Cal Football Game Recap: Bears Beat Auburn

Cal defeated Auburn 21-14 in the Bears' first away game of the season on Saturday afternoon at a sold-out Jordan-Hare Stadium.

Fernando Mendoza played almost the entire game at quarterback for Cal. He was excellent in the first half and less productive in the second half.

Auburn, which scored 73 points against Alabama A&M last week, scored just 14 points against Cal, which resulted in Auburn committing five turnovers.

The game summary

CAL 21, AUBURN 14

RECORDS: CAL (2:0), AUBURN (1:1)

PLAYER OF THE GAME OFFENSE: Cal quarterback Fernando Mendoza. Mendoza completed 16 of his first 17 passes, including two touchdowns in that stretch. His only mistake during that period was when he intentionally threw the ball away to avoid a sack. He was far less productive in the second half, but it was enough. He left the field late in the game because of a knee injury, but later returned.

PLAYER OF THE GAME DEFENSE: Cal linebacker Teddye Buchanan. Buchanan had 11 tackles, two sacks and three tackles for loss. He put pressure on the quarterback, leading to a third Cal sack. He forced a fumble by stripping the ball from Jarquez Hunter, which Cal recovered at the 36-yard line, and Cal converted it for a touchdown in the fourth quarter.

GAME STATISTICS: Cal did not commit a single turnover; Auburn lost the ball five times.

CAL PLAYER AVAILABILITY: Cal running back Jaydn Ott (ankle) was in the starting lineup despite being considered a game-less prospect because of an ankle injury. Wide receiver Tobias Merriweather, wide receiver Kyion Grayes, guard Sioape Vatikani and center Will McDonald are all projected to start, but all four missed their second straight game Saturday. Cal starting nickel back Matthew Littlejohn also missed an injury.

TURNING POINT: After Cal missed a 25-yard field goal, the score was tied 7-7. Cal cornerback Nohl Williams intercepted a deflected pass from Payton Thorne at the Auburn 35-yard line and returned it to the Tigers' 21-yard line. That led to Fernando Mendoza's 13-yard touchdown pass to Nyziah Hunter that gave the Bears a 14-7 lead with 10:39 left in the first half.

KEY GAME 1: On Auburn's first possession, Tigers quarterback Payton Thorne completed a 41-yard pass to Cam Coleman, moving the ball to the Cal 20-yard line. That led to Thorne's 15-yard touchdown pass to KeAndre Lambert-Smith that gave Auburn a 7-0 lead with 11:42 left in the first quarter.

KEY GAME 2: Cal quarterback Fernando Mendoza completed a 19-yard touchdown pass to Nyziah Hunter to tie the game at 7-7 with 7:17 left in the first quarter. Mendoza was 6-for-6 on that 75-yard drive, including a 27-yard pass to Jonathan Brady.

KEY GAME 3: Auburn's Payton Thorne threw an incomplete pass on a fourth-and-2 play from Cal's 48-yard line with 4:53 left in the first quarter.

KEY GAME 4: Cal kicker Ryan Coe missed a 25-yard field goal attempt from a tight angle that bounced off the right post, leaving the score tied at 7-7 with 12:15 left in the first half.

KEY GAME 5: Cal cornerback Nohl Williams intercepted a deflected pass from Payton Thorne at the Auburn 35-yard line and returned it to the Auburn 21-yard line with 12:06 left in the first half.

KEY GAME 6: On Cal's possession resulting from the turnover, Fernando Mendoza completed a 13-yard touchdown pass to Nyziah Hunter to give Cal a 14-7 lead with 10:39 left in the first half.

KEY GAME 7: Cal's Ja'ir Smith intercepted a pass from Payton Thorne on the final play of the third quarter, giving the Bears the ball at Auburn's 47-yard line.

KEY GAME 8: Cal kicker Ryan Coe missed a 55-yard field goal attempt wide right, leaving Cal with a 14-7 lead with 12:55 left in the fourth quarter.

KEY GAME 9: Cal linebacker Teddye Buchanan stripped the ball from Auburn running back Jarquez Hunter and the fumble was recovered by the Bears' Craig Woodson at the Auburn 36-yard line.

KEY GAME 10: On the possession resulting from that loss, Jaivian Thomas scored a touchdown on a 32-yard run to give Cal a 21-7 lead with 11:33 left in the fourth quarter.

KEY GAME 11: Cal cornerback Marcus Harris was sacked for targeted attack, giving Auburn the ball at Cal's 18-yard line.

KEY GAME 12: An interception by Cal's Nohl Williams in the end zone was negated by a questionable pass interference call against Williams. Auburn scored on the next play on Payton Thorne's 2-yard touchdown run, cutting Cal's lead to 21-14 with 6:06 left in the fourth quarter.

KEY GAME 13: With 4:38 minutes left in the fourth quarter, Fernando Mendoza ran for a first down, but had to leave the game due to a knee injury. He was replaced by Chandler Rogers.

KEY GAME 14: Cal cornerback Nohl Williams intercepted a pass from Payton Thorne at the Cal 44-yard line with 2:13 minutes left in the fourth quarter.

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS OF THE GAME: Cal running back Jaydn Ott, hampered by ankle pain, managed only 11 yards on 10 attempts.

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS OF GAME II: Cal linebacker Teddye Buchanan had 11 tackles, two sacks and three tackles for loss. He applied pressure that led to Cal's third sack, recorded by Ja'ir Smith. Buchanan also forced a fumble that Cal recovered in the fourth quarter, stripping the ball from Jarquez Hunter.

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS OF GAME III: Cal cornerback Nohl Williams caught two passes, including an interception with 2:13 left in the game. Williams has three interceptions this season.

QUARTERBACK STATS: Cal's Fernando Mendoza completed 25 of 36 passes for 233 yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions. Auburn's Payton Thorne completed 14 of 27 passes for 165 yards, one touchdown and four interceptions.

WHAT IT MEANS: Cal is 2-0 for the fifth time in Justin Wilcox's eight years as head coach. With a winnable game next week at home against San Diego State, the Bears have a chance to enter ACC play with a 3-0 record.

CAL'S BOWL BAROMETER: Cal has a 65 percent chance of securing a bowl berth. If Cal beats San Diego State next week, the Bears will be halfway to a bowl appearance.

NEXT GAME: Cal (2-0) vs. San Diego State (1-0) at California Memorial Stadium in Berkeley on Saturday, September 14. Kick-off time: 19:30 TV: ESPN. San Diego State will play its second game on Saturday night when it hosts Oregon State.

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