After a slow start and down 17-0 with nine minutes left in the 2nd Qtr, Cal finally got it going with two TD drives to end the half and pull within three points at 17-14. The first, an 8 play 75 yard drive in 3:30 resulting in a 20 yard TD pass from Sophomore QB Sam Jackson V to Junior WR Jeremiah Hunter and, the second; a four play 59 yard one minute drive highlighted by 3 consecutive runs and another TD pass from Jackson, this time a 36 yarder to Sophomore WR Trond Grizzell. Together the two WR’s accounted for 7 of the team’s 13 receptions and 88 of Cal’s 114 yards in the air.
Cal finally pushed ahead in the 2nd half scoring two TD’s in the 3rd Qtr to go up 28-17 and a field goal in the 4th while holding Idaho scoreless for the 31-17 win. The Golden Bear’s ground game proved too much for the Vandals as they rushed 43 times for 256 yards with Senior RB Isaiah Ifanse picking up 137 yards of the total on 22 attempts while scoring once and averaging 6.2 yards per carry. Sophomore RB Ashton Stredick and QB Sam Jackson picked up the rest of the yardage on a combined 20 carries with Jackson running it 27 yards into the end zone on Cal’s first possession after the break to finally get out in front where they stayed.
Idaho QB Gevani McCoy connected on 24-of-42 for 248 yards and although didn’t score through the air led the team to a 17-0 lead before the Golden Bears got any points on the scoreboard. On the ground they rushed 26 times for 108 yards and two TD’s, one by the QB and the other by Freshman RB Anthony Woods—a 19 yard run late in the 1st Qtr to put Idaho up 10-0. The game stats show just how close this one was with Cal leading in 1st Downs by just one and 17 yards behind in total yards, 370-387. And although they had the ball five plus minutes less they played a cleaner game with fewer penalties and no turnovers compared with 82 yards lost to penalties for the Vandals as well as three turnovers including two lost fumbles which makes that 10 forced turnovers by Cal on the season, tops in the PAC-12.
Head Coach Justin Wilcox had this to say about a game in which he expected a much better start; “They just didn’t play well. You don’t want that to happen, but it did [and] it was great to see the guys battle through that. I’m proud of how they fought . . . We played better throughout the game. It just felt real streaky on our part.” They have a difficult one coming up against a team that will be tough to come back on as they hit the road to take on the Washington Huskies this coming Saturday.