📊 Final: California 21, North Carolina 18
Location: California Memorial Stadium | Berkeley, CA
Records: North Carolina (2-4, 0-2 ACC); California (5-2, 2-1 ACC)
🏈 Game Recap
A fumble on the first play of the game and another at the goal line late in the fourth quarter doomed UNC football in an ACC After Dark clash at California late Friday.
The Tar Heels climbed back after falling behind 14-3 and 21-10, but mistakes and a sluggish offense ultimately doomed them to a 21-18 defeat at California Memorial Stadium.
UNC looked ready to take the lead with less than four minutes to play when Gio Lopez completed a 12-yard pass to Nathan Leacock. But Cal’s Brent Austin stripped the ball away from Leacock just inches from the goal line and recovered the loose ball in the end zone for a touchback.
The Bears ran out the clock to preserve the ACC win – and heaped more misery on the Tar Heels (2-4) after a couple of tumultuous weeks that featured speculation about the job status of head coach Bill Belichick and allegations of disorder and chaos within the program.
Cal never trailed, scoring a touchdown in the game’s first three minutes after UNC fumbled at its own 25. The Bears led 14-10 at the break and extended their advantage to 21-10 midway through the third quarter.
The Tar Heels clawed back with an 11-play, 84-yard scoring drive that culminated in a Davion Gause 4-yard touchdown run with 12:14 left. The Heels forced a three-and-out but another clock-eating 11-play drive was thwarted by the Leacock fumble.
Gio Lopez played the whole way at quarterback for the Tar Heels. He completed 18-of-34 passes for 173 yards, no TDs, no INTs. Benjamin Hall rushed for 68 yards and a first-half TD. Kobe Paysour caught six passes for 101 yards.
Cal quarterback Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele threw for 209 yards, completing a TD strike to Jacob De Jesus. Kendrick Raphael rushed for 81 yards and a score.
📅 Scoring Summary
1ST QUARTER
CAL — J. Sagapolutele 3-yard TD run (C. Meyer kick) | 7-0 Cal
UNC — Benjamin Hall 18-yard TD run (Rece Verhoff kick) | 7-7
CAL — J. Sagapolutele 7-yard TD pass to J. De Jesus (C. Meyer kick) | 14-7 Cal
2ND QUARTER
UNC — Rece Verhoff 41-yard FG | 14-10 Cal
3RD QUARTER
CAL — K. Raphael 2-yard TD run (C. Meyer kick) | 21-10 Cal
4TH QUARTER
UNC — Davion Gause 4-yard TD run (Gio Lopez pass to Benjamin Hall) | 21-18 Cal
🏟️ Next Up for UNC
The Tar Heels renew one of the most iconic ACC rivalries, hosting Virginia on Saturday, Oct. 25.
