Cal beats Oregon State behind Chase Garbers’ 4 TDs (3 pass, 1 rush)
Chase Garbers threw three touchdown passes and ran for a fourth Saturday afternoon, leading California to a 39-25 Pacific-12 Conference football victory over visiting Oregon State.
Damien Moore led all rushers with 111 yards and a touchdown on 11 carries and fellow back Christopher Brooks complemented an 83-yard rushing effort with two TD catches for the Golden Bears (3-5, 2-3 Pac-12), who used a balanced attack with 255 yards rushing and 262 passes to win a second straight.
Trevon Bradford caught six passes for 124 yards and two scores, both from Chance Nolan, for the Beavers (5-3, 3-2), who hurt themselves with two interceptions and a fumble. They also had a punt blocked.
Cal led by two touchdowns on four occasions in the game, including 31-17 late in the third quarter after the contest’s most important sequence of plays.
Forced to punt when down 24-17, Oregon State’s Luke Loecher had his kick blocked by Cal backup tight end Nick Alftin. Garbers then found Trevon Clark for a 38-yard TD on the next play, increasing the Golden Bears’ lead to 31-17.
Nolan’s second TD pass to Bradford, this one from 46 yards, coupled with a two-point conversion run by Nolan, got Oregon State back within 31-25 with still 11:23 remaining in the game.
But Garbers then drove Cal 75 yards in 11 plays, icing the win with a 2-yard TD pass to Brooks with 5:36 to go.
Garbers finished 17-for-26 for 262 yards and the three scores. Clark was his top receiver with five catches for 90 yards.
Nolan went 15-for-26 for 243 yards with two touchdowns, but was intercepted twice.
Deshaun Fenwick was Oregon State’s top rusher with 48 yards and a 4-yard TD run on 10 carries. The run-dominant Beavers were outrushed 255-134.
Cal had no turnovers in the game and just one penalty for 15 yards. Oregon State’s three turnovers. included a B.J. Baylor fumble on the Beavers’ first offensive play of the game.
Garbers’ TD run came from 2 yards out and opened the scoring in the game’s third minute. Moore added an 8-yard TD run in the second quarter, helping Cal build a 17-10 halftime advantage.
–Field Level Media
