BERKELEY — Huge performs by a few Cal freshmen helped preserve the Golden Bears undefeated after a 27-14 victory over Minnesota in entrance of a nationwide TV viewers and 38,566 followers at Memorial Stadium on Saturday night time.
Freshman quarterback Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele threw his third landing move of the sport with 6:55 left to offer the Bears their first double-digit lead of the night time.
The 8-yard scoring drive was arrange when one other freshman, defensive again Aiden Manutai, jumped on a unfastened ball after a muffed punt return strive by Minnesota’s Koi Perich.
The Bears scored three performs later when Sagapolutele faked a handoff, rolled left and delivered a 2-yard landing move to wide-open Jordan King. The additional level pushed the result in 10 factors.
Cal’s Chase Meyer kicked a 38-yard discipline aim with 1:10 left to cap the scoring.
Sagapolutele completed the sport 24 for 38 for a season-high 279 yards with three touchdowns and no turnovers. He related with 9 completely different receivers.
Cal (3-0), which scored 27 factors on a Golden Gophers’ protection that had allowed a complete of simply 10 in its first two video games mixed, can match its greatest begin in six seasons subsequent week when it visits San Diego State (1-1). Minnesota misplaced for the primary time in three video games.
Cal led 10-7 at halftime earlier than Minnesota took its first lead of the sport when Drake Lindsey handed 3 yards to tight finish Jameson Geers with 4:36 left within the third interval. That completed a nine-play, 64-yard drive. Cal contributed two penalties that supplied the Gophers with first downs through the collection.
California Golden Bears quarterback Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele (3) throws a move towards the Minnesota Golden Gophers within the second quarter of their sport at Memorial Stadium in Berkeley, Calif., on Saturday, Sept. 13, 2025. (Jose Carlos Fajardo/Bay Space Information Group)
Cal responded on its subsequent possession, going 75 yards in 9 performs and scoring when Sagapolutele hit tight finish Mason Mini for a 9-yard landing with 20 seconds left within the quarter. Mini caught the ball on the 4, spun freed from a tackler and went into the tip zone. The purpose after made it 17-14.
The Bears’ floor sport, which had minus-13 yards (together with sacks) when the possession started, received a raise from Brandon Excessive, who had runs of 18 and 13 yards.
Cal took its three-point lead on the half when redshirt freshman Abram Murray transformed a 49-yard discipline aim that skipped off the within of the correct upright and thru as time expired.
Minnesota had scored with 43 seconds left and the Bears had no timeouts left. However Sagpolotele accomplished a 39-yard move to Mark Hamper on the primary play of the hurry-up drive, then received one other first down with a 19-yard move to Jacob De Jesus.
The Gophers received on the scoreboard seconds earlier when Cam Davis wiggled throughout on a third-down and inches play after the Bears twice stopped them from the 1-yard line.
Cal scored the one factors of the primary 29 minutes, with Sagapolutele hitting De Jesus with a 3-yard TD move at 2:54 of the primary quarter. That capped a seven-play, 62-yard drive during which Sagapolutele accomplished his closing 4 makes an attempt for 59 yards.
He completed the half 18 for 26 for 241 yards and the TD however the Bears managed simply 3 dashing yards towards one of many nation’s prime run defenses.
Punter Michael Kern averaged 49 yards on three kicks, two of them pinning Minnesota again at its personal 2-yard line.
Minnesota Golden Gophers vast receiver Legend Lyons (7) is stopped on the aim line by the California Golden Bears protection within the second quarter of their sport at Memorial Stadium in Berkeley, Calif., on Saturday, Sept. 13, 2025. (Jose Carlos Fajardo/Bay Space Information Group)
