California Golden Bears 38, No. 8 Miami Hurricanes 32----Fourth Quarter

 

The Miami Hurricanes narrowly escaped a thrilling showdown with Virginia Tech. Their next challenge comes in the form of a cross-country trip to face the Cal Golden Bears. **By Pierre Taylor**

****Miami Hurricanes Face Off Against Cal Golden Bears in Key Cross-Country Showdown**  

The No. 8 Miami Hurricanes narrowly escaped a wild finish against Virginia Tech, and now they’re setting their sights on a cross-country trip to face the California Golden Bears. The question looms: Can Miami remain undefeated and secure a bowl berth before their first bye week, or will they fall in their first ACC road game of the season against a conference newcomer? 

The stage is set for a late-night clash in Berkeley, with the game scheduled for a 10:30 p.m. kickoff at California Memorial Stadium. The matchup will be televised on ESPN, and fans can follow the action here with score updates, commentary, and analysis throughout the game.

---DON’T CALL IT A COMEBACK, PART 2?**  

It’s a one-score game! Cam Ward ran for a 24-yard touchdown to pull Miami within six points, 38-32, with just 4:04 remaining. Welcome to **ACC After Dark**, folks — it’s nice to formally meet you.

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**DON’T CALL IT A COMEBACK?**  

Miami found the end zone for a second consecutive drive, with Cam Ward connecting with Isaiah Horton for an 18-yard touchdown to cut the deficit to 38-25 with 10:28 left in the game. The offense is finally finding a rhythm, but is it too little, too late?

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**FIELD GOAL EXTENDS CAL’S LEAD**  

A 37-yard field goal early in the fourth quarter gave Cal a 20-point lead, 38-18, over Miami.

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**ANOTHER RUSHING TOUCHDOWN FOR MIAMI**  

Miami chipped away at their deficit with a Damien Martinez 1-yard touchdown run, capping off a 12-play, 75-yard drive. The Hurricanes went for two and converted, trimming the lead to 35-18 with 3:02 left in the third quarter.

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**ANOTHER BIG PASS PLAY, ANOTHER CAL TOUCHDOWN**  

It’s now 35-10 Cal over Miami with 8:06 left in the third quarter. A 56-yard catch-and-run from Fernando Mendoza to Jaivian Thomas set up a 9-yard rushing touchdown by Chandler Rogers.

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**DEFENSE GETS A STOP... BUT CAL STILL EXTENDS LEAD**  

The Hurricanes' defense came out strong in the second half, forcing Cal into a three-and-out. Defensive tackle Simeon Barrow sacked Fernando Mendoza on third down, leading to a Cal punt. But the good vibes didn’t last long, as Cam Ward’s next pass was intercepted by Nohl Williams and returned 40 yards for a touchdown. Miami now trails 28-10 with 13:07 left in the third quarter.

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**HALFTIME THOUGHTS**  

For the second week in a row, Miami is trailing at halftime — this time 21-10 to Cal on the road. Lapses in pass coverage and a pair of crucial fourth-down plays, including a failed attempt by Miami and a successful conversion by Cal that led to a touchdown, have been key moments. Cal will get the ball to start the second half.

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**CAL’S FOURTH-DOWN BET PAID OFF**  

On a 4th-and-inches from its own 34-yard line, Cal’s gamble paid off. Fernando Mendoza found running back Jadyn Ott just beyond the line to gain, and Ott took it the rest of the way for a 66-yard touchdown. Miami is now down 21-10 with 8 minutes left in the second quarter.

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**CANES CUT INTO THEIR DEFICIT**  

Miami mounted a 10-play drive into Cal territory, but it stalled. However, Andres Borregales connected on a 46-yard field goal to cut the lead to 14-10 with 9:07 remaining in the second quarter.

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**GOLDEN BEARS CAPITALIZE**  

After Miami failed to convert on fourth down, Cal took advantage. The first play of their drive was a 51-yard pass from Fernando Mendoza to Trond Grizzell, setting up a 5-yard touchdown run by Jadyn Ott. Cal now leads 14-7 with 13:43 left in the second quarter.

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**UM TURNOVER ON DOWNS AT MIDFIELD**  

Miami went for it on 4th-and-2 near midfield to start the second quarter, but Cam Ward’s pass to tight end Elijah Arroyo came up short. The Golden Bears took over on downs at their 44-yard line.

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**CAL TIES IT UP**  

The Golden Bears tied the game at 7-7 with a 57-yard touchdown pass from Fernando Mendoza to a wide-open Jack Endries. D’Yoni Hill was in coverage for Miami. The game is tied with 3:58 remaining in the first quarter.

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**STRONG START FOR THE HURRICANES’ RUN GAME**  

The Hurricanes got on the board first with a Mark Fletcher 3-yard touchdown run to cap a five-play, 63-yard drive. Miami led 7-0 with 6:19 left in the first quarter. Fletcher rushed four times for 45 yards on the drive. Coupled with Damien Martinez’s solid performance on the first drive — three carries for 15 yards — this could be the breakout game for Miami’s top running backs.

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**WELCOME BACK RUEBEN BAIN JR.**  

Miami got a boost entering the game with Rueben Bain Jr. returning to the starting lineup after a lengthy injury absence. The reigning ACC Defensive Rookie of the Year regained his starting spot at defensive end, with Marshall transfer Elijah Alston sidelined due to an injury. Bain made an immediate impact, recording a tackle for loss on Miami’s first defensive play, which helped force Cal into a three-and-out.

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**SEASON RECAP**  

Here’s a look at Miami’s 2024 season so far:

- **Miami 41, Florida 17**: Cam Ward threw for 385 yards and three touchdowns, while Mark Fletcher added two rushing scores as Miami opened the season with a dominant win at Florida.

- **Miami 56, Florida A&M 9**: Cam Ward threw three touchdowns and ran for another, while the defense held Florida A&M to just three field goals.

- **Miami 62, Ball State 0**: After two-and-a-half hours of weather delays, Miami asserted its dominance with a 62-0 shutout at home.

- **Miami 50, USF 15**: Damien Martinez rushed for three touchdowns as Miami pulled away from USF in the second half for a comfortable road win.

- **Miami 38, Virginia Tech 34**: The Hurricanes overcame a pair of 10-point deficits in the second half to survive a late Hail Mary attempt and stay unbeaten at 5-0.

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**PREGAME READING**  

Catch up on all the latest coverage leading into tonight’s game against Cal:

- **Cam Ward continues to shine for Miami in 2024**

- **Hurricanes' close win over Virginia Tech: What’s next?**

- **Game-saving tackle by Elijah Arroyo puts Miami in the spotlight**

- **Isaiah Horton’s breakout season: Breaking up a Hail Mary pass**  

- **Fernando Mendoza’s personal connections in the Miami-Cal matchup**