2024-09-08 09:20:02
Cal upset Auburn 21-14 in the Bears’ first road game of the season on Saturday afternoon at sold-out Jordan-Hare Stadium.
Fernando Mendoza played nearly the entire game at quarterback for Cal. He was outstanding in the first half and less productive in the second half.
Auburn, which scored 73 points against Alabama A&M last week, scored just 14 points against Cal, which forced five Auburn turnovers
The Game Summary
CAL 21, AUBURN 14
RECORDS: CAL (2-0), AUBURN (1-1)
PLAYER OF THE GAME OFFENSE: Cal quarterback Fernando Mendoza. Mendoza completed 16 of his first 17 passes with two touchdown passes in that stretch. His only incompletion in that span came when he intentionally threw the ball away to avoid a sack. He was far less productive in the second half but it was enough. He left the field late in the game with a knee injury but later returned.
PLAYER OF THE GAME DEFENSE: Cal linebacker Teddye Buchanan. Buchanan had 11 tackles, two sacks and three tackles for loss. He applied pressure to the quarterback that led to a third Cal sack. He forced a fumble by ripping the ball away from Jarquez Hunter that Cal recovered at the 36-yard line, and Cal turned it into a fourth-quarter touchdown.
STAT OF THE GAME: Cal committed no turnovers; Auburn turned the ball over five times.
CAL PLAYER AVAILABILITY: Cal running back Jaydn Ott (ankle) was in the starting lineup despite being considered a game-time decision with an ankle injury. Wide receiver Tobias Merriweather, wide receiver Kyion Grayes, guard Sioape Vatikani and center Will McDonald are all projected starters, but all four missed their second straight game Saturday. Cal starting nickelback Matthew Littlejohn also was out with an injury.
TURNING POINT: With the score tied 7-7 after Cal missed a 25-yard field goal, Cal cornerback Nohl Williams intercepted a deflected Payton Thorne pass at the Auburn 35-yard line and returned it to the Tigers’ 21-yard line. It led to Fernando Mendoza’s 13-yard touchdown pass to Nyziah Hunter that gave the Bears 14-7 lead with 10:39 left in the first half.
KEY PLAY 1: On Auburn’s first possession, Tigers quarterback Payton Thorne completed a 41-yard pass to Cam Coleman, putting the ball at the Cal 20-yard line. That led to Thorne’s 15-yard touchdown pass to KeAndre Lambert-Smith, giving Auburn a 7-0 lead with 11:42 left in the first quarter.
KEY PLAY 2: Cal quarterback Fernando Mendoza completed a 19-yard touchdown pass to Nyziah Hunter, tying the game 7-7 with 7:17 left in the first quarter. Mendoza was 6-for-6 on that 75-yard drive, which included a 27-yard completion to Jonathan Brady.
KEY PLAY 3: Auburn’s Payton Thorne threw an incompletion on a fourth-and-2 play from the Cal 48-yard line with 4:53 left in the first quarter.
KEY PLAY 4: Cal kicker Ryan Coe missed a 25-yard field-goal attempt from a sharp angle that bounced off the right upright. That kept the score at 7-7 with 12:15 left in the first half.
KEY PLAY 5: Cal cornerback Nohl Williams intercepted a deflected Payton Thorne pass at the Auburn 35-yard line and returned it to the Auburn 21-yard line with 12:06 left in the first half.
KEY PLAY 6: On the Cal possession that resulted from the turnover, Fernando Mendoza completed a 13-yard touchdown pass to Nyziah Hunter, giving Cal a 14-7 lead with 10:39 left in the first half.
KEY PLAY 7: Cal’s Ja’ir Smith intercepted a Payton Thorne pass on the final play of the third quarter, giving the Bears the ball at the Auburn 47-yard line.
KEY PLAY 8: Cal kicker Ryan Coe missed a 55-yard field goal attempt wide right, keeping the Cal lead at 14-7 with 12:55 left in the fourth quarter.
KEY PLAY 9: Cal linebacker Teddye Buchanan ripped the ball away from Auburn running back Jarquez Hunter, and the fumble was recovered by the Bears’ Craig Woodson at the Auburn 36-yard line.
KEY PLAY 10: On the possession that resulted from that turnover, Jaivian Thomas scored a touchdown on a 32-yard run, giving Cal a 21-7 lead with 11:33 remaining in the fourth quarter.
KEY PLAY 11: Cal cornerback Marcus Harris was ejected for targeting, giving Auburn the ball at the Cal 18-yard line.
KEY PLAY 12: An interception by Cal’s Nohl Williams in the end zone was negated by a questionable pass interference call on Williams. Auburn scored on the next play, on Payton Thorne’s 2-yard touchdown run, reducing the Cal lead to 21-14 with 6:06 remaining in the fourth quarter.
KEY PLAY 13: With 4;38 left in the fourth quarter, Fernando Mendoza ran for a first down,but left the game with a knee injury. He was replaced by Chandler Rogers.
KEY PLAY 14: Cal cornerback Nohl Williams intercepted a Payton Thorne pass at the Cal 44-yard line with 2:13 left in the fourth quarter.
INDIVIDUAL STAT OF THE GAME: Cal running back Jaydn Ott, slowed by a sore ankle, rushed for just 11 yards on 10 carries.
INDIVIDUAL STAT OF THE GAME II: Cal linebacker Teddye Buchanan had 11 tackles, two sacks and three tackles for loss. He applied pressure that led to Cal’s third sack, which was recorded by Ja’ir Smith. Buchanan also forced a fumble that Cal recovered in the fourth quarter, ripping the ball away from Jarquez Hunter.
INDIVIDUAL STAT OF THE GAME III: Cal cornerback Nohl Williams intercepted two passes, including a pick with 2:13 left in the game. Williams has three interceptions for the season.
QUARTERBACK STATISTICS: Cal’s Fernando Mendoza was 25-of-36 for 233 yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions. Auburn’s Payton Thorne was 14-for-27 for 165 yards, one touchdown and four interceptions.
WHAT IT MEANS: Cal is 2-0 for the fifth time in Justin Wilcox’ s eight years as head coach. With a winnable game next week at home against San Diego State, the Bears have a chance to enter ACC play with a 3-0 record.
CAL’S BOWL BAROMETER: Cal has a 65% chance of landing a bowl berth. If Cal wins next week against San Diego State, the Bears will be halfway to becoming bowl eligible.
NEXT GAME: Cal (2-0) vs. San Diego State (1-0) at California Memorial Stadium in Berkeley, on Saturday, September 14. Kickoff time: 7:30 p.m. TV: ESPN. San Diego State plays its second game Saturday night when it hosts Oregon State.
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