Cal Football Game Summary: Bears Hang On to Beat Washington State 42-39

KEY PLAY 2: On a third-and-goal play from the Washington State 6-yard line, Cal’s Fernando Mendoza threw a 6-yard touchdown pass to tight end Jack Endries, giving Cal a 14-0 lead with 6:38 left in the first quarter. A pivotal play on the drive was a 10-yard run by Mendoza on a third-and-10 play from the Cal 35-yard line. A facemask penalty was called on WSU on that play, creating a 25-yard play that gave Cal a first down at the WSU 40-yard line.

KEY PLAY 3: On a fourth-and-1 play from the Washington State 34-yard line, WSU’s Cameron Ward completed a 1-yard pass to Carlos Hernandez. A measurement on the field indicated Hernandez was short of the first down, but the spot was changed upon video review, giving the Cougars the necessary yardage for a first down.

KEY PLAY 4: Later in that same Washington State possession, Cameron Ward ran 3 yards for a touchdown to complete the 75-yard drive and cut the Cal lead to 14-7 with 17 seconds remaining in the first quarter.

KEY PLAY 5: On a second-and-goal play from the Washington State 6-yard line, Cal’s Jaydn Ott carried the ball to the 1-yard line, but he fumbled the ball into the end zone. Cal center Brian Driscoll recovered the ball in the end zone for a Bears’ touchdown that gave the Bears a 21-7 lead with 12:14 left in the second quarter. A critical play on the drive was Fernando Mendoza’s 36-yard completion to Jeremiah Hunter, putting the ball at WSU 20-yard line.

KEY PLAY 6: Washington State’s Cameron Ward threw a 13-yard touchdown pass to Cooper Mathers to complete a 69-yard drive and reduce the Cal lead to 21-14 with 8:46 to go in the second quarter.

KEY PLAY 7: On a first-down play from the Washington State 37-yard line, WSU’s Cameron Ward was sacked by Cal’s David Reese for an 18-yard loss, and Ward fumbled on the play. The ball was recovered by Cal’s Cade Uluave at the Washington State 19-yard line.

KEY PLAY 8: On a fourth-and-4 play from the Washington State 13-yard line on Cal’s possession following the turnover, Fernando Mendoza threw a 13-yard touchdown pass to Jaydn Ott to give Cal a 28-14 lead with 3:11 left in the first half.

KEY PLAY 9: Washington State’s John Mateer took a direct snap and ran 5 yards for a touchdown that reduced the Cal lead to 28-21 with 24 seconds left in the first half. Mateer fumbled just after crossing the goal-line.

KEY PLAY 10: On a second-and-15 play from the Cal 20-yard line early in the third quarter, Cal's Fernando Mendoza was hit by Brennan Jackson and Mendoza fumbled just as he was about to throw. WSU's Ron Stone Jr. recovered at the Cal 17-yard line.  It resulted in a 23-yard field goal by Washington State's Dean Janikowski, reducing the Cal lead to 28-24 with 12:33 left in the third quarter.

KEY PLAY 11: Washington State's Dean Janikowski missed a 42-yard field-goal attempt with 12:56 left in the fourth quarter, keeping Cal's lead at 28-24.

KEY PLAY 12: On a second-and-5 play from the Cal 30-yard line, Cal's Jaydn Ott ran for 52 yards to the Washington State 18-yard line.  Later in that drive, Ott ran 5 yards for a touchdown that gave Cal a 35-24 lead with 11:22 left.

KEY PLAY 13: Washington State's Cameron Ward fumbled when hit by Cal's David Reese, and the Bears' Nohl Williams recovered the fumble and returned it 52 yards for a Cal touchdown. That gave Cal a 42-24 lead with 9:26 left in the fourth quarter.

KEY PLAY 14: Washington State's Cameron Ward completed a 21-yard touchdown pass to Josh Kelly. Ward then completed a pass to Djouvensky Schenbaker for the two-point conversion to cut the Cal lead to 42-32 with 7:33 left in the fourth quarter.

KEY PLAY 15: Jaydn Ott fumbled at the Cal 36-yard line and Washington State's Sam Lockett III recovered it and returned it to the Cal 37-yard line with 6:38 remaining in the fourth quarter.

KEY PLAY 16: Following that turnover, Washington State's Cameron Ward completed a 5-yard touchdown pass to Djouvensky Schenbaker to cut Cal's lead to 42-39 with 5:23 left.

KEY PLAY 17: Washington State kicker Dean Janikowski barely missed a 48-yard field goal attempt that went wide left with 54 seconds left, leaving Cal with a 42-39 lead.

KEY PLAY 18: On the final play of the game, from the Washington State 47-yard line, WSU's Cameron Ward threw the ball toward the end zone, and he ball was intercepted by Cal's Cade Uluave. 

STAT OF THE GAME: Washington State committed three turnovers, two of which  were returned for Cal touchdowns. Cal committed two turnovers Saturday.

STAT OF THE GAME II: Cal committed 11 penalties that cost the Bears 100 yards.

STAT OF THE GAME III: Washington State had a lot more yards of offense than Cal (483-327), twice as many first downs as Cal (32-16) and had a significant advantage in time of possession  But Cal won.

INDIVIDUAL STAT OF THE GAME: Cal running back Jaydn Ott rushed for 167 yards and caught three passes for 18 yards and a touchdown.

INDIVIDUAL STAT OF THE GAME II: Washington State wide receiver Josh Kelly had nine catches for 130 yards and one touchdown.

QUARTERBACK STATISTICS: Cal's Fernando Mendoza was 14-for-21 for 150 yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions.  Washington State's Cameron Ward was  35-of-60 for 358 yards, three touchdowns and one interception.

WHAT IT MEANS: Cal still has an outside shot at a winning season while ending a four-game losing streak. To finish with a winning record, al must win its two remaining game and win a bowl game.

CAL'S BOWL BAROMETER: The Bears' chances of landing a bowl berth are about 25%. Cal must beat Stanford next week and UCLA in the regular season finale to finish the regular season at 6-6, which would make them bowl-eligible.

NEXT GAME: Cal (4-6, 2-5 Pac-12) vs. Stanford (3-6, 2-5 Pac-12 before Saturday’s game) at Stanford Stadium, on Saturday, November 18. Kickoff time: 3:30 p.m. TV: Pac-12 Network. Stanford, coached by former Cal quarterback Troy Taylor, played Oregon State Saturday afternoon.