Bears Utterly Dominated in Lopsided 34-0 Upset Loss at San Diego State

SAN DIEGO, CA - Back-to-back scoop and score and pick-6 turnovers, dropped passes and sloppy play doomed the Bears in yet another loss to continue their futility in San Diego to fall to 3-1.

Coming in favored by 13, the loss is undoubtedly one of the worst Cal losses in the modern era, missing the spread by an inexplicable 47 points and emptying the stands mid-4th quarter.

The last time the Aztecs shut out a power confernce program was 50 years ago in 1975. They’d been easily handled in each of their power-four contests in each of the last four seasons as well.

The Bears’ futility was complete in pretty much every element of the game, rushing for just 65 yards in 31 carries, 3 turnovers that led to two immediated touchdowns, 4 sacks allowed and a passing game that failed to get on track all game long. Special teams fared no better, going 0-for-1 in field goals and no returns to speak of in the kick and punt return game. The Aztecs dominated both lines of scrimmage and surrendered just 1 sack to the Bears’ 4.

“If you don't play this game without utmost focus, effort, detail, it'll disrespect you in two seconds,” Cal head coach Justin Wilcox said after the disappointing loss. “You gotta give a lot of credit to San Diego State. They played a fantastic game. Give a lot of lot of credit to those guys.

“Our level of detail, fundamentals and the execution is very, very important, obviously. So we have to learn a lot. You don't get to just wipe it, forget it. You also can't wallow on your own self pity.”

The game got off to a solid start for the Bears as they forced a quick San Diego State punt and took over at the Cal 23 after a 48-yard Hunter Green punt. Frosh QB Jaron Keawe Sagapolutele‍ then methodically proceeded to drive the Bears 75 yards in 19 plays, completing 7-of-8 passes till they faced a 4th-and-goal from the 2.

Deftly avoiding the rush, the frosh QB threw a dart in the back of the end zone to tight end Landon Morris but the senior TE was not able to secure the pass, causing a turnover on downs - 19 plays, 75 yards and nothing to show for it.

The drive was by far the high point of Sagapolutele’s day as the talented frosh completed just 17 of 38 passes for 208 yards and just a paltry 80 passer rating on the evening.

"Everything starts with me," Sagapolutele said after the game. “You know, I didn't come out firing and it just started with me. So I think we just gotta practice harder and just gotta take it day by day. And it's gonna be a big one for us to learn from.”

After trading possessions, SDSU found themselves pinned down on their 10 with a 1st-and-20. Undeterred, Michigan transfer QB Jayden Denigal hit a streaking Jordan Napier at midfield over stumbling nickel back Cam Sidney and raced to the Cal 10 before being tracked down by speedy frosh safety Aiden Manutai‍. Two plays later, Denigal again hit Napier, this time for a 6-yard TD to give the Aztecs a 7-0 lead with 11:45 left in the half after the PAT.

After a quick 3-and-out, SDSU went back to work with a 22-yard Eric Butler return to the Cal 41. After their drive stalled at the Cal 20, the home team settled for a 34-yard Gabriel Plasentia field goal to go up 10-0 with 6:20 remaining in the half.

The Bears had a chance to narrow the lead their next possession but their drive stalled on the SDSU 26 after a pair of back-to-back penalties and kicker Chase Meyer‍ was unable to convert the 44-yard attempt - the Bears first missed kick of the season.

The Aztecs took advantage of their good fortune, going on the move again and yet another critical mistake reared it’s ugly head for the Bears when safety Isaiah Crosby’s end zone interception and 30-yard return was nullied on an offsides penalty. 4 plays later, Plascentia again converted his field goal attempt, this time from 41 yards as time expired, giving the Aztecs a 13-0 lead heading into the locker room. The kick was the Aztec kicker’s 15th straight converted field goal attempt.

The Bears’ futility continued to start the 2^nd half as a 10-yard holding penalty and three straight incompletions forced a 3-and-out Michael Kern‍ punted for just 32 yards, giving SDSU good field position at the Cal 42. This time the Bears’ defense held, forcing a 3-and-out but with a punt that pinned the Bears back at their 4.

It looked like the Bears would dig out of their most recent hole as Sagapolutele hit receiver Trond Grizzell with a dart at the Cal 30 on the first play of the drive but they only managed to dig a deeper hole as running back Kendrick Raphael‍ gave the Aztecs a scoop-and-score gift fumble, recovered and run back by safety Dwayne McDougal for the 35-yard TD to go up 20-0 after the PAT 4 minutes into the 2^nd half.

The hits just kept on coming for the Bears.

Finally generating some momentum, the Bears quickly drove to the SDSU 20 but Sagapolutele made a rare mistake, floating an easy interception into the arms of Aztec cornerback Chris Johnson for a 97-yard pick-six to put SDSU up a stunning 27-0 with 5:59 left in the 3^rd quarter.

The next drive was little better as the frosh QB was intercepted for the second straight possession, this time at the Cal 42 by safety Dalesean Staley. The frosh QB played one more possession before being relieved by junior QB Devin Brown‍, who struggled as well.

Before Brown relieved Sagapolutele, the Aztecs tacked on another score, driving 76 yards in 12 plays with a 3-yard Lucky Sutton run drawing final blood with 9:20 left in the game to bring the score to the final 34-0 margin.

The Bears fell to 3-1 with the loss and will next travel to face Boston College at 12:30 pm PDT. Saturday.