This matchup goes back to 9/17, 1955 for their first matchup.
Then again 10/6/1956
Then not till 10/1/1966.
So this season is the first time these teams meet up in the last 58 years!
CAL was too much to handle in this one as they jumped out to a 21-0 lead after the 1st quarter.
PITT scored a TD in the 2nd and held CAL scoreless, but the second half PITT was outscored 17-13 as CAL comes away with the 38-20 win.
6ft has his team rolling this game as their D comes away with 6 turnovers compared to 0 for the PITT defense.
Your team will not win many games with a -6 turnover differential.
Great game played by coach 6ft and good luck the rest of the way.
"Panthers Put Up a Fight, But Bears Barely Survive: A Hollow Victory in Pitts"
Debbie Downer’s Take on Cal vs. Pitt: Panthers Put Up a Fight, But Bears Barely Survive
Well, it looks like the Cal Bears managed to stumble their way into another win, this time against the Pittsburgh Panthers. The final score was 38-20, but let’s not kid ourselves—this game wasn’t the blowout the scoreboard might suggest. In typical Cal fashion, the Bears did just enough to win, but not without raising more red flags along the way.
A Tale of Two
Cal came out of the gate swinging, jumping to a 21-0 lead in the first quarter. For a brief, shining moment, it almost looked like the Bears knew what they were doing. Chandler Rogers was hitting his targets, the running game was clicking, and the defense was forcing turnovers left and right. It was like watching a different team—until reality set in.
As the game wore on, Cal started to show its true colors. The defense, which had been so stout early on, began to crumble. Pitt’s wideout Konata Mumpfield torched our secondary for 246 yards and two touchdowns, making our defensive backs look like they were running in molasses. It’s a wonder Pitt didn’t close the gap sooner.
Fumbles, Challenges, and More of the Same
Let’s talk about that fumble-that-wasn’t. Jaden Ott appeared to cough up the ball in the second quarter, but Coach Gonzales, in a rare moment of savvy, challenged the call and won. One play later, Jaivian Thomas took it to the house for a 26-yard touchdown. That challenge might’ve been the play of the game, but it’s also a reminder of just how close Cal came to blowing this one.
The defense, after forcing six turnovers, still managed to give up 436 yards of total offense. Pitt’s offense had their way with us in the second half, and if it weren’t for their own incompetence, this game could have easily gone the other way. And don’t even get me started on our third-down efficiency—1-for-7 is hardly what I’d call a winning formula.
Coach’s Take: A Hollow Victory?
Coach Gonzales seemed pleased enough after the game, praising his team’s resilience and ability to make key plays when it counted. But let’s be real—if Pitt had been just a little sharper, we’d be talking about another loss. Gonzales may have won the challenge flag battle, but the war for consistency is still far from over.
Looking Ahead with Trepidation
So here we are, 4-2, with more questions than answers. Yes, the Bears are technically winning, but it’s the kind of winning that leaves you feeling uneasy. The defense is leaky, the offense is inconsistent, and the coaching decisions are a mixed bag. If Cal continues down this path, it’s only a matter of time before the wheels come off completely.
But hey, a win’s a win, right? Just don’t expect me to start celebrating. There’s still plenty of time for this season to go off the rails, and knowing the Bears, it probably will.
Debbie Downer, Associated Press
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