Cal Football: Bears Lose to No. 13 Oregon 17-7

Bears led 7-0 at halftime thanks to three Oregon turnovers

Photo by Troy Wayrynen - USA TODAY Sports

Cal held a 7-0 halftime lead but eventually suffered a 17-7 loss to No. 13 Oregon Saturday night in Eugene, Oregon.

Oregon (4-1, 2-0 Pac-12) had won 10 of the past 11 games against Cal, and the Bears (4-2, 1-2) have not won in Eugene since 2007.

Oregon quarterback Justin Herbert was 20-for-33 for 214 yards, one touchdown and one interception.

Cal quarterback Devon Modster, who was making his first start of the season and the third start of his career, was 17-of-34 for 190 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions. One of those picks was a Hail Mary at the end of the first half. In last week's loss to Arizona State, Modster was 5-of-14 for 23 yards with an interception.

Cal suffered more injuries to its offensive line, and Bears running back Chris Brown Jr. was limited to 42 yards on 15 carries, an average of 2.8 yards per carry.

Oregon outgained Cal 404-256 and the Ducks had 26 first downs compared to 12 for the Bears.

Oregon reduced its 7-0 halftime deficit to 7-3 when Camden Lewis booted a 27-yard field goal with 7:32 left in the third quarter.

Oregon took a 10-7 lead late in the third quarter when Cyrus Habibi-Likio scored from a yard out to end a 30-yard drive. Herbert's 29-yard pass to tight end Jacob Breeland was the key play.

The Ducks increased the margin to 17-7 with a 49-yard drive that ended with Herbert's 1-yard touchdown pass to Jaylon Redd with 7:14 remaining in the game.

Oregon had committed only two turnovers over its first four games, but the Ducks turned it over three times in the first half on Saturday. It helped the Bears take a 7-0 lead at halftime. It was the first time since 2004 that the Ducks were shut out in the first half at home.

Oregon drove to the Cal 16-yard line on the Ducks' first possession. But an unsportsmanlike penalty on Oregon set the Ducks back 15 yards, then Cal safety Ashtyn Davis intercepted a Herbert pass at the 6-yard line and returned it to the Cal 37. It was Herbert's first interception of the season.

Cal turned that possession into the first points of the game. A 36-yard Modster completion to Jordan Duncan was the key play on the 63-yard drive, which ended with a 22-yard touchdown pass to Chris Brown Jr. (see photo above). That made it 7-0 with 6:58 left in the first quarter.

That was the first touchdown Oregon allowed in the first half this season. The Ducks had not allowed a touchdowns in any of their past three games.

Oregon fumbled the ball away on its second possession. The Ducks drove to the Cal 11-yard line, but on a fourth-and-1 play from there, Oregon running back Travis Dye fumbled and Cal linebacker Kuony Deng recovered at the Cal 9-yard line with 36 seconds left in the opening quarter. 

Dye fumbled the ball away again on the Ducks' third possession, with Trey Turner II forcing the fumble and Cal's Lone Toailoa recovering at the Cal 38-yard line.

Cal got nothing out of that possession. The Bears got to the Oregon 15-yard line but Greg Thomas missed a 32-yard field goal.

Oregon's Camden Lewis then missed a 45-yard field goal later in the second quarter to keep it a 7-0 game.

INJURIES: Cal wide receiver Kekoa Crawford missed his secobd straight game with an injury, and running back Marcel Dancy did not play either because of injury.

Cal center Michael Saffell left the game in the first quarter with a leg injury. It left Cal without three projected starters on the offensive line. Matthew Cindric became the center.

Oregon running back CJ Verdell left the contest with a leg injury late in the first quarter. He had 46 yards on 10 carries.

Cal offensive tackle Valentino Daltoso left the game in the third quarter with an injury. By the end of the game, Cal had only one projected starter on its offensive line.

OREGON 17, CAL 7

RECORDS: Cal (4-2, 1-2 Pac-12), Oregon (4-1, 2-0)

PLAYER OF THE GAME (offense): Oregon quarterback Justin Herbert. Herbert was 20-of-33 for 214 yards, one touchdown and one interception. He also rushed for 32 yards, including a 26-yard run that led to Oregon's touchdown that gave the Ducks a 17-7 lead. It was not an outstanding game for Herbert, but he did enough when it counted most.

PLAYER OF THE GAME (defense): Cal inside linebacker Kuony Deng. Deng had 12 tackles, including one for a loss, and recovered a fumble. Evan Weaver was limited to a season-low six tackles.

TURNING POINT: A 24-yard punt return by Oregon's Jevon Holland gave Oregon the ball at the Cal 30-yard line with Cal holding a 7-3 lead in the third quarter. Oregon quarterback Justin Herbert completed a 29-yard pass to Jacob Breeland that led to a touchdown that gave Oregon its first lead at 10-7 with 1:38 left in the third quarter.

STAT OF THE GAME: Oregon committed three first-half turnovers after committing just two turnovers in their first four games.

UGLY STATS OF THE GAME:  Cal had just 66 yards rushing. Cal kicker Greg Thomas missed both his field-goal attempts, of 46 and 32 yards.

WHAT IT MEANS: Cal has dropped two games in a row, and with two Pac-12 losses, its chances of winning a Pac-12 North title are virtually gone. This was a game Cal was expected to lose so it was not a devastating defeat.

CAL’S BOWL BAROMETER: .Cal's bowl chances were reduced to about 60  percent. The Bears still need only two wins to become bowl-eligible, but the absence of Chase Garbers for a few more games may make it difficult.

NEXT GAME: Oregon State at Cal, Saturday, October 19. Kickoff: TBA TV: TBA. The Bears have a bye next week, then host Oregon State (1-3), which played UCLA Saturday night and will play Utah on the road before facing Cal.

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