SMU came into this game looking to cap off an undefeated regular season at home against the Bears from the University of California. Coach 6Ft came out swinging with everything to gain by knocking off the Mustangs and claiming a spot in the ACC title game. SMU would take the ball and have a 17 play drive that took up almost the entire first quarter of the game but finished it off with a TD. Cal would answer and the Mustangs would eventually take the 14-7 lead into the half. Both teams made great halftime adjustments and the 3rd quarter was a defensive battle with both team punting multiple times. A back and forth battle in the last quarter would prove to be the difference as SMU continued to put the ball in the endzone when they needed to all game. Cal made them earn it and continued to press the Mustangs and make them earn everything they got on the day. Two more solid performances by QB Preston Stone and RB Jaylon Knighton both put them legitimately in the talk for potential Heisman candidates.
GG Coach 6ft and GL the rest of the way..
Cal Bears Stumble at the Finish Line, Miss Out on ACC Championship?
Debbie Downer Recap: Cal Bears Stumble at the Finish Line, Miss Out on ACC Championship
Just when you thought it was safe to believe again—just when the California Golden Bears had us daring to hope that this season might be different—they go and do what they do best: disappoint. In what was the most crucial game of the season, a chance to control their own destiny and punch their ticket to the ACC Championship, the Bears choked. Plain and simple. The 35-23 loss to SMU not only cost Cal the game, but it also likely cost them any shot at the ACC title and maybe even a decent bowl game. If you were looking for a happy ending, well, you clearly haven't been following Cal football for very long.
This game was supposed to be the culmination of everything Cal had worked for. Win, and they were in the ACC Championship. Win, and they’d be the team that handed SMU their first loss of the season. But instead, they lost—and they lost in the most frustrating way possible, with the game slipping through their fingers like so many other opportunities this season.
It all started as it always does: with a glimmer of hope. Cal’s defense had been playing lights out in recent weeks, and there was optimism that they could contain SMU's high-powered offense. But that optimism quickly faded as SMU marched down the field on their opening drive, chewing up over six minutes of clock and capping it off with a touchdown. The Bears’ defense looked lost, as if they were playing against a team that knew every move they were going to make—because, well, they probably did.
SMU's offense had Cal’s number all game long, exploiting their every weakness. If Cal stacked the box to stop the run, SMU bounced it outside. If they defended the perimeter, SMU pounded it inside. It was a masterclass in offensive game-planning, and Cal had no answer. By the time the Mustangs were done, they had racked up 226 rushing yards and two touchdowns on the ground, making Cal’s defense look like a Pop Warner squad in the process.
And let’s not forget about Cal's offense—or rather, the lack thereof. Sure, Fernando Mendoza threw for 265 yards and three touchdowns, but those numbers are misleading. The truth is, the Bears’ offense was out of sync all night. The run game was nonexistent, with Jaydn Ott managing just 60 yards on 13 carries. The offensive line was a mess, with delay of game penalties and sacks killing any momentum the Bears tried to build. And when they did manage to put a drive together, it was too little, too late.
Cal’s inability to convert crucial downs sealed their fate. On third and long, they looked like they were playing with one hand tied behind their backs. And when they needed a big play to stay in the game, Mendoza threw two backbreaking interceptions. It was the kind of performance that makes you question why you ever believed in this team in the first place.
But perhaps the most frustrating part of this loss is what it means. With this defeat, Cal falls to 9-3 overall and 6-2 in the ACC. They no longer control their own destiny. To even have a chance at the ACC Championship, they now need help from other teams—a Boston College loss here, a Miami loss there. It's a familiar position for Cal fans: hoping, praying for a miracle that probably won't come. Because if there's one thing this team has taught us, it's that when it matters most, they find a way to fall short.
Coach Gonzales, visibly frustrated, had this to say after the game: "I’m just disappointed. We couldn’t get the stops when we needed them, and when we did, we didn’t execute on offense. We needed to play our best game of the season, and we didn’t even come close." It’s hard to argue with that assessment. This was a team that looked unprepared, outcoached, and outplayed.
So here we are again, left to wonder what might have been. The Bears had everything in front of them—a chance to cap off a remarkable season with a trip to the ACC Championship—and they blew it. Instead of celebrating a berth in the title game, we’re left hoping for other teams to bail us out. But let’s be real—this is Cal football we’re talking about. If there’s a way to miss out on the ACC Championship, they’ll find it.
As the saying goes, hope is a dangerous thing—especially when it comes to Cal football.
Debbie Downer, Associated Press
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