Arizona vs. California – Game Recap – September 24, 2022 – ESPN

BERKELEY, Calif. — — Jaydn Ott ran for 274 yards and three touchdowns and California opened Pac-12 play with a 49-31 victory over Arizona on Saturday.

Ott scored on a 73-yard run on the second play from scrimmage, an improbable 18-yarder in the third quarter after he had appeared to be stopped for a short gain, after which one other 72-yarder to ice it late within the fourth.

“Each time I contact the ball, I really feel like I’ll rating,” Ott mentioned. “That is my mentality.”

Ott had the third most dashing yards at school historical past, trailing solely Jahvid Finest’s 311 in opposition to Washington in 2008 and Jerry Drew’s 283 in opposition to Oregon State in 1954.

“That is explosive,” coach Justin Wilcox mentioned. “We’ve been speaking about it for a very long time. You’ve seen it in flashes. We noticed it a bunch right now. He is a dynamic man and has the flexibility to take it to the home from a variety of spots.”

Jack Plummer added three TD passes for the Golden Bears (3-1, 1-0), who gained their sixth straight dwelling sport. It is their longest profitable streak at Memorial Stadium since a nine-gamer in 2008-09.

Cal additionally ended a six-game skid in opposition to Arizona (2-2, 0-1) by beating the Wildcats for the primary time since 2009.

Jayden de Laura threw for 401 yards and two touchdowns for the Wildcats (2-2, 0-1), who had no solutions defensively and misplaced their twelfth straight convention highway sport.

However de Laura additionally turned the ball over 3 times.

“We couldn’t cease the run and when you may’t cease the run, you run into the problems of you need to attempt to press,” coach Jedd Fisch mentioned. “I feel we began to press there on the finish and began turning the ball over within the fourth quarter. That’s what value us.”

A 12 months after Arizona beat COVID-depleted Cal 10-3 at dwelling for its solely win in 2021, the groups exceeded that time whole after each groups scored touchdowns on the opening drive.

It was a back-and-forth, high-scoring affair within the first half with Ott scoring on a 73-yard run on the second play from scrimmage to set the tone.

The Wildcats scored on 4 of their first 5 drives of the sport, getting two brief TD runs by Jonah Coleman and Michael Wiley and a 24-yard TD move from de Laura to Tetairoa McMillan.

Plummer threw a 16-yard TD move to J. Michael Sturdivant within the second quarter and gave Cal the lead early within the third when he discovered Keleki Latu from 3 yards out on fourth-and-1.

Ott added his second TD halfway via the third quarter. He bumped into a gaggle of defenders on the 13 but managed to maintain his ft and snuck out of the scrum to run it into the tip zone to make it 35-24.

Ott added his second breakaway run late within the fourth quarter.

TAKEAWAYS

Arizona: The Wildcats have been gashed defensively all sport as they struggled to sort out Ott or cowl receivers downfield. Regardless of some promising indicators on offense, that led to Arizona’s twenty first loss in its final 24 Pac-12 video games.

California: The Bears have been a defensive staff ever since coach Justin Wilcox arrived in 2017, however it was the offense that led the way in which on this sport. The 213 yards allowed by Cal within the first quarter have been essentially the most ever underneath Wilcox. However the protection stepped up within the second half, forcing back-to-back punts after which recovering a fumble by de Laura to assist Cal take management.

“Within the first half, we didn’t sort out nicely, we did not rush, we did not cowl anyone. It was unhealthy,” Wilcox mentioned. “Obtained some large stops within the third.”

UP NEXT

Arizona: Hosts Colorado on Saturday.

California: Visits Washington State on Saturday.

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