Cal football: How the Bears (barely) kept their bowl hopes alive

BERKELEY — Cal tried to make this easy, but couldn’t do it.

The Bears snapped their four-game losing streak and kept the bowl dreams alive with a 42-39 victory over Washington State in front of 38,155 in their final Pac-12 Conference home game.

But after building a 42-24 lead with 91/2 minutes left, the Bears watched WSU quickly score twice and the game unnecessarily became a gut-wrencher.

“We made it much harder than it needed to be,” Cal coach Justin Wilcox admitted. “That’s where we’ve got to take a step. In those moments, got the lead, they’re up against time, how we gonna make that play to get off the field and put the game away?”

But he was thrilled for his players.

“We’ve been through a tough month-and-a-half, they keep playing,” Wilcox said. “I love ’em for that. The joy in there, you can feel it.”

Now 4-6 overall and 2-5 in conference play, the Bears need road wins over Stanford in next week’s Big Game and UCLA the week after that to earn bowl eligibility.

This one featured an unusual script, with Jaydn Ott rushing for 167 yards and two touchdowns, going over 1,000 yards for the season but also fumbling twice, including with 6:38 left to set up WSU’s final touchdown.

“Just scared that I had lost us the game, giving up the ball,” Ott said. “I didn’t want to watch (the end), but I did. I’m just grateful my defense was able to step up and get it done.”

Dean Janikowski missed a 48-yard field goal that could have tied the score with 50 seconds left but the Cougars (4-6, 1-6) got the ball once more.

The Bears finally nailed down victory when linebacker Cade Uluave intercepted Cam Ward’s 59th pass attempt of the game, a Hail Mary heave from his own 47-yard line that bounced off the hands of receiver Kyle Williams and into Uluave’s arms as time ran out.

Takeaways from the game:

DEFENSE MAKES IT HAPPEN: Cal’s defense has allowed 50 points or more four times this season, but it delivered huge plays in this one. Uluave scored the game’s first touchdown with a 51-yard fumble return after the ball sprung loose on a QB sneak by Ward in the first quarter.

Cornerback Nohl Williams did the same thing, from 52 yards, after David Reese knocked the ball out of the hands of Ward. The return boosted the Bears’ lead to 18 points with 9:26 to play.

The Bears’ defense finished with six sacks, four takeaways, and two TDs. Reese had three sacks and two forced fumbles.

O-LINEMAN’S DREAM: Senior center Brian Driscoll recovered Ott’s first fumble, which came with 12:14 left in the second quarter. Ott seemed ready to go into the end zone for a 5-yard TD when the ball came loose.

Driscoll, whose grandfather is Pro Football Hall of Famer Lance Alworth, saw the ball on the ground and reacted.

“A lineman’s dream flashed in front of my eyes,” he said. “I haven’t scored a touchdown since Pop Warner. I think it’s been like 10 years. Probably a memory I’ll have until the day I die.”

OTT REACHES A GRAND: Ott’s 167 yards boosted his season total to 1,016 yards, making him the first Cal back over 1,000 yards rushing since Patrick Laird in 2017.

“Jaydn Ott is spectacular,” quarterback Fernando Mendoza said. “I’ve said it many times — he’s going to play on Sundays.”

BOWL BID LIVES ON: Ott said the Bears aren’t worried about winning three in a row to become bowl-eligible. They’ve already got one, and only Stanford on Saturday matters right now.

“We’re just focused on this upcoming week,” he said.

Mendoza got his first win as a starter after going 14 for 21 for 150 yards with two touchdowns and no interceptions. “Although I’m really happy to get this win, the job’s not done yet.”

BIRTHDAY SURPRISE: Wilcox turns 47 on Sunday but hasn’t given the occasion a thought.

“I’m going to be honest with you . . . until you said that, I had not even thought of that,” he said.

Even after his team won for the first time since September, Wilcox said his attention won’t be diverted from the job.

“A cake? No. I’m just going to get up and watch the tape and move on to Stanford,” he said. “I don’t think anybody’s bringing me a cake. That’s fine. I don’t need a cake.”

STAT OF THE GAME: Cal won despite the Cougars running 40 more plays, 97 to 57 for the Bears.