Wow. How about that win Cal fans? It was a remarkable day for the California Golden Bears as they entered the notorious Jordan-Hare Stadium and handled business. And oddly enough, everything was going against Cal to start this football game.
With four offensive starters out, a starting pass rusher out, and a banged-up Jaydn Ott, the Bears had to summon some demons for this one as they rolled into Auburn and won with a final score of 21-14.
A Strong First Half for Cal Football
Right from the jump, linebacker Cade Uluave sent Cal football fans into a frenzy with what everyone thought was a pick-six. Unfortunately, it would end up being overturned and Auburn would march down the field and score a touchdown.
At that point, the thought of “here we go again” raced through every Cal fan’s head. Things can get away from you quickly when you’re the underdog on the road against an SEC team. That wasn’t the case for this Cal offense led by sophomore quarterback Fernando Mendoza.
Mendoza would march the Bears down the field to even things up on a touchdown pass to Nyziah Hunter. Mendoza would later throw another touchdown to Hunter in the second quarter. He finished his impressive first half completing 19 of his 21 passes.
After the defense gave up a touchdown on the first drive, they settled in nicely. Cal forced a total of five turnovers in this game with one interception in the first half. Auburn went for an early fourth and two, but they did not convert. That was a major momentum shifter for the first half, and the Golden Bears would not give up another score.
A Crazy Second Half
The second half was much different for the Cal offense as they struggled to sustain any momentum they had in the first half. They struggled with pre-snap penalties and failed to get the ground game running. That is, until Jaivian Thomas ran for a 32-yard touchdown early in the fourth quarterback in what would ultimately be the game-winning score.
The special teams helped out the offense in the second half with punter Lachlan Wilson consistently pinning the Tigers deep.
Mendoza would be injured late in the fourth quarter, but was able to return. Chandler Rogers stepped in briefly for Mendoza and ran for a crucial first down that helped drain the clock.
Hats off to the defense in this one. To force four turnovers in the second half is truly remarkable and shows the grit they play with. The secondary picked off Payton Thorne three times and Teddye Buchanan forced a fumble. The Cal defense surrendered a touchdown late, but the Tigers had some help from the officials.
Nohl Williams was also a big part of the Cal defense throughout this matchup. He almost had two interceptions in this game, but the second was returned on a phantom pass interference. In the end it wouldn’t matter, however. The defense would force Thorne to throw two interceptions late that spoiled any shot Auburn had.
Game Balls
Teddye Buchanan
The first game ball is an easy one. Teddye Buchanan was flying all over the field wreaking havoc on the Auburn offense. He finished the game with 11 total tackles, two sacks, three tackles for a loss, and a forced fumble. His impact was felt everywhere and he even forced Thorne to step into another sack. He was by far the best player on the field today for both teams. His impressive performance makes him deserving of a game ball.
Fernando Mendoza
It takes guts to play quarterback at the collegiate level. Fernando Mendoza could have been rattled and scared, but he looked adversity in the eyes and conquered it. Mendoza started the game off red hot – though he cooled off in the second.
He finished the game 25-36 with 233 yards passing and two touchdown passes. Cal didn’t need Mendoza to light it up in the air, though. They needed him to be smart with the football and be consistent. The sophomore quarterback did all of that and much more.
Mendoza trusted his receivers to make plays for him and commanded the offense beautifully. Not turning the ball over helps, too. It was a great game from the young quarterback and that’s why he gets a game ball.
Lachlan Wilson
Having a great special teams is a weapon for any team. No team wants to punt, but it can offer a key advantage in terms of field position. With how the defense played today, head coach Justin Wilcox trusted his punter to flip the field. Wilson delivered when his name was called and delivered multiple punts within the 20-yard line.
The faith that they showed in Wilson became a major factor in this game with the Auburn offense being forced to drive the whole field. Lachlan Wilson gets a game ball for his outstanding efforts.
Cal Football Game Overview
This win goes a long way for this Cal football program. There’s no one fans can be happier for than head coach Justin Wilcox.
So many times Cal has played in these tight games only to lose at the end. This time it was different.
Auburn may not be at the top of the SEC, but they still have great players and that stadium is difficult to play in. Beating them on their home turf says a lot about this team.
It’s early in the season, but things feel different already for the Golden Bears. The hype is starting to build, and Cal has very winnable games coming up. It might be too early to rank them, but this win looks really good on their report card. Next week they play at home against the San Diego State Aztecs.
Cal Head Coach Justin Wilcox Post Game Media
Wilcox starts off his presser talking about finally winning a big game, and how that build confidence in the program. Auburn scored fairly quickly on their first drive and Wilcox mentioned that the team did not change their game plan despite that.
Wilcox would then pivot about the approach linebacker Teddye Buchanan. What he brings to the team every day and how his preparation keeps him in the right spots.
Cal had 5,000 tickets allocated to them from Auburn for this matchup. The head coach talked about those fans, and how loud they were.
Wilcox would later highlight Auburn’s ability to stop Ott – and how his injury may have played a part in that. And yet while the team won the game, coach Wilcox was not happy with the team’s 11 penalties throughout the game. He ends is press conference with injury updates, and how he’s impressed with the players who have stepped up.
Cody Henderson
I root for teams that only let me down. Talking all things Las Vegas Raiders and Cal Bears football. Follow me on X where I post my dramatic takes.