No. 25 SMU squanders likelihood at clinching berth in ACC title recreation as Cal scores 38-35 win

BERKELEY, Calif. — Kendrick Raphael ran in from 2 yards out with 43 seconds left and California beat No. 25 SMU, 38-35, on Saturday night time to spoil its hopes of creating the Atlantic Coast Convention championship for a second straight 12 months.

The Mustangs (8-4, 6-2 ACC) had clawed their means again into the sport and took the lead when T.J. Harden scored from a yard out with 2:22 remaining.

Cal (7-5, 4-4) responded instantly, although, as quarterback Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele marched the Bears 75 yards in seven performs, capped by Raphael’s twelfth dashing landing of the season.

SMU had an opportunity to tie the sport with eight seconds left, however Sam Keltner’s 52-yard field-goal try sailed vast proper.

“We actually needed to return and compete for a championship once more, however we’re not going to,” coach Rhett Lashlee stated. “We anticipated to win in the present day, and we didn’t.”

The Bears had been enjoying their first recreation underneath interim coach Nick Rolovich, who was appointed after Justin Wilcox was fired final Sunday.

Sagapolutele accomplished 31 of his 40 go makes an attempt for 330 yards and threw 4 touchdowns, ending with a 179.9 passer score.

Raphael rushed 33 occasions for 111 yards, whereas Jacob De Jesus had 12 catches for 97 yards for the Bears.

“It’s an amazing credit score to those children for staying collectively and doing it for the suitable causes,” Rolovich stated. “The employees, I imply, that’s exhausting on the employees, too, while you undergo this.

“And for them to remain collectively and perceive, we are able to exit and play this recreation for the seniors, and to win it like that within the fourth quarter, that’s one thing that none of us will neglect. We’re very appreciative of the chance. Simply an superior, superior deal for Cal soccer.”

The Golden Bears made it fairly clear after falling behind 7-3 by way of one quarter that they weren’t going to cooperate with SMU’s plans to clinch a spot within the convention championship, as they scored 21 unanswered factors to take a commanding 24-7 lead.

“Upset for our gamers, disillusioned for our followers … however I’m not discouraged,” Lashlee stated. “I’m pleased with our guys. What they did this 12 months, all of the completely different occasions they responded, was so much like they did within the second half. I used to be pleased with how we completed. I used to be not pleased with how we began. That’s soccer. You’ll be able to’t go on the highway in convention play and dig a gap like we did. We had been form of lucky to solely be down 17-7 on the half.”

SMU quarterback Kevin Jennings was 24 of 36 for 250 yards, with two touchdowns and an interception.

Chris Johnson Jr. led the Mustangs’ dashing assault with 128 yards on 10 makes an attempt, with one landing.

SMU got here into the sport permitting 19 factors and 385 yards per recreation. Cal’s 38 factors had been the second-most the Mustangs allowed this season, whereas the Bears’ 452 yards had been third most by an SMU opponent.

As an alternative, it was Cal’s protection getting a pair of well timed performs from freshman security Aiden Manutai, who had his first interception after the Bears’ first landing. 5 performs later, quarterback Sagapolutele and De Jesus linked on a 7-yard scoring strike to increase Cal’s lead. Then, throughout SMU’s remaining drive, it was Manutai’s go breakup that prevented the Mustangs from bettering their subject place for Keltner’s remaining try.

The takeaway

Cal: Enjoying in his Twenty sixth-career recreation, Jaiven Plummer’s second-quarter landing catch was simply the second reception of his profession.

SMU: The Mustangs arrived in Berkeley with a 2-0 all-time report towards Cal.

Up subsequent

Each Cal and SMU await invites to postseason bowl video games.