Bryce Treggs has 7 catches for 117 yards. A handoff to Gray was the flawless complement, as the running back dashed into the endzone on a 4-yard rush, giving Texas a 17-14 lead. Through two games, Cal has 55 first downs, Texas has 19.
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Texas has won all five meetings against California dating back to 1959.
The win over Rice last week built a cautious level of optimism for Texas fans as the team prepared to face Cal on Saturday.
Cedric Golden, Austin American-Statesman: “Jerrod Heard gets what it means to be a big-time quarterback”. He has now scored a rushing touchdown in nine of his last 10 games.
Texas Longhorns head coach Charlie Strong reacts after a play during first half action against the California Golden Bears Saturday September 19, 2015 at Texas Memorial Stadium in Austin, Tx.
Rose was left looking at his biggest kick of the night, with a chance to tie the game and possibly send it into overtime.
As if facing Cal’s Jared Goff, one of the nation’s most accomplished passers, wasn’t enough of a challenge, defending Goff became even more hard for the Longhorns when they lost both of their starting safeties in the first half. A win sends Cal into Pac-12 play at Washington a week from now with a 3-0 record for the first time since 2011…. Shaq Thompson fueled the victory with a 100-yard fumble return for a touchdown in the first quarter, and the Bears never seemed to recover. Cal was a run-oriented team under Tedford that produced plenty of quality running backs (Marshawn Lynch and Justin Forsett) but we knew that Dykes and his air show would emphasize quarterback play.
“We all had our shot to win the game”, defensive end Shiro Davis said.
“This one hurts”, Strong said. “An extra point is automatic”.
“I’m excited about our offense”, he said, “but it is being negated by how poorly we are playing on defense”.
Goff, a junior, completed 27 of 37 passes for 268 yards and three touchdowns without an interception in front of scouts from four National Football League clubs. His skills and potential are clear, but the Longhorns are still banking on him to continue growing.
Early on, thanks to Heard’s playmaking abilities, Texas (1-2) was poised for an upset. But if I’m Texas, I’m glad I finally have found a quarterback to build off of.
After the game, Goff gave credit where’s it due, saying “our [running backs] stepped up huge, but it’s [an] even bigger credit to our O-line”. As the clock wound down and the fourth quarter began, Cal led Texas 45-24.
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Heard would put together a masterful final drive for the Longhorns, finishing it with a 45-yard run into the Cal end zone. Goff took advantage of the turnover, and after a 22-yard pass to Lawler, Enwere took the ball into the endzone once again. His signature victory will come against a top-tier Pac-12 team, whenever it comes, not down-cycling Texas.
