Tag: Minnesota Golden Gophers

Cal Bears podcast Morris Phillips: Cal heads to San Diego State in next match up Saturday

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Cal Bears quarterback Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele (3) prepares to sling a pass against the Minnesota Golden Gophers at Memorial Stadium in Berkeley on Sat Sep 14, 2025 (AP News photo)

Cal Bears podcast Morris Phillips:

#1 Cal Bears (3-0) quarterback Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele had himself an afternoon against the Minnesota Golden Gophers (2-1) throwing for three touchdowns in the Bears 27-14 win on Saturday. It was Cal’s third win in a row.

#2 The Gophers came into Berkeley with a 2-0 record and the Bears were likewise 2-0 and the game was viewed as a toss up but Sagapolutele made it look like easy work in the Cal 13 point win.

#3 Sagapolutele was 24-38 for 279 yards and all of his three passes were short scoring tosses. The win against Minnesota is a victory against a power conference opponent.

#4 The Gophers kicker Brady Denaburgh missed a 51 yard field goal that would have been tied up the game with ten minutes left in the game. Koi Perich mishandled a punt at the Minnesota eight and the Gophers missed their opportunities to get back in the game.

#5 The San Diego State Aztecs lost in their last game to the Washington State Cougars 36-13 and will be Cal’s next opponent. The Aztecs were just demolished on both sides of the ball scoring a one touchdown in the first quarter and six points in the third quarter. Cal is rolling as they travel to San Diego to face the Aztecs. How do you see this match up next Saturday?

Morris Phillips does the Cal Bears podcasts each Saturday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Physical Cal Surprises Visiting Minnesota In A 27-14 Win That Takes Them To 3-0

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By Morris Phillips

BERKELEY, CA–Down 14-10 to Minnesota early in the third quarter, the youthful Cal Bears had their first moment of needing belief and a display of confidence.

The test was answered with a 10-play drive that concluded with Mason Mini’s 9-yard catch and run in which he successfully beat a quartet of Gophers defenders to get into the end zone.

For embattled coach Justin Wilcox, the coach was gifted wrapped a drive and a play that encapsulated what he loved of his team’s play on Saturday night in a 27-14 win that takes them to 3-0 on the season.

“I loved the fight the guys showed,” Wilcox said. “That was a physical game.”

Wilcox went on to praise his freshman quarterback Jaron Keawe Sagapolutele, his special teams, and kicker Abram Murray, who converted a 45-yard field goals to give Cal a 10-7 lead at halftime. With each player, assistant coach or position group Wilcox praised, his excitement was evident. Starting 3-0 and for the first time beating a credible opponent was big, and Wilcox obviously felt the vindication.

With an unprecedented 55 new faces on the Cal roster, someone among them had to seize leadership, and the Bears have that in Sagapolutele, who shook off some early missed throws to finish with 279 yards passing, three touchdowns and no interceptions. After Cal trailed briefly, Sagapolutele came up with two of those touchdown passes in Cal’s 17-0 finish that was fueled by two, damaging Minnesota turnovers.

Defensively, Cal frustrated the Gophers’ Drake Lindsey, who threw for just 205 yards along with an interception. The Gophers clearly missed leading rusher Darius Taylor, who missed the game due to injury, in a run game that rushed for 130 yards, but needed 37 carries to get there. Cade Uluave, Cal’s leading tackler, was unavailable for the first due to a suspension for targeting in the Texas Southern game. But he made his presence felt in the second half with nine tackles.

The Bears travel to San Diego State next weekend to face the Aztecs in their final non-conference game before opening ACC play the following week at Boston College.

Cal Bears podcast Morris Phillips: Cal gets ready for red hot Minnesota; Both teams are 2-0 going into week 3

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Sep 6, 2025; Berkeley, California, USA; California Golden Bears linebacker Cade Uluave (0) kneels on the field before the game against the Texas Southern Tigers at California Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images / Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images

Cal Bears podcast Morris Phillips:

#1 Morris the contest against the Texas Southern Tigers wasn’t even a contest Cal Bears (2-0) quarterback Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele was airing it out and the receivers and running backs just couldn’t be stopped by the Tigers defense.

#2 The scored three in the first quarter and eight in the second quarter in the second half the Bears ammoed up and scored 14 in the third quarter and ten in the fourth quarter can you talk about the differences in halves as far as the scoring is concerned.

#3 Sagapolutele threw 26-37 for 259 yards and one touchdown talk about the protection he got and he was able to rush a little himself.

#4 The Tigers quarterback KJ Cooper was running for his life all afternoon and had a line of 19-35, 137 yards, and one touchdown. The Cal defense kept it up on him all day long.

#5 The Minnesota Golden Gophers (2-0) are up next at Cal Memorial Stadium in Berkeley. The Gophers are coming off a 66-0 laugher against the Northwestern State Demons for their second straight win. Gophers quarterback Drake Lindsey threw for 139 yards went 8-9 and scored a touchdown. Will the Gophers be a handful for the Bears this Sunday or will Cal be a handful for Minnesota?

Join Morris Phillips for the Cal Bears podcast each Thursday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com