and we put ourselves in the position to win.”

The biggest component to Cal’s upset bid was their approach to limiting WSU quarterback Gardner Minshew, who had thrown for at least 319 yards in every game this season. While Cal gave up 334 yards passing to Minshew, they dictated how and when the graduate transfer got those yards with an intricate gameplan.

The Bears’ defensive line eschewed a powerful pass rush on Minshew in order to put themselves in position to limit big plays and tackle pass catchers in front of them. The byproduct of the unusual approach was numerous pass deflections at the line of scrimmage, and Evan Weaver’s interception that set up Cal’s first and only touchdown in the second quarter.

That strategic wrinkle alone put the WSU crowd on edge, mindful of Cal’s upset of the Cougars in Berkeley last November. The Bears supplemented the approach with a time-consuming pace on offense that moved the chains and kept Minshew and the Washington State offense on the sidelines.

The Bears finished the game with 69 offensive snaps, while the Cougars were limited to a season-low 66 along with an average of only 6.5 yards per pass attempt. But Cal needed to fortify their approach with a couple of timely big plays on both sides of the ball, and that never transpired.

Instead, with the Bears in position to take a fourth quarter lead, McIlwain threw an interception at the goal line, and prior to that Garbers was picked off as well. Garbers avoided disaster by stripping WSU defensive back Willie Taylor III on his interception return near the goal line. When the stripped ball miraculously bounded past several defenders and out of the back of the endzone, Cal retained possession.

That led to Greg Thomas’ 42-yard field goal to bring Cal even at 10 just 36 seconds before halftime.

Winston’s game-winner came after both teams squandered opportunities to break a 13-13 tie in the fourth quarter. The former San Mateo Serra and CCSF star was one of 11 receivers to catch at least one ball for WSU in the game, and the final drive proof that the Cougars depth wore on the Cal secondary. The drive covered 69 yards in six plays, following a Cal three-and-out.

Minshew completed passes to three, different receivers on the drive.

WSU improved to 8-1, 5-1 in conference, Cal fell to 5-4, 2-4. The Cougars remain on track to represent the Pac-12 North in the conference championship game, and if they win out, could gain a berth in the National Championship bracket.

Cal needs a win against USC, Colorado or Stanford to gain bowl eligibility with six wins.

Cal’s come a long way: Defense shines in surprising 12-10 upset win over No. 15 Washington

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By Morris Phillips

BERKELEY, Calif. — Jake Browning passed for nearly 400 yards and six touchdowns on his previous trip to Memorial Stadium. With his pair of fleet receivers repeatedly making big plays, an overmatched Cal defense was completely taken apart, allowing 66 points for only the second time in school history.

Flash forward two years, and Browning’s field of dreams morphed into a house of horrors, as the senior quarterback was intercepted, and benched briefly in Cal’s jaw-dropping, 12-10 upset win.

One touchdown allowed as opposed to nine? Browning on top of the world, then benched in the return engagement? Clearly, Cal’s defense has come a long way in a short period, just ask Coach Petersen and the Huskies.

“Obviously, they had good players and I just think we just did not execute in a lot of stuff,” said UW’s Drew Sample. “We missed some blocks from a tight end perspective. We just, as a whole, were not in good positions so you know it showed. We couldn’t sustain drives. We couldn’t get in rhythm and we had shots at the end. We couldn’t execute.”

Still, Washington led at the half, 7-6, in part due to Cal’s Greg Thomas missing a 41-yard field goal attempt on the final play before halftime. But when Petersen saw his offense sputter on two possessions in the second half, the one-point lead mattered little. Browning, the senior leader with 90 career touchdown passes, was briefly benched.

“That had more to do with me trying to do something to help this offense way more than it did with Jake,” said Petersen. “Jake is a competitor. Jake does everything we ask. But, you know, we got to try help this offense out somehow, someway.”

Instead redshirt freshman Jake Haener helped Cal’s defense. On his second pass attempt, Haener overthrew his man and was picked by Cal’s Evan Weaver. Weaver deftly worked his way to the end zone, reaching for the corner pylon.

Cal assumed the lead, 12-7, add stubbornly held on even as their offense managed just 245 yards the entire game. And that’s after Browning missed just two series before Petersen relented, and put his senior quarterback back in the game.

Cal’s defense never snapped, erased the issues stopping the run they experienced against UCLA, and did it from the start. The Huskies–again without top runner Myles Gaskin–scored just seven points in the opening, their fewest this season. The Bears allowed three points in the second half, the fewest they’ve surrendered after halftime this year.

“It’s a great environment in the locker room as you would expect but I also don’t think anybody’s surprised,” coach Justin Wilcox said. “We weren’t perfect but found a way to win.”

Cal embarks on a brief, two-game road trip starting with a Saturday, November 3 matchup against No. 10 Washington State at 7:45 pm PT on ESPN.

Cal ends conference road woes with blowout of Oregon State 49-7

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By Morris Phillips

Coach Justin Wilcox called Cal’s trip to Corvallis to meet Oregon State a pivotal moment. Apparently, Wilcox’s team adopted the same urgency laid out by their coach.

In their most impressive outing of the season to date, the Cal Bears wiped out the Beavers, 49-7, ending their 14-game conference road losing streak. The win also ended the three-game skid that prompted all the consternation after Cal opened 3-0.

“There was never a question of want-to or desire,” Wilcox explained. “What we ask them to do in practice, they try to do to the best of their ability. We just have to play more consistently, and we got some of that done today.”

The one thing Cal had to address was a rash of turnovers in the three, previous games that ultimately cost Brandon McIlwain his position as the starting quarterback. Wilcox went back to Chase Garbers as the starter against OSU, and the sophomore engineered a high octane attack that produced eight plays of 20-yards or more including a 55-yard pass play to Vic Wharton III that set up Cal’s first touchdown of the game.

The Bears also got a 53-yard run from Patrick Laird, who erased a surprisingly slow, first half to his season with a 193-yard rushing performance and three touchdowns. Laird scored on a 29-yard pass play and a 4-yard run in the second quarter as Cal sprinted to a 21-0 halftime lead.

After 15 turnovers in the three, previous games, the Bears only hiccup was a first quarter fumble by Garbers on the 14th play of a drive that brought them to Oregon State’s 2-yard line.

But the Bears defense forced a three-and-out and a short punt put them in prime position in the second quarter, a sequence that ended with Laird’s touchdown reception.

The Cal defense continued to make noise after halftime, finishing with 12 tackles for losses along with seven sacks of OSU quarterbacks Josh Drayden and Traveon Beck.

The Bears improved to 4-3 on the season with five games remaining, all against conference opponents with better records than Cal, starting with No. 15 Washington at Memorial Stadium next Saturday at 3:00 pm PT.

Cal overwhelmed by UCLA, 37-7, as bowl aspirations take a hit

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By Morris Phillips

BERKELEY, Calif. — The Cal Bears needed their best performance against the UCLA Bruins at California Memorial Stadium on Saturday night. Instead, they came up with one of their worst.

The Bruins picked up their first win of the season–after an 0-5 start–throttling the Bears from start to finish, 37-7. Bruins running back Joshua Kelly ran for 157 yards and three touchdowns while Cal’s Brandon McIlwain continued his streak of crippling turnovers.

The Bears fell to 3-3 on the season and 0-3 in the Pac-12. With six games remaining, the Bears appear unlikely to achieve bowl eligibility with Washington, Stanford, USC and Washington State still remaining on their schedule.

UCLA head coach Chip Kelly picked up his first collegiate win since 2012 when he left Oregon to coach in the NFL. Ironically, Kelley had won just two of the previous 22 games he had coached after going 2-14 in his one and only year with the 49ers.

And the always stoic Kelly’s response to getting back into the win column?

“Any win is good. 1-0 on Saturday night, that’s what we’re rooting for,” Kelly said in an interview with Pac-12 Network’s Jill Savage.

Cal was beaten in the trenches on both sides of the ball as UCLA took a decidely physical approach on offense, running the ball on 55 of their 70 offensive snaps. That approach took the pressure off freshman quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson, who had started all five games for UCLA but completed just half of his pass attempts and only three touchdowns in his first four starts. Against Cal’s confounding roster of defensive alignments, the Bruins stayed physical and impervious to the Bears’ maneuverings.

“Guys are coming up trying to make a play and we didn’t make them,” coach Justin Wilcox said. “We have to finish better. It’s not a lack of want to but it goes back to accountability and performance. No phase of our team played well enough to win tonight.”

Cal linebacker Jordan Kunaszyk had 22 tackles in the ballgame, the most by a Cal defender since Jerrott Willard recorded 22 in October 1993, but the feat was merely indicative of how the Cal defense couldn’t get off the field, and how poor their defensive line play was against Kelly and the sizeable UCLA offensive line.

Kelly ran for 106 yards in the first half alone as UCLA took a 13-0 lead that could have been worse had a couple of Bruins’ drives not stalled out deep in Cal territory. When Cal sliced the lead to 13-7 midway through the third, the Bears self-destructed with a targeting penalty and unsportsmanlike behavior penalty that allowed UCLA to answer back.

In the fourth quarter, McIlwain’s run of turnovers continued as he was stripped while scrambling which resulted in a 38-yard scoop and score for Kesian Lucier-South.

Cal’s next opponent will be Oregon State. That game has been scheduled for Saturday, October 20 at 1:00 pm PT on PACN.

Too Many Turnovers in Tucson: Cal coughs it up in 24-17 loss at Arizona

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By Morris Phillips

Brandon McIlwain did some good things. McIlwain also did some stuff that didn’t turn out good at all.

What didn’t turn out included the final score as the sophomore transfer’s first start fell short in a 24-17 loss at Arizona. Painful was the fact that the Bears had the ball, down three points with three minutes remaining when Scottie Young Jr. picked McIlwain for the game deciding touchdown.

“We gave them two touchdowns and we can’t do that,” coach Justin Wilcox said. “We’re going to play in tough environments and it’s unacceptable to play like that. We have smart guys so we have to play smarter. We can’t make dumb mistakes like that.”

McIlwain became the third quarterback to start for Cal this season on Saturday night after he played in a platoon role with Chase Garbers the three previous games. The South Carolina transfer was again dynamic running the football (20 carries, 107 yards, 2 touchdowns) but faltered ever so slightly in throwing the ball 43 times, completing 32 for a career-best 315 yards.

With the Bears trailing from the first quarter on, but buoyed by a defense that stiffened considerably over the final three quarters, the close game hinged on McIlwain and the Bears constructing one big drive or a game-changing pass play. But due to McIlwain’s inability to stretch the defense, and numerous penalties, the Bears spent more than half the ballgame trailing by fewer than seven points but unable to assume the lead.

“We made a lot of plays and did a good job moving the ball between the twenties, but we just need to finish better,” McIlwain admitted. “I need to personally be able to get rid of those turnovers and take care of the ball a little better, but in general, we just need to finish.”

Cal fell to 3-2, 0-2 in Pac-12 play and failed to fully take advantage of a schedule that had them matched with three, beatable opponents following their lopsided, home loss to Oregon.

Still smarting from loss to Stanford, Oregon releases their frustration on Cal in 42-24 win

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By Morris Phillips

BERKELEY, Calif. — Among the numerous elements contributing intrigue to Saturday’s Oregon-Cal matchup, one factor stood out: Ducks’ quarterback Justin Herbert–the loosely defined best player on the field–had the ability to hand deliver the outcome for his team.

And the result? Yeah, Herbert was good as advertised, but he sure had a lot of assistance from his pissed off Oregon teammates. In a mere matter of minutes before halftime the whole puzzle interlocked, and the Bears saw their 10-7 lead evaporate into an insurmountable 28-10 deficit.

Oregon cruised to a 42-24 win behind Herbert’s 225 yards passing and two touchdowns. But the real stars were Herbert’s ax safe teammates–on both sides of the ball–who were fiercely committed to erasing the memory of last week’s epic home loss to Stanford.

As always under coach Justin Wilcox, the Bears were fastidiously prepared and engaged, just outclassed by Oregon. Turnovers hurt; Oregon’s Drayton Carlberg sacked Brandon McIlwain, who fumbled, and watched LaMarr Winston Jr. race 61 yards on a scoop-and- score, the capper to Oregon’s 21-point explosion before halftime.

Bigger issues were presented by the Ducks’ speed and quickness in their defensive front, and their robust run game that was a question coming in due to injuries. Starter Tony Brooks-James, nicked up in the Stanford game, was only used on kickoffs. But backups Travis Dye and CJ Verdell both ran for over 100 yards as the Ducks found success running, which reduced the pressure on Herbert in the passing game.