Cal Suffers Worst Loss of Season to UCLA, 14-42
Golden Bears managed only 66 yards in the second half
California will not have a winning football season this year. The Golden Bears, who needed to win all of its remaining games to make the post-season, will also miss out on a bowl game.
The Golden Bears (4-7, 3-5 Pac-12) suffered its worst loss of the season Saturday night in a 14-42 shellacking at the hands of the UCLA Bruins (8-4, 6-3 Pac-12) in the Rose Bowl.
California was virtually absent in the second half, giving up 32 unanswered points after halftime.
The Golden Bears punted three times in the third quarter, and the UCLA defense forced two turnovers on downs in the fourth quarter, including a 1-yard line stand with less than three minutes of regulation left. Jay Toia, the first-year Bruin defense lineman, prevented a “garbage time” score for California, stuffing quarterback Chase Garbers, who sought to add to his tally of rushing touchdowns.
California’s only points came in the second quarter. Garbers and senior running back Christopher Brooks ran for touchdowns on back-to-back drives after UCLA fumbled the kickoff return after Brooks’ scoring run.
The 14 points gave California a 14-10 lead before UCLA redshirt-junior running back Kazmeir Allen put up an eight-yard touchdown run less than a minute before halftime.
California’s offensive line struggled against UCLA’s blitzes and aggressive play-calling, giving up four sacks and six tackles for a loss.
Garbers went 16-for-31 for 125 yards and threw two interceptions. His first pick set up the Bruins’ first touchdown, a four-yard pass from quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson that gave UCLA a 10-0 lead at the start of the second quarter.
The UCLA quarterback finished the evening with 164 passing yards, three passing touchdowns and 102 rushing yards. Bruin running back Zach Charbonnet also had more than 100 rushing yards, collecting 106 and a score.
California will end its season next Saturday, a day after the Pac-12 Conference Championship Game, against the USC Trojans, who lost to the BYU Cougars this week. Both teams seek a victory in their season finale to save face after disappointing seasons.
Cal ran approximately 36 plays in the second half. Only five of those were rushing attempts by our RBs. Brooks, despite having 5.4 YPC in the first half, had only two touches in the second.
This is a coaching failure.
Cal just doesn’t have the horses.
More Kool-Aid available for the truly gullible next year.