Cal’s offense has spent most of this season doing just enough to keep the Bears hanging around - and then vanishing when the game gets tightest. That changed a bit last week when Pat McCann took over play-calling duties, and now Cal is hoping that wasn’t a one-off jolt.
Through three quarters, the Bears have repeatedly put themselves in position to win. Then the fourth quarter arrives, and the points disappear.
That pattern showed up right away against UCLA, when Cal was tied 24-24 after three quarters before the Bruins rolled 21-0 in the final period and walked away with a 45-24 win. It happened again against Syracuse, when Cal entered the fourth trailing 18-14 and again failed to score; Kingston Lopa’s pick-six in the final quarter helped the Bears escape 21-18 even though the offense managed only 41 yards in that stretch. Against Clemson, Cal was level at 10-10 with less than four minutes left in the third quarter, only for the Tigers to close on a 14-0 run and take a 24-10 win.
The one exception came against UNLV, when Cal finally found fourth-quarter life and took a 25-24 lead. That 47-yard touchdown drive with 11:38 left was helped along by a shanked UNLV punt and a pass interference call, but it still gave the Bears a chance.
They couldn’t hold it. UNLV answered with the next 15 points and later added a touchdown in the closing seconds of Cal’s 39-31 loss.
“You get to the fourth quarter, [and] you’ve put yourself in position to win, you’ve done some really good things,” Cal general manager Ron Rivera said this week. “To not win means you got to learn how to finish games.
And that’s where we are. We’ve got learn to finish these games off.”
Rivera said Cal needs to clean up a series of small details late in games.
“We’re close, but we’re not where we want to be,” Rivera said.
That’s the crux of it. The fourth quarter is where good teams close. It’s why players flash four fingers at the end of the third, making it clear they think they can take over the game’s last stretch and finish the job.
For Cal, that final period has been the problem. The Bears are 2-3, including 1-3 against FBS opponents, and the offense’s inability to produce late has been a major reason.
McCann’s debut as play caller at UNLV at least produced 15 fourth-quarter points, and Cal will be counting on more of that against Virginia Tech. The task is steep.
The Hokies are favored by 10 points, according to DraftKings, making Cal the biggest underdog it has faced all season. Virginia Tech is also third in the ACC in total defense and leads the league with 18 sacks.
There’s one more wrinkle: Cal may not have all its pieces. Quarterback Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele, running back Adam Mohammed and wide receiver Chase Hendricks were all considered questionable as of Wednesday night.
Still, the Bears’ path is clear. Stay close early, keep the game within reach, and give the fourth quarter a chance to matter.
That’s been Cal’s formula all season. The difference now is whether this “new” offense can finally turn that setup into a finish.
In Other News...
Cal Faces A Huge Week 6 Question Before Virginia Tech
Cal entered the week with a long injury list ahead of Virginia Tech, and the first availability report put several important names in question. Quarterback Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele, running back Adam Mohammed, wide receiver Chase Hendricks and safety Kingston Lopa all showed up as questionable, along with linebacker Kamar Mohudu and safety Aiden Manutai, leaving the Bears with a lot to sort through before Saturday.
The timing makes it especially tricky because Cal may need to lean on its depth in a hurry, with backups Jackson Brousseau and Carter Vargas lined up to step in if needed. Thursdays updated report should offer a clearer picture, but for now the Bears are waiting on a few of their most consequential players at positions that can shape the entire game. [Read more 🡒]
Cal Faces A Virginia Tech Team With Something To Prove
Virginia Tech arrives with a sturdy record and a new sense of direction under James Franklin, and the Hokies have already started to look like a team that can make life difficult for an opponent. Damien Sordelett pointed to Franklins early impact since taking over, noting improvements in the way the Hokies are playing and the steadier overall feel around a program that has had to reset its expectations.
For Cal, the more interesting part is how Virginia Tech has responded after a frustrating loss to Pitt, one that left plenty of questions but did not seem to shake the bigger picture. Sordelett also highlighted Ethan Grunkemeyers performance at quarterback and the edge presence of Aycen Stevens and Cortez Harris, giving this matchup the feel of a team still trying to prove its staying power rather than one simply trying to avoid another letdown. [Read more 🡒]
Cal's Offense Just Took A Turn Fans Have Been Waiting For
Cal footballs offense got a jolt against UNLV when the staff made a significant in-game adjustment, and it came at a time when the Bears were already dealing with injuries to key players. The shift gave the unit a different feel, and the timing mattered for a team trying to find steadier footing on that side of the ball.
Pat McCann now heads into the Virginia Tech game with the offense in his hands, and Cal will need that momentum to carry over against a tougher opponent. The bigger question is whether the change can keep producing the kind of rhythm the Bears were missing before, or whether the boost was just a one-game fix. [Read more 🡒]