Berkley, CA- Certain games come down to a single drive down field. When you end the game on a deciding drive where you have back-to-back sacks and a game winning interception, those are season defining games. Cal’s defense had that exact drive and it could be the push they need to keep their momentum high this season.
Cal’s defense against UNLV was a huge topic of conversation. They start the game forcing a 3 and out and that would be a small foreshadowing of the game. UNLV would go 3 and out 5 times total this game and it was caused by heavy pressure.
The first half was dominated by Cal. Jaydn Ott and Jack Plummer continued their explosive connection getting 2 touchdowns in the first quarter. UNLV would finally get its first touchdown with an 11-yard toss to Kyle Williams.
The 2nd quarter was a defensive battle from both teams. The Cal offensive line wasn’t 100% ready for UNLV and the Rebels knew it. Forcing Plummer out of the pocket almost every drive, they sacked him a couple times, and forced him to make some questionable throws that would result in an interception like what happened in the middle of the second quarter.
Cal would end the second quarter with a field goal and at the half it was 17-7 Cal. The second half would start with a solid drive that led to FG and it seemed Cal was gonna blow this game wide open. UNLV had other plans. After a couple big passes by QB Doug Brumfield, UNLV would score with a 31-yard touchdown run from Aidan Robbins making the game 20-14.
It would be this way all the way until late into the 4th quarter which is where the game would hit its climax. After Cal went 3 and out, UNLV had one drive to win the game with 2 minutes left. First play was a big pass to Ricky White, refs think he’s out of bounds, it’s ruled incomplete, but after a booth review, play is overturned and we have a first down for UNLV. The next 2 plays would be huge sacks for Cal.
One by Henry Ikahihifo and another by Myles Williams. The game came down to one final play while seconds rolled off the clock. Cal had been sending their safety Daniel Scott on blitzes all game and in the 4th quarter those blitzes would keep Doug Brumfield and that UNLV offense on their toes and the last play of the game was no different. When the ball was snapped, Scott looked like he was already in the backfield and Brumfield was able to evade Scott and get the ball out and before you know it with all 0s on the game clock, cornerback Isaiah Young snatches the ball outta the overcast sky and goes straight to the ground and the Cal Bears begin celebrating their second win of the season.
After a game like this, a team’s locker room has more energy than a group of friends on vacation in Miami, but they have to keep that energy in check considering their next game is an away game in South Bend against Notre Dame.
Even though the Fighting Irish are going to be coming off their second loss of the season versus Marshall of all teams, they’ll have a lot of fight in them. Cal needs their defense to be not only in sync like they were today, but they need to be ready to silence a crowd that will be starving for a victory and considering the fact the Bears are approaching this game with a now 2-0 record, I’m sure that Notre Dame crowd would love to set the clock to midnight on the Cinderella story currently in Berkeley.
