Cal-Syracuse Game Thread: Bears Trail 27-7 at Halftime, Lose 33-25

The Bears need one more victory to earn bowl eligibility for a second straight season

Fernando Mendoza on the run. / Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images

Cal (5-4, 1-4 ACC) is on the doorstep of bowl eligibility for the second year in a row.

The Bears face Syracuse (6-3, 3-3) this afternoon at Memorial Stadium in their first shot at securing a sixth win that would gave them an avenue to a bowl game.

*** Cal defensive end Xavier Carlton, third in the ACC with nine sacks, explains his growth as a senior in the video at the top of this story

Cal and Syracuse are squaring off for the first time since Oct. 26, 1968, the day boxer George Foreman won a gold medal in the heavyweight class at the Mexico City Olympics and the Beatles’ “Hey Jude” was No. 1 on the U.S. pop charts.

The 11th-ranked Bears walloped the No. 10 Orange 43-0 at Memorial Stadium that day, thanks in part to six interceptions. It was one of three shutouts recorded in 1968 by the “Bear Minimum” defense. 

The current Cal team, playing its first season in the ACC, is leading the conference in scoring defense at 19.3 points per game allowed. 

The offensive also has come alive, scoring more than 40 points in back-to-back games for the first time on eight seasons under coach Justin Wilcox.

PRE-GAME PERSONNEL UPDATE: Cal's radio broadcast is reporting that ILB Cade Uluave wll not play today. The Bears' second-leading tackler and the 2023 Pac-12 Defensive Freshman of the Year, Uluave aggravated a lower-body injury against Wake Forest last week and was listed this week as day-to-day.

COIN FLIP: Syracuse won the toss and elected to receive. Cal will defend the north end zone and will get the football to start the second half.

8:54 1st Q: The Orange drove 69 yards in 13 plays before Kennedy Jackson converted a 24-yard field goal. Kyle McCord, who leads the nation at 350.3 passing yards per game, completed four straight passes for 38 yards before throwing incomplete twice to prompt the field goal. Syracuse 3, Cal 0

6:17 1st Q: After completing his first 3 passes, Fernando Mendoza is intercepted by middle linebacker Marlowe Max, who returns it 21 yards to the Cal 40. Syracuse 3, Cal 0

4:19 1st Q: Syracuse takes advantage of the INT to get a 42-yard FG by Jackson Kennedy as once more the defense stiffens. Syracuse 6, Cal 0

END OF 1ST Q: Syracuse dominated the stats, starting with an advantage of 25 plays to 7 and 117 total yards to 29 for Cal. The passing was 69 yards to 18, rushing was 48 to 11. Syracuse had 7 first downs to 2 for the Bears. And turnovers, were 2-0 with 2 INTs by Mendoza. Cal is lucky the score as close as it is. The second quarter will begin with the Orange facing fourth and less than a yard at the al 32. Syracuse 6, Cal 0

13:37 2nd Q: Two plays after the Orange converted the fourth-and-1 play on the first snap of the second quarter, RB LeQuint Allen dashes 30 yards for a touchdown. That capped a 12-play, 69-yard drive and puts Cal in something of a hole. Syracuse 13, Cal 0

13:20 2nd Q: Jaivian Thomas dashes 75 yards untouched for a touchdown to wake up the Memorial Stadium crowd. The drive: 2 plays, 75 yards. Syracuse 13, Cal 7

9:52 2nd Q: Cal having no success stopping the Orange, which goes 75 yards in nine plays with LeQuint Allen scoring on a 1-yard run. McCord had back-to-back completions of 24 and 26 yards. Syracuse 20, Cal 7

4:06 2nd Q: McCord throws a 6-yard TD pass to Jackson Meeks, capping an eight-play, 70-yard scoring drive. The big play: McCord's 40-yard completion to TE Oronde Gadsden. Syracuse 27, Cal 7

HALFTIME: Syracuse 27, Cal 7. Derek Morris well short on a 48-yard FG try on the final play of the half, leaving the Bears trailing by 20.

The halftime numbers: Syracuse has 299 total yards to 181 for Cal, has run 45 plays to 25, has 16 first downs to 7. McCord is 17 for 24 for 196 yards with 1 TD and no INTs. Mendoza is 11 for 16 for 97 yards with no TDs and 2 INTs. The Orange has rushed for 103 yards, with LeQuint Allen carrying 14 times for 76 yards and 2 TDs.

All in all, Cal's worst half of the season. The Bears get the ball to start the second half, but the climb back is steep.

8:54 3rd Q: Jaydn Ott scores on a 15-yard run to cap a 14-play, 93-yard drive. Mendoza was 7 for 8 for 75 yards on the drive. Syracuse 27, Cal 14.

END OF 3RD Q: Syracuse has the ball and faces a third-and-27 from the Cal 47 after a offensive pass interference penalty. The yardage totals through three quarters: 401 to 277 for the Orange. They have 278 passing, 123 on the ground. Cal has 174 passing and 103 rushing.

Syracuse has run 64 plays to 42 for Cal and had a 22-13 first down edge. The Orange has scored on every possession so far: 6 for 6. No punts, no turnovers. Syracuse 30, Cal 14

12:43 4th Q: Ryan Coe hits a 44-yard FG to cap a five-play, 54-yard drive highlighted by a 53-yard run by Jaydn Ott - by far his longest of the season. He was caught from behind by DB Devin Grant. Could anyone have run him down a year ago? Syracuse 30, Cal 17.

3:12 4th Q: Kennedy's fourth field goal, this one from 32 yards. capped a 15-play, 64-yard drive and provided the Orange with a 16-point margin. Syracuse 33, Cal 17

1:01 4th Q: Mendoza throws a 5-yard touchdown pass to Jonathan Brady and completes the two-point conversion pass to Jack Endries. But the Bears' ensuing onside kick attempt was recovered by the Orange. Syracuse 33, Cal 25.