Berkley, Calif. — Syracuse stunned California with a strong ground game and a dominant defensive performance, securing a 33-25 victory on Saturday. The Orange intercepted two passes from quarterback Fernando Mendoza and effectively stifled the Golden Bears’ offense.
Syracuse’s Kyle McCord, the national leader in completions, completed 29 of 46 passes for 323 yards. LeQuint Allen was a standout on the ground, rushing for 109 yards and two touchdowns, while Jackson Kennedy successfully converted all four of his field goal attempts, remaining perfect this season.
“Starting fast and getting them early was crucial, and both sides of the ball delivered,” McCord said. “The defense created takeaways, and scoring 27 points in the first half was significant.”
Syracuse jumped out to a commanding lead, with the Orange ahead by as much as three scores after Mendoza threw two early interceptions.
“The sideline shouted ‘Ball,’ and I looked up and high-pointed it,” said Davien Kerr, who made the second interception for Syracuse.
Despite being known for their potent passing attack, the Orange focused on their ground game, rushing for 103 yards and two touchdowns in the first half. This was a marked improvement after managing only 39 rushing yards against Boston College the previous week.
“We haven’t done anything well on defense,” Cal head coach Justin Wilcox admitted as his team left the field at halftime.
While California had a highlight in a 75-yard touchdown run by Jaivian Thomas in the second quarter and a touchdown pass from Mendoza to Jonathan Brady with just one minute remaining, the Bears struggled offensively overall.
They managed only two red zone attempts against Syracuse and have had difficulty in this area all season, completing just 21 of 40 pass attempts inside the 20-yard line.
“Mendoza is very crafty,” said Syracuse head coach Fran Brown. “He has a strong arm and a quick release, so we knew we had to change things up for him.”
McCord and the Orange did not commit any turnovers, despite California leading the nation in interceptions with 54.
THE TAKEAWAYS Of The Game:
California:Mendoza, typically steady, appeared frazzled under pressure. After throwing for a season-high 385 yards in the Bears’ only ACC win last weekend, he threw two interceptions and managed only eight minutes of offense in the first half, raising concerns for a team already struggling with key injuries, including star running back Jaydn Ott.
Syracuse:The Orange delivered one of their most complete performances of the season, with an offensive line that has faced challenges finally stepping up. McCord maintained a fast-paced offense, aided by a career-best 11 receptions from wide receiver Trebor Pena.
UP NEXT:
Syracuse:The Orange will host UConn on Saturday for a non-conference matchup.
California:The Bears will face Stanford on Saturday in their first Big Game as ACC rivals.
