Jaydn Ott ran for 170 yards and a touchdown, and Chandler Rogers threw for two scores while rushing for another as Cal opened their season with a 28-14 win over Appalachian State on Wednesday night.
The Bears got touchdowns on both their opening drives, with the second covering 99 yards on 16 plays as they sandwiched an endzone interception with touchdowns to go ahead 14-0. Ott ran for 44 yards to open the scoring, before Rogers connected Tobias Merriweather for a 10-yard scoring toss to double their lead.
But App State refused to go away quietly, as Joey Aguilar and the Mountaineers did whatever they wanted through the air for three quarters. Aguilar completed 18 of his first 21 throws, and he marched his team down the field to open the third quarter to cut it to 14-7.
But Rogers would use a 34-yard run to key a six-play drive that culminated with him hitting Ott out of the backfield for a 14-yard touchdown that would prove to be the game winning score.
Cal would later give up a wide open touchdown after a horrific alignment mistake, which sent Coach JasonUK into a frenzy as he ripped his defense a new one on the sideline. They responded on their next series, coming up with a sack and then a huge interception to set up their offense. And after Rogers scored on an option keeper from 10 yards out, they sealed the game with another big pick.
"We did some good things out there today, but we've got a lot of work to do," Coach JasonUK said after the game. "It's always a tough outing when you're facing Coach Holmey and his passing attack tore us apart, but thankfully our offense made enough plays to outscore them on the day. There's gonna be a lot of guys answering questions in film study this week."
The Bears now look ahead to a rough stretch that includes Ohio State, Arkansas, and Florida State before having a bye week and a visit to Miami. "If we play like we did today defensively, this will be our last win for some time."
Berkley, CA - Appalachian State's rally came too late in their 28-14 loss to the California Golden Bears on the road. The Mountaineers struggled to find their rhythm in the first half, falling behind 14-0 by halftime. The Golden Bears capitalized on their opportunities, led by a strong ground game and efficient quarterback play.
California opened the scoring midway through the first quarter when Jaydn Ott broke free for a 44-yard touchdown run, giving the Golden Bears a 7-0 lead with 5:21 left. Appalachian State's defense struggled to contain Ott all afternoon, as he tallied 170 yards on the ground and added a receiving touchdown in the third quarter.
The Mountaineers' offense sputtered in the first half, with quarterback Joey Aguilar struggling under pressure. California's defense made key stops, forcing Aguilar into three interceptions, which limited Appalachian State's chances. In the second quarter, Chandler Rogers extended Cal’s lead with a 10-yard touchdown pass to Tobias Merriweather at the 3:22 mark, putting the Mountaineers in a 14-0 hole.
App State showed signs of life in the third quarter. Aguilar connected with Kaedin Robinson for a 4-yard touchdown pass at 4:01, narrowing the deficit to 14-7. However, Cal responded quickly, as Rogers found Ott for a 14-yard touchdown to push the lead back to 21-7. Aguilar fired back, hitting Kanye Roberts for a 16-yard score with just four seconds left in the third, giving the Mountaineers hope at 21-14 entering the fourth quarter.
Despite the momentum, Cal's Rogers sealed the game with a 10-yard touchdown run with 2:53 left in the fourth quarter. Rogers' dual-threat ability proved to be too much for Appalachian State’s defense, as he accumulated 59 rushing yards to complement his 195 passing yards.
Aguilar finished the game with 294 passing yards and two touchdowns but was hampered by the three interceptions. Roberts and Robinson were bright spots for the Mountaineers, with Roberts leading the team in receiving yards (79) and adding a touchdown, while Robinson caught seven passes for 57 yards and a score.
The Mountaineers’ defense had flashes of solid play, including six tackles for loss, but they couldn't force enough turnovers to keep up with Cal’s balanced attack. Brendan Harrington led the defense with nine tackles, and Ronald Clarke added a tackle for loss and a pass deflection.
1st Quarter
(CAL) Jaydn Ott, 44 Yd run (Caleb Agnew kick), 5:21 - Watch Play
2nd Quarter
(CAL) Tobias Merriweather 10 Yd pass from Chandler Rogers (Caleb Agnew kick), 3:22 - Watch Play
3rd Quarter
(APP) Kaedin Robinson 4 Yd pass from Joey Aguilar (Michael Hughes kick), 4:01 - Watch Play
(CAL) Jaydn Ott 14 Yd pass from Chandler Rogers (Caleb Agnew kick), 1:59 - Watch Play
(APP) Kanye Roberts 16 Yd pass from Joey Aguilar (Michael Hughes kick), 0:04 - Watch Play
4th Quarter
(CAL) Chandler Rogers, 10 Yd run (Caleb Agnew kick), 2:53 - Watch Play
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