Field Level Media
Oct 8, 2023
DJ Uiagalelei completed 19 of 25 passes for 275 yards and five touchdowns to lead No. 15 Oregon State to a 52-40 win against Cal in a Pac-12 game on Saturday night in Berkeley, Calif.
Beavers running back Damien Martinez rushed for 89 yards and a touchdown, and Jack Velling caught three short touchdown passes for Oregon State (5-1, 2-1 Pac-12).
Cal redshirt freshman quarterback Fernando Mendoza made his first start and went 21-of-32 passing for 207 yards and two touchdowns with an interception.
Isaiah Ifanse had two touchdowns rushing and another receiving for Cal (3-3, 1-2).
The Golden Bears pulled within three points with 2:45 left in the third quarter when Mendoza threw a 30-yard touchdown strike to Jack Endries, and the two-point conversion made it 35-32.
Oregon State faced a fourth-and-goal on the ensuing drive and Martinez scored on a 1-yard run to extend the cushion to 42-32 with 14:25 left in the game.
Shortly after a fumble recovery by the Beavers, Uiagalelei hit 270-pound lineman Isaac Hodgins for a 2-yard touchdown pass and a 49-32 lead with 12:32 remaining.
Atticus Sappington tacked on a 32-yard field goal with 2:25 left to make it 52-32.
A 9-yard touchdown run by Jaivian Thomas with 1:04 left and another two-point conversion trimmed it to 52-40.
Uiagalelei and Velling connected for a 2-yard touchdown on Oregon State's opening drive of the game.
Mateen Bhaghani connected for a 20-yard field on the first play of the second quarter to trim the lead to 7-3.
A 59-yard kickoff return by Silas Bolden and an unnecessary roughness penalty gave Oregon State excellent field position, and Bolden capped the drive with an 11-yard touchdown catch to stretch the lead to 14-3 with 12:24 left in the first half.
Oregon State attempted an onside kick, but Cal linebacker Ryan McCulloch returned it 26 yards to the Oregon State 19, setting up a 9-yard touchdown reception by Ifanse that cut the lead to 14-10.
Bolden lost a fumble at the end of an 18-yard reception and Cal recovered and took it to the Oregon State 49, leading to a 1-yard touchdown run by Ifanse that gave the Golden Bears a 17-14 lead.
The Beavers went for it on fourth-and-goal and Uiagalelei found Velling for a 3-yard touchdown pass, moving them back in front, 21-17, with 2:00 left in the half.
After a 50-yard return by Bolden on the opening kickoff of the second half, Jesiah Irish caught a 38-yard touchdown pass to make it 28-17.
Ifanse scored his third touchdown on a 5-yard run to cut the lead to 28-24, but Uiagalelei found Velling in the end zone for a third time on a 7-yard connection to extend the lead to 35-24 with 5:40 left in the third.
--Field Level Media