Jaydn Ott rushed for 165 yards on 29 carries with a touchdown to lead host California to a 24-21 victory Saturday over Arizona State at Berkeley, Calif.
California (3-2, 1-1 Pac-12) outrushed the Sun Devils 196-68.
Trenton Bourguet, starting at quarterback for the second time this season for ASU, completed 26 of 41 passes for 344 yards with no touchdowns and an interception.
True freshman Jaden Rashada, named Arizona State's starter out of fall camp, and Notre Dame transfer Drew Pyne are both out indefinitely with injuries.
Borguet's 3-yard scoring run and successful 2-point conversion pass to Elijhah Badger cut the lead to 24-21 with 9:18 remaining.
California then drove 74 yards in 18 plays, taking 6:28 off the clock, before Ott was stopped for no gain at the Arizona State 1 on a fourth-and-goal run.
However, the Sun Devils' last possession ended at their 39-yard line when Bourguet's pass attempt on fourth-and-4 was incomplete with 1:03 left.
California took a 10-7 lead into halftime after both teams struggled in third-down conversions to that point. Arizona State was 2-for-9 and California 2-for-7.
The Sun Devils' first possession of the second half resulted in a turnover on downs at the Golden Bears 31.
California scored five plays later on a 21-yard touchdown pass from Sam Jackson V to Jeremiah Hunter to increase the lead to 17-7 with 9:11 remaining in the third quarter.
Arizona State appeared to score a touchdown on the next possession but a 1-yard halfback pass from Cameron Skattebo to Badger on fourth-and-goal was nullified because the Sun Devils had 12 players on the field.
Dario Longhetto made a 24-yard field goal to cut the lead to 17-10 with 5:29 left in the third quarter.
A 52-yard pass from Bourguet to Badger on Arizona State's next possession led to a 29-yard field goal by Longhetto with 44 seconds left in the quarter.
Matthew Littlejohn's interception returned 19 yards to the Arizona State 11 resulted in an Ott 2-yard scoring run four plays later, giving the Golden Bears a 24-13 lead with 10:52 remaining.
Arizona State (1-4, 0-2) played its first road game of the season.
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