The Cougars are averaging 449.3 yards per game and QB Luke Falk leads the Pac 12 with 356.7 yards per game to go along with an 8:1 TD/int ratio.
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No one really thought Saturday’s meeting between No. 24 California and Washington State would echo last year’s record-breaking, scoreboard-shattering 60-59 performance.
McClure returned a fumbled fake punt for a touchdown and had a momentum-changing sack in the third quarter.
The Washington State Cougars get conference play going when they take on the No. 24 Cal Bears on Saturday afternoon at 1 p.m. PT. The Cougs and Bears lit up the scoreboard last season, combining for 119 points.
“I thought overall the offense played pretty good, just (in) the second half we need to punch those in and produce points”, Falk said. Quarterback Jared Goff led Cal 77 yards on just six plays, capping the drive with a 20-yard strike to Lawler, who tip-toed the Bears to 28-26 after the failed two-point conversion.
“I think everybody knows how insane that game was and how back and forth it was”, linebacker Parker Henry said.
The nation’s worst major college defense most of the past two seasons, Cal collected seven sacks and forced four turnovers.
There are likely to be a few more people in the stands this year than the 44,682 who were in attendance the last time the Cougars played in Berkeley.
Goff then threw two TD passes in less than 2 minutes with help from a successful onside kick in between.
During the Pac-12 teleconference Tuesday, Stanford head coach David Shaw said he wasn’t surprised by Utah’s 62-20 victory in Eugene – the location no longer acting as the amplifier it once did.
– With three fumble recoveries, Cal’s takeaway total through five games is 18.
Cal cut the deficit to 21-13 on Goff’s 9-yard scoring pass to Lawler 34 seconds before halftime. “We weren’t very good at it a year ago”.
“We’re just trying to write our own script”, McClure said.
The Cougars tried to lateral their way to the end zone on the game’s final play, but were only able to get to midfield before being tackled. His first touchdown pass, a 34-yarder to Bryce Treggs, marked Goff’s 65th career touchdown pass, giving him sole possession of the Cal school record.
Also expected back on the field is junior safety Griffin Piatt, who intercepted three passes last season before blowing out his knee on October. 11 against Washington.
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Cal was stopped twice on fourth down in the first half and Goff threw an interception on the third play from scrimmage as Washington State broke out to a 21-7 lead. Khalfani Mohammad had the best overall day as a runner, as he gained 41 yards on 10 carries.
