BERKELEY, Calif. — California wasted little time putting Wagner away Saturday afternoon, turning a dominant first quarter into a 49-7 victory at California Memorial Stadium.
The Golden Bears piled up 626 yards of offense, scored on eight of 11 drives, and improved to 2-1 on the season. Quarterback Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele delivered the biggest performance of his young season, throwing for a career-high 413 yards and three touchdowns on 27-of-33 passing.
Cal scored 29 points in the opening quarter alone, its fifth time in program history reaching at least 29 points in a quarter. The Bears entered halftime with a 39-7 advantage and never gave Wagner a chance to make the game competitive.
Sagapolutele Sets the Tone
Sagapolutele was nearly flawless from the start. He completed 13 of his first 14 passes for 236 yards and two touchdowns in the opening quarter, already surpassing the 182 passing yards he had against Syracuse the previous week.
His previous career high was 337 passing yards, set in Cal’s loss to Hawaii in the Hawaii Bowl last season. He surpassed that mark before halftime Saturday and finished with 413 yards despite leaving the game midway through the third quarter.
“His leadership and his preparation is what stands out,” Cal head coach Tosh Lupoi said. “The biggest predictor of how we’re going to perform is our preparation going into the game.”
Sagapolutele spread the ball around throughout the afternoon, throwing touchdowns to Adam Mohammed, Kyion Grayes and Cooper Perry.
For a Cal offense that struggled to consistently generate big plays against UCLA and Syracuse, Saturday provided plenty of them.
Mohammed Makes His Mark
Adam Mohammed was just as explosive.
The Washington transfer scored three touchdowns in the first quarter alone, tying his career high for touchdowns in a game. He opened the scoring with a 28-yard touchdown run, then added a 6-yard rushing score on Cal’s next possession.
His third touchdown was the most explosive of the three. Mohammed took a screen pass and turned it into a 65-yard touchdown, giving Cal a 29-0 lead with 1:42 remaining in the first quarter.
By that point, Cal had already accumulated 305 yards of offense while Wagner had only 13.
The Bears continued to find production from other players as the game wore on. Grayes and Perry each recorded their first collegiate touchdown receptions, while Ashtan Emory scored his first touchdown as a Golden Bear on an 8-yard run in the third quarter.
Chase Hendricks also continued to provide a reliable target, finishing with nine receptions for 98 yards.
Cal’s Defense Keeps Wagner in Check
While the offense dominated the headlines, Cal’s defense kept Wagner from finding any rhythm.
The Seahawks managed only 10 first downs and 99 total yards through the first half. Wagner quarterback Ben Newman finished 15-of-36 for 86 yards with one touchdown and one interception.
Wagner’s only touchdown came during a 12-play, 65-yard drive late in the first half, cutting Cal’s lead to 29-7. From there, the Bears’ defense settled back in.
Kingston Lopa added another interception in the third quarter, giving him five on the season. His four picks entering the game already led the nation, and the latest interception continued an impressive start for the Cal safety.
Special teams provided one of the few tense moments of the afternoon when a muffed punt gave Wagner an opportunity to add to its total. Instead, linebacker Aaron Hampton blocked a 32-yard field goal attempt.
For Cal, the biggest concern coming out of the game may be what happens when the competition level rises again. Saturday’s matchup offered little resistance from Wagner, but it did give the Bears a chance to build confidence and get production from several players.
Final Takeaway
Cal did exactly what it needed to do against an overmatched Wagner team.
The Bears were explosive, efficient and largely avoided the mistakes that had hurt them earlier in the season. Sagapolutele put together the best passing performance of his career, Mohammed continued to emerge as a major offensive weapon, and Lopa added another interception to his growing total.
The real test comes next.
Cal returns to ACC play Friday night when 2-1 Clemson visits Berkeley. Unlike Saturday’s matchup, there will be plenty to learn about the Bears from that one.
Cal vs. Clemson is set for Friday, September 25 at 7:30 p.m. at California Memorial Stadium.
Based in Los Angeles, California, Martin is a freelance photographer with Martin26Photos, specializing in sports and portrait photography. He has made a name for himself in Southern California’s sports photojournalism scene, covering local high school and college events as well as media days. With experience capturing high-profile Division 1 athletics, Martin aims to expand his work to professional sports in the near future.
