ACC football: Cal falls flat on national TV in disappointing 24-10 loss to Clemson

BERKELEY — Cal’s chance to make a statement against a college football blue blood on national TV fizzled on Friday night in a 24-10 loss to Clemson before 41,778 fans at Memorial Stadium.

The Bears failed to score an offensive touchdown in a home game for the first time in eight years and extended their streak without a 2-0 start in conference play to 11 seasons.

Cal (2-2, 1-1 ACC) scored its only touchdown on a 35-yard fumble return by linebacker Kamar Mothudi in the first quarter. The offense sputtered most of the night, totaling just 231 yards, including a career-low 119 passing yards and two interceptions by sophomore quarterback Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele.

Through three games against FBS opponents, Cal is averaging just 18.3 points.

Cal also lost running back Adam Mohammed — the ACC’s fourth-leading rusher — to an apparent injury late in the first half. The junior transfer from Washington went to the sidelines and did not return.

Clemson, winner of two national titles in the past decade, prevailed in its first-ever trip to Berkeley, improving to 3-1 overall and 2-0 in the ACC.

As toothless as the Cal offense was much of the night, the Tigers led just 17-10 before Gideon Davidson tore off a 75-yard touchdown run with 2:58 to play.

That provided a happy final chapter for the Tigers, whose most recent trip to California resulted in a 44-16 rout of Alabama in the national championship game at Levi’s Stadium following the 2017 season.

Cal used two trick plays to set up Chase Meyer’s 30-yard field goal with 9:23 left in the third quarter that tied the score at 10-10.

First, Sagapolutele threw a backward lateral pass to tight end Mason Mini in the left flat before Mini completed a 25-yard pass to Ian Strong to the Cal 45.

Then, on third-and-1 from the Clemson 26, fourth-string quarterback Dominic Ingrassia — on his first college play — took the shotgun snap and ran 8 yards for a first down, setting up the field goal.

Clemson regained the lead when Bryant Wesco Jr. fielded a low punt by Angus Davis and sprinted 63 yards untouched for a touchdown that made it 17-10 with 3:57 left in the quarter.

The Tigers missed the chance to add to their lead when Nolan Hauser was wide left on a 48-yard field goal try with 9:14 to play. He had made his previous 10 attempts from 40 yards or longer.

After the teams traded interceptions in the game’s first three minutes, Cal cashed in the third turnover of the opening period.

Clemson’s freshman quarterback Tait Reynolds, on first-and-10 from his own 39, rolled right only to be sacked by Cal safety Aiden Manutai. The ball came loose as he was going to the ground and Mothudi scooped it up and raced 35 yards to the end zone with 5:15 left in the quarter.

Officials reviewed the play and ruled it a touchdown, giving the Bears a 7-0 lead. It was all they managed through halftime.

Clemson dominated the ball in the opening half, running 42 plays to 27 for the Bears and outgaining them 179 yards to 93.

Sagapolutele found little time in the pocket and almost no rhythm, completing just 6 of 13 attempts for 47 yards, with the early interception. It was the fewest passing yards for Cal in a first half since 2021 against Arizona, when reserve QB Ryan Glover — subbing for injured Chase Garbers — threw for just 40 yards in the first half of a 10-3 loss.

The Tigers got on the board on the first play of the second quarter when Hauser delivered a 30-yard field goal, making him 10 for 10 on the season.

Clemson forced Cal into a three-and-out then assembled a 17-play, 68-yard drive, aided by an offsides flag against the Bears’ Niles Davis on a fourth-and-4 punting situation.

Davidson put the Tigers in front 10-7 when he took a direct snap and powered into the end zone from the 1 with 5:37 left in the half.

1991 Bears recognized

Cal honored its 1991 team, which went 10-2 and beat Clemson 37-13 in the Florida Citrus Bowl, the only previous meeting between the programs. Dozens of players from that team, including quarterback Mike Pawlawski, wide receiver Brian Treggs and linebacker Jerrott Willard were recognized during an on-field ceremony between the first and second quarters.

Next up

The Bears play their final non-conference game next Saturday afternoon when they visit UNLV. Preseason favorites to win the Mountain West Conference, the Rebels are 1-0 in conference play but just 1-2 overall and coming off a 44-6 loss at North Texas. UNLV plays Saturday at Akron.