It's a good thing for Rolo that he opted to remain as Cal's QB coach next year. This game proved not to be a good screen test for him as a HC candidate (or even as an OC candidate).
Photo by X / Cal Football
HONOLULU - Everthing looked great for the Bears as they jumped out to a 21-0 lead over the Hawaii Rainbow Warriors but when it came to crunch time, the home team came through with a stirring rally to defend their turf in a 35-31 loss for Cal.
Frosh QB Jaron Keawe Sagapolutele had another strong game for the Bears, capping off his freshman season going 28-for-39 (72%), a passing TD, a rushing TD and no interceptions in the loss. His favorite target again was receiver Jacob De Jesus, who had 9 catches for 137 yards and a TD. Junior MLB Cade Uluave led the defense with 9 tackles, including 7 solos and a ½ TFL.
“We knew that they had fight in them the way that they played all season,” interim head coach Nick Rolovich said after the game.
“We jumped on them, which was a great start for us. But we talked about it. We knew they were not going to give up. This meant too much to them to give up midgame. They came back and they fought hard.”
What looked like a potential blowout win for the Bears turned into a back-and-forth affair in the end. Hawaii tied the game in the opening minutes of the fourth quarter and the Bears retook the lead on a field goal. The Warriors then scored another TD to retake the lead and the Bears answered right back to retake the lead with 1:57 remaining. But when the chips were down, the Warriors finished off their stirring rally with the winning touchdown with 10 seconds remaining to send the Bears to defeat.
The Bears won the toss to start the game and elected to defer. It looked like the Cal defense forced an opening 3-and-out but the Warriors rolled the dice and elected to go for in on 4th-and-1 at their own 36 and the gamble paid off as receiver Tama Uliata picked up a first down on an end around. Unable to continue to move the ball, the Warriors punted with returner De Jesus fielding the ball at the Cal 12 where the Bears started their drive.
The Bears were efficient in their first possession, picking up three first down without facing a third down before Sagapolutele struck big, hitting De Jesus for a 41-yard TD with 7:01 left in the opening quarter. De Jesus’ grab broke the Cal single season catch mark of 100 with his 101st catch, eclipsing receiver Dameane Douglas’ 27-year old record.
On the TD pass, the frosh QB was hit with a borderline late hit and took off his helmet in celebration of the TD pass and catch, almost costing the Bears as Hawaii returner Cam Barfield returned the ball to the Hawaii 39 after the penalty was assessed on the kickoff. The Warriors almost took advantage of the miscue, driving to the Cal 32 where kicker Kenzei Matzuzawa - one of the most accurate placekickers in NCAA history known as the Tokyo Toe - missed only his second kick of the season, preserving the Bears’ 7-0 lead.
The Bears went right back to work after the miss, driving to the Hawaii 19 in five plays after a 13-yard Sagapolutele completion to De Jesus. On the next play, running back Kendrick Raphael burst up the middle untouched for the TD, putting the Bears up 14-0 after the Chase Meyer PAT on the opening play of the second quarter.
After the ensuing Hawaii drive eventually stalled on their 41 yard line, returner De Jesus fielded the ball at the Cal 17 and returned it 34 yards to the Hawaii 49. The Bears took five plays to drive to the Warriors 19 where frosh running back Anthony League took over, picking up 4 and 7 yards in consecutive carries before coming back for his third carry in a row - this time hitting paydirt with an 8-yard TD rush off tackle for his first career TD to put the Bears up 21-0 after the PAT with 9:41 remaining in the half.
The Warriors finally got things going on their next possession. Converting on a 4th-and-1 on the Cal 36, QB Micah Alejado hit receiver Devon Tauaefa for 7 to the Cal 29. Four plays later, Alejado hit receiver Pofele Ashlock for a 13-yard TD to put the Warriors down 21-7 after the PAT with 3:57 left in the half.
The Bears were unable to get anything going in their next drive and Hawaii took advantage, taking over at the Cal 32 after a blocked Michael Kern punt. The Bears’ defense held and the Warriors settled for a 29-yard Matsuzawa field goal to narrow the deficit to 21-10 heading into halftime.
The Bears nearly extended their lead as time expired but kicker Abram Murray’s kick missed wide left.
Hawaii got a little closer in the third quarter with a Matzuzawa field goal narrowing their deficit to 21-13 with 5:58 left in the quarter.
The Warriors finally tied the game on a 3-yard Micah Alejado TD pass to receiver Pofele Ashlock to rally to within two before hitting on a 2-point conversion pass to Cam
The Bears retook the lead, driving 71 yards in 10 plays before settling for a 22-yard Meyer field goal to give the Bears the lead again, 24-21.
The defense continued to be unable to stop the Warriors after they started their drive on the Cal 41 after a 24-yard Barfield return. Four plays later, Alejado hit receiver Brandon White for a controversial TD that was originally ruled an incompletion in the back of the end zone but the call was overturned and the conversion gave Hawaii a 28-24 lead with 7:25 remaining.
The Bears fought back with one of their patented, clock-chewing drives, going 75 yards in 9 plays, retaking the lead on a 1-yard Sagopolutel keeper with 1:57 left, putting the Bears up 31-28 after the PAT.
Again, the Bears struggled to contain the Hawaii offense as the Warrior drove to the Cal 22 on a 13-yard Alejado completion to Barfield as the redshirt frosh QB had to leave the field after being shaken up for the third time in the game. Undeterred, backup QB Luke Weaver came on to throw a 22-yard strike to receiver Nick Cenacle for the winning strike, giving Hawaii the 35-31 win after the PAT as the Bears final few plays fell short.
“I was just so happy that we fought to the end,” Sagapolutele said after the game. “Although we came up short, at the end of the day, God has a plan...This is a big stepping stone for us to get better and I think we’ll come back stronger next year.”
Following the final play where the Bears tried in vain to recreate The Play, 5’7 receiver Quaron Adams was pushed twice by a Hawaii defender, igniting a brawl that reignited several times before both teams finally left the field.
The Bears fell to 7-6 (4-4) on the season after the loss.
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