SYRACUSE, N.Y. — One week after letting a second-half lead slip away against UCLA, Cal found a completely different way to finish.
The Golden Bears erased a 12-0 deficit and rallied past Syracuse 21-18 Saturday in both teams’ ACC opener, giving new head coach Tosh Lupoi his first career win.
Cal trailed 18-14 late in the fourth quarter before safety Kingston Lopa changed the game for good. Lopa intercepted Syracuse quarterback Steve Angeli and returned it 24 yards for a touchdown with 4:51 remaining, putting the Bears ahead for the first time since the third quarter. He added his third interception of the afternoon on Syracuse’s final drive to seal the victory.
The win moved Cal to 1-1 and gave the Bears their second consecutive ACC-opening victory.
Lopa Changes the Game
For most of the afternoon, Syracuse had the statistical advantage. The Orange finished with 436 yards of offense compared to just 249 for Cal, but the Bears consistently made the bigger plays when they mattered.
Lopa was at the center of that. His first interception came early in the third quarter with Syracuse threatening, and he returned it 53 yards to the Orange 29-yard line. Cal took advantage of the short field, with Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele finding Jordan King for a 2-yard touchdown to give the Bears their first lead at 14-12.
Syracuse responded with a 75-yard touchdown drive to retake the lead, but Lopa wasn’t finished.
With Syracuse ahead 18-14 and less than five minutes remaining, Angeli tried to make a play through the middle of the field. Lopa stepped in front of the pass and took it 24 yards to the end zone, giving Cal a 21-18 advantage.
Syracuse still had time to respond. Angeli drove the Orange into position for a potential game-tying field goal, but Tripp Woody’s 46-yard attempt went wide with 1:35 left.
Then, with 54 seconds remaining, Lopa intercepted Angeli for the third time, ending Syracuse’s final chance.
“That’s the mentality we have going out: We win this game,” Lopa said. “Just going out there, trying to get a three-and-out, get our offense back up, get the momentum.”
Cal Finds Its Way Back
Syracuse controlled the first half and built a 12-0 lead before Cal finally found some life.
After Syracuse quarterback Steve Angeli connected with Daunte Bacheyie for a 23-yard touchdown, Sagapolutele answered with a 14-yard touchdown pass to Chase Hendricks. The Bears went into halftime down just 12-7 after initially struggling to move the ball.
Sagapolutele finished 21-of-34 for 182 yards and two touchdowns. He wasn’t at his most explosive, but he avoided the turnovers that ultimately hurt Syracuse and kept Cal in the game.
Adam Mohammed, coming off a 120-yard performance against UCLA, added 74 rushing yards on 19 carries as Cal’s offense slowly found its footing.
The Bears took their first lead midway through the third quarter after Lopa’s interception set them up near the red zone. Syracuse answered again, but Cal’s defense continued to keep the game within reach.
That was a major change from the previous week, when UCLA ran for 277 yards against the Bears and pulled away in the second half.
Mistakes Cost Syracuse
Syracuse moved the ball throughout the afternoon but repeatedly gave Cal opportunities to stay alive.
Angeli finished 24-of-49 for 306 yards, one touchdown and three interceptions. The Orange also committed 15 penalties for 134 yards, while two missed field goals in the fourth quarter kept Cal’s lead within reach.
Woody hit the upright on a 31-yard attempt early in the fourth quarter before missing the 46-yarder late in the game.
Cal wasn’t perfect either, committing nine penalties for 87 yards, but the Bears finished the game without a turnover.
That contrast ultimately proved decisive. Syracuse had more than 160 additional yards of offense, but Cal made the critical plays late while the Orange couldn’t capitalize on its opportunities.
Final Takeaway
Cal’s first win under Lupoi wasn’t particularly clean, but it showed a much better response than the Bears had a week earlier.
They were outgained, struggled to run the ball and spent much of the afternoon playing from behind. But the defense forced three turnovers, Lopa delivered one of the best individual performances of the young season, and Cal’s offense made enough plays to take advantage.
For Lupoi, the comeback provided his first win as a head coach and gave Cal an important conference victory on the road.
The Bears return home next Saturday to face Wagner before another ACC matchup with Clemson on Sept. 25.
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.
