Syracuse came out sharp and wasted little time putting Cal on its heels, then added to the lead early in the second quarter as Steve Angeli and the Orange kept the pressure on.
Angeli drove Syracuse 72 yards in five plays in about 2:26, finishing the sequence with a 23-yard touchdown pass to sophomore tight end Daunte Bacheyie. Syracuse moved ahead 12-0 with 8:50 left in the second quarter after coming up short on the two-point try.
Cal had at least some resistance early. The Golden Bears kept Syracuse out of the end zone in the first quarter, even after the Orange pushed all the way to the Cal 7-yard line on their opening possession. But Cal’s own offense never found a rhythm in the opening period, with both first-quarter drives ending in punts.
That slow start fits the bigger concern around this matchup: Cal has to be cleaner at the line of scrimmage and much sharper in protection if it wants to bounce back. The Golden Bears were outworked on the ground last week against UCLA, giving up 277 rushing yards and six rushing touchdowns, including three in the final period. Syracuse, meanwhile, rolled up 238 rushing yards in its win over New Hampshire, so the battle up front is shaping up as a major factor.
Cal’s defense did show some backbone against UCLA for most of the game. The Golden Bears held Nico Iamaleava to a 36.5 quarterback rating, with 14 completions on 22 attempts for 184 yards, an interception and no touchdowns.
Kingston Lopa, the Oregon transfer, led the secondary with six tackles and an interception, while Daniel Harris, a transfer from Georgia, logged his first-career sack. Derek Wilkins added two pass breakups at the line of scrimmage.
That kind of pressure will matter again against Angeli, who threw for 263 yards and three touchdowns against New Hampshire. Cal has already shown it can make a passing game uncomfortable, and it will need another performance like that if it wants a shot at its first ACC win.
On the other side, Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele is looking for a response after a costly outing against UCLA. The sophomore quarterback finished 24-of-41 for 271 yards and two touchdowns, but he also committed three turnovers - two interceptions and a lost fumble - and Cal was shut out in the fourth quarter. Last week, running back Adam Mohammed gave the offense a lift with 28 carries for 120 yards and seven catches, both career highs, but the Bears still needed better protection and better ball security from their quarterback.
The odds reflect how tight this one looked coming in: Cal at +3.5, Syracuse at -3.5, with the over-under set at 56.5. The numbers and the early scoreboard both point to the same thing - Cal has to settle in fast if it wants to turn this into a game.
In Other News...
Cal Fans Get A Reminder Of What This Program Still Represents
Week 1 brought some early movement in Chris Vanninis updated FBS rankings, and Cal was nudged down to No. 50 after opening the season, while UCLA made a dramatic leap into the Top 25. Syracuse also checked in at 74 after a strong showing against New Hampshire, but the bigger takeaway for Cal readers was not the shifting numbers. The piece also paused to honor one of the most meaningful names connected to the program, reminding fans that this schools identity has never been limited to what happens on fall Saturdays.
That tribute centered on Mark Bingham, the Cal graduate and United Airlines Flight 93 passenger who died 25 years ago during the 9/11 attacks after helping lead the struggle against the hijackers. It was the kind of reminder that cuts through any early-season noise, putting the programs place in college football in a larger, more human frame. Results and rankings will keep changing, but the story attached to Cal still reaches far beyond the standings. [Read more 🡒]
Cal Faces An Early ACC Test With New Concerns Lingering
Cals first ACC road trip brings an immediate reality check, with a trip to the JMA Wireless Dome in Syracuse serving as the conference opener after the loss to UCLA. Syracuse arrives with momentum from a dominant win over New Hampshire and a healthier roster than it had earlier in the season, while Cal is still sorting through the ripple effects of last weeks setback and trying to steady itself before league play gets rolling.
The injury picture is the part worth watching most closely for the Bears, especially with some uncertainty hanging over the backfield after the UCLA game. On the other side, Syracuse has already shown what its offense can look like with key pieces back in the lineup, and the historical series context only adds a little more edge to a matchup that already feels like an early measuring stick for Cal in its new conference home. [Read more 🡒]
Cal Defense Is Facing One Big Problem Fans Can't Ignore
Cals defense opened the season with a very clear message about how it wants to operate: keep bodies moving, keep competition alive and sort out the best fits by package. The approach showed up right away in the opener against UCLA, when the Bears rolled through a long list of defenders in search of fresh legs and the right matchups, even as the group gave up 45 points and 461 yards.
Michael Hutchings and Tosh Lupoi both sounded committed to that formula moving forward, which makes the rotation more than a one-off response to the first game. One of the most interesting signs came from the linebacker group, where freshman JD McKinley Redshirt emerged as a surprise starter and logged a heavy workload, a reminder that Cal is willing to trust younger players if the depth chart keeps tilting that way. [Read more 🡒]