Wake Forest's promising start against Cal was overshadowed by a dramatic second-half collapse, culminating in a 28-23 defeat. The Demon Deacons dominated the early stages, holding a 10-0 lead with just 2.5 minutes remaining in the first half. However, their momentum faltered as they committed two crucial turnovers in quick succession, allowing Cal to capitalize and flip the score to 14-10 by halftime.
Despite a valiant effort to regain control, Wake Forest struggled to regain their footing after the break. Cal's defense tightened and their offense continued to exploit Wake's mistakes, ultimately sealing the game with a decisive late score. The Demon Deacons' inability to recover from their mid-game mishaps highlighted the challenges of maintaining composure and executing under pressure, leaving them to reflect on missed opportunities and costly errors as they regroup for future matchups.
Cal Bears Barely Squeak By in a Sloppy Win Over Wake Forest
Debbie Downer Recap: Cal Bears Barely Squeak By in a Sloppy Win Over Wake Forest
Oh, where do we begin with this one? The California Golden Bears took a trip to Winston-Salem to face the Wake Forest Demon Deacons, and let’s just say, it was far from a glamorous outing. Sure, Cal walked away with a 28-23 victory, improving to 7-2 on the season, but the performance was anything but convincing. In a game marred by mistakes and missed opportunities, it’s hard to find much to be proud of—unless, of course, you’re content with mediocrity.
To start, the Bears seemed to have left their offensive playbook back in Berkeley. After a scoreless first quarter where Cal’s offense did absolutely nothing of note, they managed to give the ball away on the first play of the second quarter with a mind-numbing interception at the Wake Forest goal line. Yes, you heard that right—they literally threw away points. The Demon Deacons, smelling blood in the water, quickly turned that gift into a 10-0 lead. At this point, it felt like we were in for another one of those nights where the Bears forget they’re supposed to, you know, score points.
But then, in a bizarre twist of fate—or perhaps just sheer luck—Cal’s defense decided to show up, forcing a fumble and intercepting a pass, which miraculously led to two quick touchdowns before halftime. Suddenly, the Bears found themselves with a 14-10 lead, despite doing everything in their power to hand the game to Wake Forest.
The second half wasn’t much better. While the Bears did manage to extend their lead to 28-16, thanks in part to some decent running from Jaydn Ott and a couple of short passes that found their mark, the offense continued to struggle with consistency. The missed field goal in the fourth quarter was the cherry on top of an already underwhelming performance. It’s almost as if Cal’s special teams wanted to keep things interesting by giving Wake Forest one last glimmer of hope.
And, of course, Wake Forest made it interesting, cutting the lead to just five points late in the game. But in the end, Cal’s defense held on, more out of desperation than dominance, and the Bears managed to escape with a win they frankly didn’t deserve.
Coach Gonzales, ever the optimist, had the nerve to call this a “good win” in his post-game interview. “We really got blessed by lady luck in this one,” he admitted. No kidding, Coach. Lady Luck might have been the only reason Cal didn’t find a way to lose this game.
So, here we are, another week, another sloppy win for the Bears. Sure, they’re still in the hunt for the ACC title, but performances like this make you wonder how much longer their luck will hold out. Cal fans, brace yourselves—the road ahead isn’t getting any easier, and if this game is any indication, it’s going to be a bumpy ride.
Debbie Downer, Associated Press
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