Tag: Cal

Nov 30, 2024; Dallas, Texas, USA; California Golden Bears quarterback CJ Harris (16) huddles with the offense during the game between the SMU Mustangs and the California Golden Bears at Gerald J. Ford Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

Cal moving on from OC Mike Bloesch

Posted on | by Field Level Media

Cal will be looking for a new offensive coordinator to replace Mike Bloesch, the team announced Tuesday.

Golden Bears coach Justin Wilcox said in a statement that there would be leadership changes made to the offensive staff and that the search for an offensive coordinator was underway. No one has a specific role on the staff yet, though, according to Wilcox.

There was no direct mention of Bloesch in the statement.

Bloesch was promoted to offensive coordinator ahead of the season after serving as offensive line coach/run game coordinator in 2023. Cal averaged 26.1 points per game this season and went 6-6. The Bears sit 71st in the county with an average of 382.8 total yards per game.

–Field Level Media

Nov 30, 2024; Dallas, Texas, USA; Southern Methodist Mustangs safety Brandon Crossley (1) celebrates a defensive stop against the California Golden Bears during the first half at Gerald J. Ford Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

No. 9 SMU blows out Cal to win 9th straight, improve to 11-1

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No. 9 SMU jumped out to a three-touchdown lead then sealed the game with a fourth-quarter explosion in their 38-6 win over visiting Cal in an Athletic Coast Conference matchup in Dallas on Saturday.

The Mustangs (11-1, 8-0 ACC) were already assured of a berth in the conference title game on Dec. 7. They will play Clemson, which qualified when No. 6 Miami fell at Syracuse on Saturday.

Kevin Jennings threw for 225 yards and two touchdowns. Brashard Smith had rushing and receiving scores, and Derrick McFall also ran for a touchdown for SMU.

The Mustangs had 251 total yards in the first half as they built a 21-0 lead but tallied only 17 yards in the third quarter before regaining steam. They finished with 415 yards to 254 for Cal.

SMU also had 17 penalties for 137 yards, with 85 of those yards coming after intermission.

The Mustangs’ defense, meanwhile, had five sacks, two by Kobe Wilson, among their 16 tackles for loss. Jonathan McGill’s interception in the fourth quarter set up Jennings’ 23-yard touchdown strike to Smith to effectively put the game away.

Reserve quarterback Preston Stone hit Key’Shawn Smith for a 40-yard touchdown with 3:38 left in the game to complete the scoring.

Chandler Rogers had 84 yards passing before leaving with an apparent leg injury in the third quarter for Cal (6-6, 2-6), and CJ Harris came on to throw for 75 yards and was intercepted once. Nyziah Hunter finished with 85 yards on five receptions.

The Golden Bears’ only points came on field goals of 40 and 53 yards by Ryan Coe in the second half.

After picking up a combined 35 yards on its first three possessions, Cal had a golden opportunity to draw within striking distance.

Trailing 21-0, the Golden Bears moved from their own 25-yard line to the Mustangs’ 3. But Rogers lost 2 yards on a rush, 10 more on a sack by Elijah Roberts and, after an incompletion, 5 yards for delay of game. Derek Morris’ 38-yard field-goal attempt sailed wide right.

–Field Level Media

Nov 2, 2024; Dallas, Texas, USA; Southern Methodist Mustangs tight end Stone Eby (44) and wide receiver Roderick Daniels Jr. (13) and wide receiver Moochie Dixon (5) and quarterback Kevin Jennings (7) celebrate a touchdown against the Pittsburgh Panthers during the first half at Gerald J. Ford Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

No. 9 SMU aims to improve playoff odds vs. Cal

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SMU has plenty to play for when it closes the regular season against California on Saturday afternoon in Dallas.

The Mustangs (10-1, 7-0 Atlantic Coast Conference), who checked in at No. 9 in the latest College Football Playoff rankings on Tuesday, would like to send their seniors off the right way. They would also like to complete a perfect regular season before appearing in the ACC title game in their first year in the conference. Most importantly, they want to continue to strengthen their playoff case.

“You’ve got the College Football Playoff, so every game matters. That’s what’s so cool about it now. The regular season is important,” SMU coach Rhett Lashlee said. “We’d like to finish well in everything we do, particularly on Saturday, to finish off the regular season, continue our momentum into the following week. Hopefully, continue to show the committee and others that we’re worthy of continuing to play this year.”

The Mustangs are a worthy playoff team to date. Kevin Jennings has established himself as one of the top quarterbacks in the country, throwing for 2,521 yards with 17 touchdowns and seven interceptions. He also has rushed for 315 yards and four TDs. Brashard Smith has been another standout, rushing for 1,089 yards and 13 TDs. Defensively, the Mustangs rank tied for 14th in the country with 20 takeaways.

“Obviously they’ve had a phenomenal season,” Cal coach Justin Wilcox said of SMU. “As soon as you turn the tape on, it doesn’t take very long to see why their record is what it is. They’re very, very good really in every phase of the game – extremely explosive and quick and fast. They’ve got a dominant D-line. We’ve got a lot of challenges in front of us and our guys are excited for that.”

Cal (6-5, 2-5) is coming off an emotional win, defeating rival Stanford 24-21 on Saturday to secure a bowl berth. The Golden Bears will appear in consecutive bowls for the first time since 2018-19 and are now looking to clinch their first winning season since 2019.

SMU is not overlooking Cal, as all five of the Golden Bears’ losses have come by one score.

“You’d be hard-pressed to find a better 6-5 team in America,” Lashlee said. “I think you can conservatively say they very, very easily could be 9-2.”

Cal is led by quarterback Fernando Mendoza, who has thrown for 3,004 yards with 16 touchdowns and six interceptions. Tight end Jack Endries leads the team with 555 yards receiving, while wide receiver Nyziah Hunter has caught a team-leading five touchdowns.

Defensively, Cal has the ACC’s top scoring defense (20.7 points per game) and is tied with Clemson for the ACC’s best turnover margin (plus-13). Defensive back Nohl Williams is the star of the group — he leads the country with seven interceptions.

Even though oddsmakers are heavily favoring SMU, Cal is going into the game with a simple mindset.

“Our task at hand is to make the best bowl game right now,” Mendoza said. “And the way to do that is to go into Dallas, give it our best and ruin SMU’s season.”

Saturday will mark the first conference meeting between these ACC newcomers, and just the second meeting between the programs all time. SMU won a 13-6 game back in 1957.

–Field Level Media

Nov 23, 2024; Berkeley, California, USA; California Golden Bears quarterback Fernando Mendoza (15) carries the ball against the Stanford Cardinal during the first quarter at California Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images

Cal scores twice late to edge Stanford in Big Game’s ACC debut

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Fernando Mendoza connected with Jonathan Brady for a pair of touchdown passes in the final 10:09 on Saturday afternoon, rallying California to a 24-21 victory over rival Stanford in the annual Big Game’s first Atlantic Coast Conference edition in Berkeley, Calif.

Mendoza threw for 299 yards and three scores, the first of which was a second-quarter, 16-yard toss to Trond Grizzell for Cal’s only TD in the game’s first three quarters as Stanford built a 21-10 lead.

But Mendoza found Brady for a 30-yard TD to cap a 71-yard drive with 10:09 to play to get the Golden Bears (6-5, 2-5 ACC) within five, then hit his wideout again for a 22-yard score that put Cal on top with 2:40 to go.

A two-point shovel pass from Mendoza to Jaydn Ott increased the margin to 24-21, before the Cal defense forced a turnover on downs on Stanford’s ensuing possession, giving the host Golden Bears command of the game.

Mendoza’s late accuracy left him 25-for-36 without an interception, helping the Golden Bears gain bowl eligibility with a sixth win.

Brady finished with five catches for 64 yards and his two scores, while Grizzell had four catches for a game-high 70 yards and the first-half TD. Mendoza also was Cal’s leading rusher with 11 carries for 35 yards.

Stanford dominated the early going, taking a 14-0 lead in the 14th minute of the game on 1- and 2-yard plunges by Stanford backup quarterback Justin Lamson.

Seeking to end a three-game losing streak in the rivalry, the Cardinal (3-8, 2-6) created a two-touchdown cushion midway through the third quarter when running back Micah Ford flipped a 2-yard TD pass to Emmett Mosley V on a fourth-down trick play. Emmet Kenney’s PAT made it 21-7.

Ryan Coe hit a 46-yard field goal with 47 seconds left in the third period, getting Cal within 21-10 and setting up the fourth-quarter rally.

Stanford quarterback Ashton Daniels went 14-for-26 for 139 yards with no interceptions and added a game-high 63 yards on 21 rushes. Mosley hauled in six of Daniels’ 14 completions for 63 yards.

The Stanford defense sacked Mendoza six times.

Cal outgained the visitors 371-259, but had the game’s only turnover, a fumble on a kickoff return.

–Field Level Media

Nov 9, 2024; Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts, USA; Syracuse Orange quarterback Kyle McCord (6) throws against the Boston College Eagles during the second half at Alumni Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brian Fluharty-Imagn Images

Rising Cal plots to slow Syracuse, Kyle McCord

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Things are starting to look up for Cal, which aims for its third straight win Saturday when Syracuse pays a visit to Berkeley, Calif.

The Golden Bears (5-4, 1-4 Atlantic Coast Conference) have won two games in a row after dropping their previous four contests. They notched their largest margin of victory in 2024 when they trounced Oregon State 44-7 on Oct. 26. Then after a bye week, they earned their first ACC victory by topping Wake Forest 46-36 on Nov. 8 in Winston-Salem, N.C.

“We found a way to win,” Bears coach Justin Wilcox said after his team racked up 500 yards of offense against the Demon Deacons.

Cal’s offensive production revolved around Fernando Mendoza, who threw for two touchdowns and ran for another. He set career highs for passing yards (385) and rushing yards (51), helping his team overcome a quiet day on the ground.

“The quarterback run game was a big element last week, especially late in the second half,” Wilcox said. “I should say that was noticeable. But we want to be able to (run the ball) because if we run the ball better, those stats are going to be even better.”

Mikey Matthews led the Cal receivers with eight catches for 83 yards and a score — his first of the season — and noted afterward that there has been good energy surrounding the team.

“The vibes, the last few weeks, have been up,” Matthews said. “The guys are staying positive.”

Syracuse (6-3, 3-3) could be facing a morale challenge after losing two of its past three games — and even the one win in that stretch (38-31 over Virginia Tech) required a major second-half rally and overtime. The Orange absorbed a 37-31 loss at Boston College last weekend despite getting 392 passing yards and two touchdowns from Kyle McCord.

“We’re just gonna keep pushing and keep playing,” first-year coach Fran Brown said.

Brown hopes that mantra resonates with his team early and often on Saturday. The Orange have not scored a first-quarter point in their past three games and have been blanked in the first quarter in five of their nine contests.

“It’s kind of been a theme all year,” McCord said. “I feel like we either start really fast or we start really slow.”

McCord certainly will keep a close eye on Cal cornerback Nohl Williams, who leads the nation with seven interceptions, including one against Wake Forest. The Bears have recorded at least one turnover in 11 straight games (and 44 of their past 47 contests).

Of course, McCord is no slouch. He has thrown for at least 300 yards in eight of the nine games and is averaging 350.3 yards — tops in the nation — with 23 passing TDs, fifth in the country.

“They’ve done a real good job,” Brown said of the Syracuse offense. “They’ve been able to carry our football team.”

Regarding how Cal will approach slowing the Orange, Wilcox said, “We have to pick and choose when to pressure, but it’s going to be a team effort. It’ll take everybody involved this week.”

The Orange and Bears have met only twice — a Syracuse home win in 1967 and a Cal home win in 1968.

–Field Level Media

Nov 8, 2024; Winston-Salem, North Carolina, USA; California Golden Bears quarterback Fernando Mendoza (15) throws against the Wake Forest Demon Deacons during the first half at Allegacy Federal Credit Union Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images

Fernando Mendoza helps Cal top Wake Forest for first ACC victory

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Fernando Mendoza threw for two touchdown passes and ran for another to help Cal beat Wake Forest 46-36 on Friday night in Winston-Salem, N.C., for the Bears’ first Atlantic Coast Conference win.

Mendoza threw for 385 yards by completing 40 of 56 passes with an interception.

Derek Morris kicked two field goals and Ryan Coe booted a 54-yarder in the fourth quarter for Cal (5-4, 1-4 ACC), which dropped its previous four conference games by a total of nine points. The Bears are first-year ACC members.

Demond Claiborne rushed for 113 yards and a touchdown and added a scoring reception for Wake Forest (4-5. 2-3). Hank Bachmeier was 19-for-36 for 274 yards with two touchdowns and three interceptions.

Liam Johnson intercepted Bachmeier’s pass on the first play after the two-minute timeout. Five plays later, Jaivian Thomas’ 11-yard TD run sealed the victory.

Bachmeier threw a 45-yard touchdown pass to Donavon Greene with 7:43 left in the third quarter to trim Wake Forest’s deficit to 29-21.

The Demon Deacons were poised to score again, but a blocked field goal flipped momentum. Cal capitalized as Mendoza scored on a 5-yard run to cap a six-play drive with 18 seconds left in the third quarter.

But Bachmeier’s 4-yard TD run and two-point conversion pass closed the gap to 36-29 with 11:46 left. Coe kicked a 54-yard field goal, but Wake Forest converted on fourth down in its own territory and went on to score on Tate Carney’s 2-yard run with 3:57 left.

Mendoza was 30-for-40 for 289 yards in the first half, which ended with the Bears up 29-14.

Cal scored the game’s first 10 points in a nine-second span. After driving 64 yards and settling for a field goal, Hunter Barth forced a fumble on Claiborne’s kickoff return and Miles Williams made a 16-yard return for a touchdown.

The Demon Deacons scored five plays after Nick Andersen’s 28-yard interception return to the Cal 30. Claiborne plowed in from 1 yard out.

Cal had a chance to increase its 20-7 lead, but an incomplete pass on fourth-and-2 at the Wake Forest 32 halted that threat.

On the next possession, the Demon Deacons used a reverse that resulted in Bachmeier’s 44-yard pass to wide-open Claiborne for a 44-yard touchdown.

Then the Bears scored 10 points in the last 90 seconds of the half.

–Field Level Media

Sep 28, 2024; Winston-Salem, North Carolina, USA; Wake Forest Demon Deacons head coach Dave Clawson leads his team onto the field against the Louisiana-Lafayette Ragin Cajuns during the first half at Allegacy Federal Credit Union Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images

Wake Forest, Cal race for win No. 5

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Cal and Wake Forest are four-win teams in vastly different situations as they prepare for their first November game of the season.

Only one of them will have a winning record after Friday night’s game at Winston-Salem, N.C. in an Atlantic Coast Conference game marking the first meeting between the teams.

Wake Forest (4-4, 2-2 ACC) has won its past two games. Cal (4-4, 0-4) also is coming off a victory.

“This feels like a 4-4 team that is ascending,” Wake Forest coach Dave Clawson said of his team.

Preparation time was plentiful with neither team playing a game since Oct. 26, when Wake Forest won 27-24 at Stanford, while nearby at Cal the Bears defeated former Pac-12 rival Oregon State 44-7.

The Bears have lost their four ACC games by a combined nine points, including a pair of one-point setbacks.

“There are people out there that would have crumbled and not been able to bounce back,” Cal coach Justin Wilcox said. “I’m really, really proud and pleased with our guys for battling back.”

Cal and Wake Forest look evenly matched in many areas, Clawson said.

“Whatever team executes best is going to win,” he said. “This should be a very competitive game.”

Clawson said he views the Bears as a stronger team than their record indicates. He also said the Demon Deacons have had a split of good fortune and bad luck.

“You always look at the extremes of it,” Clawson said. “We could be sitting here 6-2 or we could be sitting here 1-7.”

The Demon Deacons expect to be challenged by Cal’s defense.

“I would put these guys defensively right up there with the Ole Miss-es and Clemsons of the teams we’ve faced,” Clawson said.

Cal received a career-high 364 passing yards from redshirt sophomore quarterback Fernando Mendoza in the Oregon State game. Also in that game, kicker Derek Morris tied a single-game program record with five field goals.

Wilcox said Tuesday that linebacker Cade Uluave is expected to be back from injury to play vs. Wake Forest.

Transfer quarterback Hank Bachmeier, a Californian, has continued to give the Demon Deacons boosts.

“Some of the plays he has given us with his feet have really helped,” Clawson said.

Cal’s big edge this season has come in the third quarters, when the Bears have a combined 61-8 scoring advantage. Wake Forest has a third-quarter scoring edge of 55-45.

–Field Level Media

October 7, 2023; Berkeley, California, USA; California Golden Bears running back Jaydn Ott (1) is tackled by Oregon State Beavers defensive back Kitan Oladapo (28) during the second quarter at California Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-Imagn Images

Oregon State, Cal continue rivalry as nonconference foes

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Longtime Pac-12 combatants Oregon State and California renew their rivalry as nonconference opponents on Saturday when the teams duel in Berkeley, Calif.

The Beavers (4-3) and Golden Bears (3-4) have met 75 times since 1917. Cal saw its all-time lead trimmed to 38-37 after a 52-40 home loss last October in a Pac-12 contest.

Both teams bring losing streaks into this year’s contest, which is part of a two-year agreement to play nonconference games — one at each site.

Competing as an independent this year, Oregon State has dropped two consecutive narrow decisions — 42-37 at Nevada and 33-25 at home last Saturday against UNLV. The Beavers ended last week’s game at the Rebels’ 6-yard line, spoiling a brilliant all-around effort by quarterback Gevani McCoy, who passed for 231 yards and rushed for an additional 81.

Oregon State coach Trent Bray sees a similarity between his team and Cal.

“(I) think they’re kind of looking for that same thing we are,” he said. “We got to eliminate self-inflicted mistakes that in tight games against good opponents will keep you from winning.”

Cal has fallen victim to kicker issues in a string of four straight losses by a total of nine points to open its inaugural Atlantic Coast Conference campaign.

Sandwiching a 39-38 home loss to Miami in which the Golden Bears blew a 38-18 lead in the fourth quarter, Cal kicker Ryan Coe missed two field goals in a 14-9 loss at Florida State and a potential go-ahead 40-yarder late in a 17-15 defeat at Pittsburgh.

Cal coach Justin Wilcox made a kicker change before last week’s home game against North Carolina State, then watched freshman Derek Morris connect from 51, 26 and 24 yards. But with the game on the line, Morris missed from 28 yards out, allowing the Wolfpack to escape with a 24-23 win.

As it prepares for four more ACC contests, Cal hopes to energize its offense with the return of injured running back Jaydn Ott and debut of wideout Tobias Merriweather, a Notre Dame transfer, this week.

Wilcox said both would be game-day decisions, but it’s clear Golden Bears players are looking forward to seeing it happen.

“When we’re healthy on offense,” safety Craig Woodson boasted, “we can put up any amount of points we want to.”

–Field Level Media

Oct 12, 2024; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Panthers running back Desmond Reid (0) runs the ball against the California Golden Bears during the third quarter at Acrisure Stadium. Pittsburgh won 17-15. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

No. 22 Pitt edges Cal, improves to 6-0

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Pittsburgh’s Desmond Reid ran 72 yards on a fourth-down play in the second quarter, California’s Ryan Coe missed a potential go-ahead field goal with 1:50 remaining and the Panthers held on for a 17-15 Atlantic Coast Conference victory over the visiting Golden Bears on Saturday afternoon.

Reid finished with a game-high 120 yards and two touchdowns on 16 carries, helping No. 22 Pittsburgh (6-0, 2-0) remain unbeaten despite going scoreless in the second half.

Fernando Mendoza threw for 272 yards and a score for Cal (3-3, 0-3), which outgained the Panthers 335-277.

The Golden Bears forced a punt after Coe missed low and wide right from 40 yards out. Cal got the ball back at its own 20-yard line with 41 seconds left but went four-and-out.

The difference in the game turned out to be two missed two-point conversion attempts by the Golden Bears.

The first came after Cal went up 6-0, the second after it closed within 17-15 on Jack Endries’ 19-yard touchdown reception with 10:30 left in the fourth quarter.

Pittsburgh also gambled early on when, up 7-6, it went for a fourth-and-1 at its own 28 on the first play of the second quarter. Reid cashed in for the Panthers with his 72-yard touchdown run to give the hosts a 14-6 lead.

The Golden Bears struck first on their opening possession. Jaivian Thomas’s 21-yard run capped a 10-play, 75-yard drive that left Cal ahead 6-0 after its first failed two-point attempt.

Pitt went ahead for good at 7-6 on Reid’s 5-yard run with 5:08 left in the first quarter.

After Reid’s fourth-down score, the teams exchanged field goals. Ben Sauls was good from 58 yards for the Panthers before Coe converted from 39 yards, drawing the Golden Bears within 17-9 at halftime.

Pittsburgh quarterback Eli Holstein went 14-for-28 for 133 yards with two interceptions, the only two turnovers of the game.

Endries hauled in eight passes for a game-high 119 yards for Cal. The Golden Bears rushed for just 63 yards on 40 carries in the absence of All-American candidate running back Jaydn Ott, who sat out with an ankle injury.

-Field Level Media

Oct 5, 2024; Berkeley, California, USA; California Golden Bears quarterback Fernando Mendoza (15) passes against the Miami Hurricanes during the first quarter at California Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images

No. 8 Miami comes back from 25 down to stun Cal

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Cam Ward threw a 5-yard touchdown pass to Elijah Arroyo with 26 seconds left and No. 8 Miami recovered from a 25-point, third-quarter deficit to register a 39-38 victory over Cal in Atlantic Coast Conference play on Saturday night at Berkley, Calif.

Ward completed 35 of 53 passes for a season-best 437 yards, along with two touchdowns and one interception for Miami (6-0, 2-0 ACC), which scored 21 unanswered points in the final 10:28. Mark Fletcher Jr. and Damien Martinez rushed for scores before the fourth quarter, Xavier Restrepo caught seven passes for 163 yards, and Isaiah Horton had nine catches for 83 yards and the first of the final three touchdowns for Miami.

The Hurricanes drove 92 yards on six plays in 76 seconds for the decisive score. A broken coverage helped Ward and Restrepo team up for a 77-yard pass play on the first play to move the ball from Miami’s own 8-yard line to the Cal 15, setting up the winning points.

Francisco Mauigoa intercepted Cal quarterback Fernando Mendoza with five seconds left to seal it.

The Hurricanes outgained the Golden Bears 278-26 in the final quarter and 575-370 for the game.

Mendoza, a native of Miami, completed 11 of 22 passes for 285 yards, two touchdowns and one interception for the Golden Bears (3-2, 0-2).

Nohl Williams collected fifth interception of the season and returned it for score, Jaydn Ott scored two touchdowns (one rushing, one receiving), and Jack Endries had a scoring reception for the Golden Bears.

Miami trailed 35-10 in the third quarter but crept within 38-25 on Ward’s 18-yard pass to Horton with 10:28 left in the contest.

The next time the Hurricanes got the ball, Ward raced 24 yards on a scramble to pull Miami within six with 4:04 remaining.

After Miami scored the game’s first touchdown on Fletcher’s 3-yard run in the opening quarter, the Golden Bears scored 35 of the next 38 points.

Mendoza connected with Endries on a 57-yard scoring play to tie the game with 3:58 left in the first period. Ott scored on a run from the 5 early in the second quarter to give Cal a 14-7 lead.

Andres Borregales kicked a 46-yard field goal to bring the Hurricanes within four with 9:07 left.

Cal made it 21-10 just 67 seconds later as Ott caught a short pass in the right flat and outran Miami defenders down the sideline for a 66-yard score.

Early in the third quarter, a scrambling Ward threw the ball toward the center of the field and Williams intercepted it and went 40 yards for a touchdown.

Cal’s lead topped out at 35-10 when backup quarterback Chandler Rogers entered and ran 9 yards for a touchdown with 8:06 left in the third quarter.

–Field Level Media