Independence Bowl Summary: Texas Tech Beats Cal

Golden Bears let an early 14-7 lead slip away in a lopsided loss in their final game as a member of the Pac-12

Cal held an early 14-7 lead, but Texas Tech dominated the rest of the game to post a 34-14 victory over Cal in Saturday night's Independence Bowl in Shreveport, Louisiana.

The Bears were unable to get their running game going, and they finish the season with a 6-7 record. Cal running back Jaydn Ott, who entered the game averaging 114.5 yards per game, was limited to 42 rushing yards, just two yards more than his season low of 40 yards against Washington.

Cal redshirt freshman quarterback Fernando Mendoza threw three second-half interceptions.

This was Cal's final game as a member of the Pac-12. The Bears will join the Atlantic Coast Conference in 2024.

An interesting aspects of this game was that offensive plays were conveyed to the quarterback by way of a microphone from the play-calling coach to an audio receiver in the quarterback’s helmet. It is the same method that’s used in the NFL, except that in this game the play-caller was allowed to speak to the quarterback throughout the play.

Summary of the Independence Bowl:

TEXAS TECH 34, CAL 14

RECORDS: Cal (6-7, 4-5 Pac-12); Texas Tech (7-6, 5-4 Big 12)

WHAT THE RESULT MEANS: Cal finishes with a losing record for the fourth straight season. The Bears won their final three regular-season games but failed to finish the season with four straight wins for the first time since 1993. Cal has won two bowl games in the last 15 seasons, while Texas Tech has now won a bowl game in each of the last three seasons.

PLAYER OF THE GAME:  Texas Tech quarterback Behren Morton. Morton threw three touchdown passes with one interception. The interception came in the fourth quarter with the Red Raiders safely ahead.

TURNING POINT: With Cal leading 7-0 in the first quarter, Cal decided to try for a first down on a fourth-and-2 play from the Texas Tech 5-yard line rather than attempt a field goal. Jaydn Ott was stopped for a 2-yard loss, and Texas Tech responded with a 93-yard drive for the tying touchdown.

TURNING POINT II: Texas Tech quarterback Behren Morton threw a 14-yard touchdown pass to Luic Fouonji, giving Texas Tech a 21-14 lead with 9:49 remaining in the second quarter. It was Tech’s first lead of the game.

STAT OF THE GAME: After scoring a touchdown to take a 14-7 lead, Cal went the remaining 11 consecutive possessions without scoring. (That does not include a kneel-down to end the first half.)

STAT OF THE GAME II: Cal rushed for just 69 yards, even though Texas Tech entered the game ranked 94th of 130 FBS teams in rushing defense. Cal’s strength on offense has been its running game.

STAT OF THE GAME III: Cal committed four turnovers and allowed Texas Tech to record 13 tackles for loss.

INDIVIDUAL STAT OF THE GAME: Cal's Jaydn Ott, who rushed for more than 150 yards five times this season, ran for just 40 yards and averaged only 2.8 yards per carry.

INDIVIDUAL STAT OF THE GAME II: Texas Tech quarterback Behren Morton threw three touchdown passes before throwing a fourth-quarter interception.

INDIVIDUAL STAT OF THE GAME III: Texas Tech's Tahj Brooks rushed for 99 yards and a touchdown.

QUARTERBACK STATISTICS: Cal’s Fernando Mendoza was 22-for-33 for 284 yards, one touchdown and three interceptions, and he also lost a fumble.  After starting the game 7-for-7 for 132 yards and a touchdown, Mendoza went 15-for-26 for 154 yards, no touchdowns and three interceptions and the fumble. Texas Tech’s Behren Morton was 27-for-43 for 256 yards, three touchdowns and one interception

KEY PLAY 1: Texas Tech’s Drae McCray fumbled while returning the opening kickoff, and Cal kicker Michael Luckhurst recovered the ball at the Texas Tech 25-yard line. (Dejuan Butler caused the fumble)

KEY PLAY 2: On the Bears’ first play after the turnover, Cal quarterback Fernando Mendoza threw a 25-yard touchdown pass to Monroe Young, giving Cal a 7-0 lead with 14:45 left in the first quarter.

KEY PLAY 3: On a fourth-and-2 play from the Texas Tech 5-yard line, Cal’s Jaydn Ott is stopped for a loss of 2 yards by Texas Tech’s Ben Roberts with 8:30 remaining in the first quarter.

KEY PLAY 4: Texas Tech quarterback Behren Morton threw a 27-yard touchdown pass to Coy Eakin to complete a 93-yard drive and tie the score 7-7 with 4:19 left in the first quarter.

KEY PLAY 5: Cal quarterback Fernando Mendoza completed a 51-yard pass to Trond Grizzell, putting the ball at the Texas Tech 1-yard line. On the next play, Jaydn Ott scored on a 1-yard touchdown run, giving Cal a 14-7 lead with 2:38 left in the first quarter. (At this point, Mendoza was 7-for-7 for 130 yards and a touchdown.)

KEY PLAY 6: Texas Tech quarterback Behren Morton threw a 15-yard touchdown pass to Mason Tharp to tie the score at 14-14 with 12:16 remaining in the second quarter.

KEY PLAY 7: Texas Tech’s Behren Morton completed 41-yard pass to Xavier White, putting the ball at the Cal 14-yard line. Three plays later, Morton threw a 14-yard touchdown pass to Luic Fouonji, giving Texas Tech a 21-14 lead with 9:49 remaining in the second quarter.

KEY PLAY 8: Texas Tech’s Gino Garcia kicked a 25-yard field goal to give the Red Raiders a 24-14 lead with three seconds left in the first half.

KEY PLAY 9: A Fernando Mendoza pass was deflected and intercepted by Texas Tech's Tyrique Matthews at the Red Raiders' 33-yard line with 11:29 left in the third quarter and Tech leading 24-14.

KEY PLAY 10: Texas Tech’s Xavier White returned a punt 24 yards to the Cal 15-yard line with 5:25 left in the third quarter. Two plays later, Tahj Brooks scored on a 7-yard run, giving Texas Tech a 31-14 lead with 4:36 remaining in the third quarter.

KEY PLAY 11: Cal's Fernando Mendoza fumbled, and it was recovered by Texas Tech's Malik Dunlap at the Cal 28-yard line with 9:47 left in the game.

KEY PLAY 12: Cal's Lu-Maggio Hearns intercepted a Behren Morton pass in the Cal end zone with 9:41 left in the fourth quarter.

Cover photo of Jaydn Ott by Henrietta Wildsmith, The Times, USA TODAY NETWORK

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