Berkeley, CA. — No. 15 Virginia continued its midseason surge, using a strong start and a late defensive stand to defeat California 31–21 on Saturday, extending the Cavaliers’ winning streak to seven games — their longest since 2007.
J’Mari Taylor powered Virginia’s offense early, scoring two first-quarter touchdowns to help the Cavaliers (8–1, 5–0 ACC) build momentum in their first-ever meeting with the Golden Bears (5–4, 2–3).
“It’s November — this is where we want to be peaking,” head coach Tony Elliott said. “We talk about this stretch being ‘go time.’ Getting out fast and finishing strong was exactly what we needed.”
Taylor Sets the Tone Early
Taylor capped two of Virginia’s first three drives with touchdown runs, giving the Cavaliers a 14–0 advantage midway through the first quarter. From there, the defense helped preserve the lead, forcing timely stops and controlling the line of scrimmage.
Virginia’s defense sealed the win in the closing seconds when linebacker Kam Robinson intercepted a pass and returned it 35 yards for a touchdown, extending the lead to 31–21 with just 34 seconds remaining.
“People call us the ‘Cardiac Cavs,’ but really it’s just belief,” Elliott said. “This group refuses to quit — they expect to win, no matter the situation.”
Cal’s Comeback Efforts Fall Short
California running back Kendrick Raphael was the bright spot for the Bears, scoring all three of their touchdowns. Cal got creative midway through the third quarter when quarterback Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele lateraled to tight end Mason Mini, who then threw deep to Raphael for a 42-yard trick-play touchdown that trimmed Virginia’s lead to 17–14.
Virginia answered immediately with a 75-yard march capped by Eli Wood’s 3-yard touchdown run, pushing the lead back to 24–14.
After a short punt gave Cal the ball at the Virginia 25-yard line, Raphael found the end zone again from a yard out, cutting the deficit to three early in the fourth quarter. But the Bears couldn’t capitalize on their next two possessions, and Sagapolutele’s late interception ended the comeback bid.
Missed Chances Cost Cal
“The effort was there, but we missed opportunities,” Cal coach Justin Wilcox said. “On defense it was third downs; on offense we had a few plays we didn’t finish. Against a team like Virginia, you have to hit those, and we didn’t.”
Takeaways
Virginia: After several narrow escapes in recent weeks — including two overtime wins — the Cavaliers earned a more comfortable victory this time. Still, missed chances kept it closer than it needed to be, including a missed 48-yard field goal before halftime and a failed fake field goal attempt to start the third quarter.
California: The Bears have now dropped two straight after a 5–2 start. With tough games ahead against No. 16 Louisville and SMU, they’ll need at least one win in their final three to reach bowl eligibility.
Up Next:
Virginia: Hosts Wake Forest on Saturday.
California: Travels to face Louisville next weekend.
