Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele Shines in Cal's 34-15 Dismantling of Oregon State
A comprehensive win for the Bears across the board
When you think about it, not many people take issue with telling the story and telling the whole damn world that its bear territory. Entering the 2025 Cal Football season, one of its essential questions resides in the remaining part of that chant. Did we know it? Truthfully, none of us knew what Cal’s box of chocolates would unearth on Saturday night in Corvallis.
A tone setting first quarter
One of the factors that doomed Cal in recent years was slow starts. It was anything but that in the opening 15 minutes for the Bears, as Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele announced his presence to the college football world.
Two drives in and his statline read: 6/6, 125 yards and 2 touchdowns
Talk about an opening sequence. Smart decisions, great ball placements, and consistent poise brought Cal out of the gate fast, leaving fans awestruck at the gear the Bears were in.
Defensively, Cal kept everything in front of them and Oregon State didn’t have much room to operate. Maalik Murphy had limited options and couldn’t get the offense on schedule to subsequently sustain drives. Despite some slippage in tackling, there was a concerted effort to rally to the ball, and it served well in containing when necessary.
Special teams wise, its hard not to notice the impact of Jacob De Jesus in the return game. He’s nifty, has a great change of pace, and most importantly added a shot in the arm to a unit that sorely needed it.
When we talk about Cal taking the next step, playing consistent comprehensive football like this makes a world of difference down the line.
The delivery of Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele
A lot of hype was given to the true freshman from Hawaii. Consider act one: scene one a great opener.
JKS mentioned during the week that he was more comfortable making his first start on the road which was curious at the time but became apparent why he thought that way as he controlled Oregon State’s defense.
The way he layered throws, threw guys open at times, and held command were on full display throughout all four quarters in Corvallis. I mentioned that it was a lot to ask for a lot of JKS during the week.
Nevertheless, Sagapolutele answered the call and then some.
What he showcased against the Beavers was salivating in many respects and makes you turn to the game against Minnesota as a barometer for how the year’s ceiling can look. That’s a rock solid, fundamentally sound football team that will force JKS to make the right decisions consistently.
For now, its everything you could want and more from your true freshman quarterback. He took the bull by the horns and won the starting job. Now he’s already on the road to establishing himself as a force to be reckoned with in college football.
"He looks like how he practices. We're not surprised but it’s also his first college game. What we have seen in practice showed up in the game and he's got the right demeanor for it." - Justin Wilcox postgame
A curious night for the receivers
Not much went wrong for Cal throughout its opener. Aside from a chaotic sequence at the end of the first half with time management, there was little that was structurally off with what the Bears wanted to do and how they did it.
However one of the areas that didn’t reach its in-game ceiling was the ability for the wide outs to hold on to the football. Whether it be high pointing, surviving the ground, or coming with the right aggression, JKS lobbed in throws that weren’t caught.
There are no red alarms of five star fires in regards to this group but its one area that Kyle Cefalo will need to fine tune as Cal gets to playing better defenses. The room doesn’t have a whole lot of size, so its important to make the most of those opportunities when they have an advantage over the top.
Conclusion
This is the type of start that everyone wanted and that the team needed. The home opener against Texas Southern next week should be a mismatch, giving Cal a great opportunity to set the standard for the rest of the season with Minnesota looming in the distance.
I also reacted to the game in podcast form here.
I know that Cal fandom always has to follow anything good with "pump the brakes". But it's pretty clear this kid is something different. Fans should enjoy this for now while it lasts, and if we foolishly adored Mendoza and Ott as cult heroes, then JKS love should rightfully reach full on mania.
However, Rivera's got work to do and his primary job now is to keep this kid in Berkeley and ensure he becomes not only a top NFL pick, but a successful NFL star. That's not gonna be easy, but at least it is clear. If he can do that Cal can build something now. Others will be coming to lure him away, and objectively it's going to be hard to stop them. But you have to start building a strong case for staying.
The fact that JKS chose the Bears originally hopefully means the school did connect with him. And being on the west coast makes a lot of sense for his family in Hawaii. You have to open up the checkbook of course, but you have a player in the building that is worth it. He seems like a good kid from a good family, and whatever the circumstances that led to all this, he is HERE. Of course pay him, and pay some supporting players to put around him, but also elevate him. Thereby elevate the program back to national relevance. Make the memorial stadium debt be worth it. This is a dream project for the new GM. He needs to ensure JKS comes to be as synonymous with Cal football glory and NFL stardom as Rodgers, Goff and Marshawn.
I would call you a liar if you told me this was a freshman's first start. JKS looked remarkably polished. Credit to the OL for letting him show what he can do.