Jackson Brousseau never actually watched the most important catch of Cal’s 25-20 win over Virginia Tech.
Under heat from defensive end Aycen Stevens, Brousseau got the ball out, trusted the route and heard the rest unfold behind him.
“I didn’t see it at all, to be honest with you,” Brousseau said. “They brought good pressure.
It man coverage so I put out there and let Carson go get it. I heard the crowd go crazy, so that was a cool moment.”
For Carson Perry-Smith, it was just the latest cool moment in a stretch that keeps getting bigger.
The redshirt sophomore walk-on from Granite Bay in Placer County arrived at Cal looking for a home at wide receiver. He redshirted in 2024, then played in seven games on special teams last season. This fall, though, the Bears needed more from him - especially when the offense was searching for answers and injuries piled up at running back.
Cal coach Tosh Lupoi had already started giving Perry-Smith some work at running back during spring practice, a move designed to make him more versatile. That extra preparation paid off in a hurry.
At UNLV last week, after Pat McCann took over play-calling in the second half and the Bears were trying to spark the offense, Perry-Smith delivered a 53-yard touchdown catch out of the backfield. He also made his presence felt on special teams with a pair of tackles.
He followed that up against Virginia Tech with another productive night: two carries for 10 yards, two catches for 12 yards and a touchdown for the second straight week.
“He’s an absolute dog,” Lupoi said after Cal evened its record at 3-3 and moved to 2-1 in ACC play. “Well before he got his number called, (he was) buried down there on the depth (chart).
Now we’ve got him staring on special teams. And he’s a major contributor to the offense.
“It’s really cool to see him taking full advantage of his number getting called.”
The scoring play against the Hokies came with Perry-Smith in the backfield next to Brousseau. He slipped through the line and into the end zone with safety Tyson Flowers trailing him.
“That was an amazing throw by Jackson. He put it exactly where only I could catch it.”
Perry-Smith said. “So I kind of ran this stutter rail from the backfield.
I broke free from my guy and I saw it up there and I just had to get vertical and go up and make a play.”
When asked whether he knew he could make the catch, Perry-Smith kept it simple.
“Honestly, it was happening so fast my body kind of just reacted.”
What he’s doing now, he said, comes from the road he’s traveled and the people who kept betting on him.
“This process has been a long journey for me,” he said. “The people who are surrounding me and the coaches who believe in me have really put me in this position.
“I started on special teams that kind of helped me improve my role. Understanding the importance of those little jobs on special teams helped gain confidence with the coaches to be able to make those type of plays on offense.”
Cal’s win moved the Bears into a three-way tie for third in the ACC. They’re level with Clemson, Pitt, SMU and Virginia, sitting behind conference leader Miami at 3-0 and Wake Forest at 3-1.
Wake Forest comes to Berkeley next Saturday night, and the Demon Deacons arrive with plenty of momentum. Their 38-14 win at NC State was their most decisive road victory against the Wolfpack since 1943, and it came one week after they routed Stanford 57-3, their biggest win against any opponent since 1941.
In Other News...
Cal Just Found A Reason To Believe Again
California had reason to exhale Saturday night, and a lot of it came from a backup quarterback who had not been asked to carry this kind of load before. Jackson Brousseau stepped in with Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele sidelined by injury and turned in the kind of performance that can steady a season, throwing for more than 300 yards while helping the Bears erase a fourth-quarter deficit against Virginia Tech. Even with safety Kingston Lopa also leaving the lineup hurt, Cals defense stayed in the fight long enough for Ashten Emory to finish the comeback with a late touchdown.
For a program that has spent plenty of time searching for a foothold, the win offered something more than just relief. It was the kind of result that can change the tone around a locker room, especially when it comes with the added reminder that the Bears have some depth to lean on if the injuries linger. Now they get a home date with Wake Forest, and after the way this one unfolded, Cal at least has a fresh reason to believe the next stretch can look a little different. [Read more 🡒]
Cal Pulled Off An ACC Escape Nobody Saw Coming
Californias latest ACC escape came down to poise, depth and a little bit of late-game nerve at California Memorial Stadium. The Bears beat Virginia Tech 25-20 on Saturday, with backup quarterback Jackson Brousseau guiding the offense efficiently in place of the injured starter and a supporting cast stepping up on both sides of the ball to keep Cal within striking distance all afternoon.
The finish turned on one final burst from the ground game, as Ashten Emory delivered the decisive score in the closing seconds to put Cal in front. Virginia Tech still had one last chance to answer, but the Bears held firm in the end and sent the Hokies home empty after a tense final snap. [Read more 🡒]
Shorthanded Cal Just Found A Reason To Believe Again
California had every reason to feel short-handed, and for much of the afternoon it looked like that might matter in the worst way. But the Bears kept hanging around long enough for backup quarterback Jackson Brousseau to settle in, and he delivered a steady performance while Ashten Emory gave the offense enough punch to stay within striking distance against Virginia Tech.
The finish belonged to the defense, which spent much of the day forcing the Hokies into long situations and helping California survive its own penalties. In a game that swung late, the Bears found a way to turn a tight road result into something more meaningful, the kind of victory that can linger because it came with grit, control in key moments and a reminder that this team still has some fight left. [Read more 🡒]