Cal’s desires of early bowl eligibility and maybe a particular season took a significant hit Friday evening in a 42-34 double-overtime loss at Virginia Tech’s sold-out Lane Stadium.
Right here’s how issues unfolded in extra time:
— Cal scored on one play when Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele fired a 25-yard landing strike to tight finish Mason Mini.
— Virginia Tech answered with quarterback Kyron Drones working it from 17 yards on second-and-2, tying the rating at 34-all.
— The Hokies then bought the ball first within the second OT and Drones hit Takye Heath with a 7-yard TD go, his third scoring go of the evening. Required to go for two factors on the second OT, Drones stored the ball and gave Tech a 42-34 lead.
— Sagapolutele threw incomplete on 4 straight performs on the Bears’ closing possession, ending issues.
Cal (5-3, 2-2 ACC) had hoped to win a sixth sport and safe bowl eligibility earlier on the calendar than in any 12 months since 2006. As a substitute, they head right into a ferocious stretch of 4 video games to finish the common season, beginning subsequent Saturday at dwelling towards No. 16 Virginia.
The Hokies (3-5 2-2), who misplaced their first three video games of the season and fired their coach, rushed for 357 yards towards the Bears, who managed solely 39 yards on the bottom.
They may not work out Drones, who ran for 137 yards and two touchdowns and threw three TDs.
Sagapolutele accomplished 24 of 39 passes for 285 yards with a landing and no turnovers. Ca’s protection bought an excellent effort from linebacker Cade Uluave, who had 19 tackles, together with three tackles for loss and two sacks.
The Bears battled again from an early 10-0 deficit to steer 20-10 on the half earlier than watching the Hokies rating 17 unanswered factors for a 27-20 defeat.
The Hokies regained the lead on 14-yard sprint by Drones with 7:11 left within the fourth quarter.
The Bears, outgained 239 yards to 14 within the half to that time, instantly discovered a move. Sagapolutele accomplished 5 of 6 passes for 62 yards, and a roughing-the-passer flag towards the Hokies gave Cal a first-and-goal on the 2.
Operating again Kendrick Raphael took it in from there with 2:34 left, his third landing of the sport, and the Bears had tied the sport at 27-all.
Tech moved into area aim vary for John Love, one of many nation’s finest placekickers, however his 45-yard attempt with hit the appropriate upright with 1:12 remaining.
Cal’s Chase Meyer tried what would have been a career-long 49-yarder with 1 second left, forcing extra time.
The third quarter went simply as badly as the primary for the Bears, who noticed their 20-10 halftime lead erased.
Love drilled a 52-yard area aim to make it 20-13 with 8:45 left within the interval earlier than the Hokies used two massive performs to get the game-tying TD.
Marcellous Hawkins, who had 167 yards on the evening, ran 34 yards to the Cal 44 earlier than Droves hit wide-open large receiver Takye Heath with a 44-yard strike down the center, knotting the rating at 20-all with 5:06 left within the quarter.
By the tip of the interval, Tech had outgained the Bears 172 yards to 16, together with 122 to minus-17 on the bottom.
Cal managed to keep away from shedding the lead when Cam Sidney intercepted Drones ultimately zone within the first minute of the fourth quarter, leaving the sport tied.
What seemed to be a catastrophe within the making after the Bears fell behind 10-0 halfway by means of the primary quarter was remodeled right into a 20-10 Cal lead by halftime.
Cal was outgained 98 yards to minus-5 after every staff had two possessions, then the Bears got here alive.
They didn’t try a run on both of their first two offensive sequence however used Raphael to take some warmth off Sagapolutele. The junior working again, a switch from NC State, carried 5 occasions for 28 yards on a 55-yard drive that led to a 38-yard area aim by Meyer.
Cal drew even at 10-10 after a four-play, 51-yard drive capped by Raphael’s 1-yard TD run at 14:46 of the second quarter. A 38-yard completion to Jordan King arrange the landing.
Meyer’s second area aim, from 29 yards, made it 13-10 Cal with 9:31 left within the half, however the Bears may have had extra apart from a pair of dropped passes ultimately zone after reaching the Virginia Tech 11 yard line.
Danville native Cole Boscia blocked a punt on Tech’s subsequent possession, establishing the Bears on the Virginia Tech 21. It took eight performs, however Raphael spun into the tip zone from the 1 for a 20-10 lead with 1:43 left within the half.
