NDL: S29W3 - Tulane (28) at California (35)
The coaches shake hands after the game.Cal Bears' Rollercoaster Victory
Article By: Debbie Downer: Cal Bears' Rollercoaster Victory Against Tulane
Oh, the Cal Bears. Just when you think they’ve figured it out, they remind us why they're such a heartburn-inducing team to follow. In their latest escapade, the Bears hosted the Tulane Green Wave for the first leg of their home-and-home series, a match rife with rivalry, drama, and more twists than a soap opera.
A Rough Start
Tulane, under Coach Doc, started with a drive that would make Bill Walsh proud. The Green Wave effortlessly sliced through Cal’s defense with a West Coast/Pro Style offense that was nothing short of poetic. By the time Cal’s offense took the field, Tulane was already up 7-0, and Coach Gonzales looked like he was about to have a meltdown. Unsurprisingly, Cal went three-and-out, giving Tulane another opportunity to showcase their dominance. Tulane promptly scored again, making it 14-0 early in the second quarter, and it seemed like the Bears were in for a long day.
But then, out of nowhere, Cal’s Chandler Rogers found Matthews on a quick out. Matthews broke six tackles to gain 32 yards, sparking some life into the Bears. Rogers eventually kept the ball on a read play and ran untouched into the end zone for a touchdown. On Tulane's next possession, Yaites made a crucial pass deflection on third down, forcing a punt. Nyziah Hunter then returned the punt 71 yards, setting up a short touchdown pass to Jaydn Ott, tying the game.
With the momentum finally swinging in their favor, Cal forced another punt and capitalized on their next drive, scoring 21 unanswered points to take a 21-14 lead into halftime. It was almost enough to make you believe in miracles.
A Tale of Two Halves
Starting the second half with the ball, Cal extended their lead when Ott took an option pitch 60 yards for a touchdown, making it 28-14. Surely, this was where Cal would put the game away, right? Wrong. Tulane responded with a quick touchdown drive, cutting the lead to 28-21 and reminding everyone that this game was far from over.
After exchanging punts, Cal methodically drove down the field, capped by another touchdown run from Rogers, who waltzed into the end zone thanks to a gaping hole in Tulane’s defense. Leading 35-21, it seemed Cal might finally have the game in hand. But once again, it’s Cal. Tulane quickly drove downfield, finding themselves in Cal territory in less than a minute. On fourth and three, Tulane’s challenge to Craig Woodson on a seam route ended in an interception, giving Cal the ball back.
Cal, in typical fashion, couldn’t run the clock out and was forced to punt back to Tulane with 1:52 left. Tulane’s two-minute offense was as efficient as ever, scoring quickly to pull within a touchdown. Thankfully for Cal, they recovered the onside kick and kneeled the ball to secure the win.
Post-Game Thoughts
Coach Gonzales had some interesting post-game comments, acknowledging Coach Doc’s prowess and joking about an
"assist and distraction"
from Doc’s wife. Gonzales, always the sportsman, admitted that Tulane outperformed Cal in many areas and that without a few big plays, the outcome could have been different.
**
Chandler Rogers** completed 9 of his 14 pass attempts for 108 yards and two touchdowns, adding seven carries for eight yards and two rushing touchdowns. **
Jaydn Ott** carried the ball 12 times for 109 yards and a touchdown, also catching four passes for 33 yards and two touchdowns. **
David Reese** led the defense with 12 tackles and a pass deflection, while **
Xavier Carlton** added 11 tackles and two pass deflections. **
Cade Uluave** contributed five tackles, one for a loss, and one sack. **
Craig Woodson** rounded out the defense with five tackles and an interception.
As for the team stats, Cal managed just 256 yards of total offense, with 148 yards rushing and 108 yards passing. They converted five of eight third downs and scored four touchdowns in the red zone. Defensively, they allowed 381 yards, with 134 on the ground and 247 through the air. Tulane converted six of 12 third downs and one of two fourth downs, scoring four red zone touchdowns.
In the end, the Bears walked away with a win, but not without giving their fans a few more gray hairs. It’s the same old Cal – just when you think they’re out of the woods, they find a way to drag you back into the thicket. Here’s to hoping they can find some consistency moving forward. But then again, this is Cal we’re talking about.
Debbie Downer, Associated Press TULANE MISSES TACKLES ALL DAY LONG
Article By: Once again here we are with a game that started out like Tulane was going to walk all over the Cal Bears to WTF just happened. To many mistakes and college football players who cant tackle.
Tulane played a much better game and had they made just 2 stops they would have won the game in a big fashion. All they can do is wait to get revenge on the bears next season at home.
Ty thompson played much better in this game only throwing 1 int and Makhi Hughes continuing to run well rushing for 83 yds. Defensive player of the game is Jalen Geiger who had 8 tackles and 1 for loss. Him and Caleb Ransaw have been the anchors of the defense this season.
With AAC play opening up this week. We will need to see a much better team out there. Come and play boys. Lets get some wins.
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