Cal (3-4) and SMU (5-1) met at Gerald J. Ford Stadium at nine a.m. Pacific Standard Time today.
After some back and forth over the past week, Jaron Keawe-Sagapolutele got the start for the Cal Bears in the first of a three-game road trip across the ACC. While Cal got their starting signal caller back under center, they were severely hamstrung by injuries, with running backs Adam Mohammed and Carter Vargas sitting out, as well as wideouts Cooper Perry, Mark Hamper, and Jordan King. Center Bastien Swinney was also sidelined.
Because of these conditions, several Cal defensive players took snaps on offense. Niles Davis, AJ Tuitele and Kingston Lopa all saw action on the opposite side of the ball today. Niles Davis nabbed his first career reception on the first drive, which ended with Chase Hendricks taking a smoke screen to the house, giving Cal a 7-0 lead.
SMU’s second drive began with a 35-yard return. After penalties set them back to a 1st and 20 around midfield, they matriculated the ball downfield but were stymied in the red area, and held to a field goal, making the game 7-3 in Cal’s favor. On SMU’s third offensive drive, the Ponies converted a 4th and 7 and then a 4th and 2 before finding former Bear Kendrick Raphael for a swing pass into the end zone giving the home team their first lead of the game, 10-7 after the extra point.
The second quarter began with Cal faking a 48-yard field goal, with backup QB Dominic Ingrassia taking the ball up the middle for the first down. A handy misdirection play carried out by Tyree Sams set up a direct snap to TE Mason Mini, who scored the touchdown to give Cal back the lead shortly after. McGough scored the extra point making it 14-10 Cal.
On their following offensive drive, Cal could not find the end zone, but Towns McGough kicked a career-high 41-yard field goal to make it 17-10 for the Golden Bears. SMU responded on the next drive with a commanding march down the field punctuated by Kendrick Raphael’s second touchdown of the day. The Bears looked to be in position to respond before the half, but that effort was hindered by penalties which took that back into their own territory. They managed to get into field goal position with one second left in the half and regained the lead off the strength of a 37-yarder from McGough, making it 20-17 in Cal’s favor going into halftime.
SMU opened the second half with a scoring drive that took just over four minutes off the clock, aided by another tough Cal DPI call. The drive was capped off by a run from Christian Rhodes and a successful extra point kick to make the score 24-20 in Dallas. On the Ponies’ next drive they started deep in Cal territory and set about running the ball through Kendrick Raphael play after play, setting up a passing shot, and SMU made their lead 31-20.
The third scoring drive of the third quarter for Southern Methodist University ended with a little over four minutes left in the quarter. They put 21 points on the board in 11 minutes, making it 38-20 in their favor. Cal got a first down for the first time in the second half on their next drive, but were hamstrung by a sack that put them too far beyond the sticks. The Bears attempted a fake punt but Angus Davies’ pass attempt was batted down giving SMU good field position once more.
Southern Methodist slowed their pace of play during the drive that bled into the top of the fourth quarter but it did not stop the onslaught of points. Freshman Christian Rhodes took the ball to the one-yard line, and Kendrick Raphael finished the job on the next play, making the score 45-20 for SMU. The onslaught did not cease. SMU’s defense continued to get stops and the offense found more ways to score. Jalen Hale was the next scoring player, as the score rose to 52-20 SMU.
The following offensive drive, after their defense recorded yet another stop, SMU put in their backup quarterback, sophomore Ty Hawkins, who also led a scoring drive, capped off by a rushing TD by running back EJ Kelly, making the final score 59-20, giving Southern Methodist a commanding victory after last year’s unexpected defeat.
The Cal Bears continue their road trip next week, playing the NC State Wolfpack at 9 a.m. Pacific.
Keep in mind that our center Bastian Swinney was injured, and in the Virginia Tech game he was the main architect of the O-line play being good. Like in the UCLA game, Swinney not being there means bad O-line play, which leads to 3-and-outs, which means the defense is gassed.
Tosh's shopping list for the offseason has to include a good O-line and depth at center (and also depth in the RB room).
But I don't think Tosh needs to be fired or should be fired anymore: whatever beef he had with the players, McCann, Rolo, and Hutchings during the Wake Forest game was clearly squashed as evidenced by the first half of this game.
The offense, despite the absence of multiple key players, showed signs of progress. But what's up with the defense? To me they've been the biggest disappointement this season.