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Cal starts slow but kicks into gear to beat UC Davis in 2022 season opener

BERKELEY — Jack Plummer threw three touchdown passes in his debut as Cal’s quarterback, but even said, “Left a little on the bone today.”

It was that way generally for the Bears, who claimed a 34-13 victory Saturday over UC Davis, an FCS opponent without a win in 11 tries against Cal.

The Bears did some good things in their season opener in front of 34,984 at Memorial Stadium but they looked like an unfinished product.

“We talked about it after the first quarter was over and said it probably couldn’t have gone too much worse,” coach Justin Wilcox said, referring to the Aggies building a 7-0 lead while the Bears totaled minus-1 yard of offense. “Really liked how we played ourselves out of that.”

Here are takeaways from Cal’s performance:

PASSING GAME SHOWS PROMISE: Plummer, the senior transfer from Purdue, was 23-for-35 for 268 yards with touchdown passes of 3 yards to Jeremiah Hunter, 8 yards to Jaydn Ott and 14 yards to Mavin Anderson.

It helped that Cal’s offensive line, which has three new starters this season, began to figure things out after allowing third-down sacks on each of the team’s first two possessions.

Hunter wound up with six catches for 78 yards and redshirt freshman J.Michael Sturdivant had four receptions for 55 yards before leaving the game in the third quarter with cramps in his calves.

Offensive coordinator Bill Musgrave is looking for more explosive plays from this group, and three different receivers had gains of at least 27 yards.

OTT DAZZLES IN DEBUT: Freshman running back Jaydn Ott showed glimpses of his speed and elusiveness through spring and fall, and he delivered against the Aggies.

Entering the game on the Bears’ fourth possession, he rushed 17 times for 104 yards and caught two passes for 26 yards, including an 8-yard TD on a swing pass. He is the first Cal player to eclipse 100 rushing yards in his debut since Shane Vereen had 101 yards against Michigan State in 2008.

“We thought Jaydn getting on the perimeter might be tough for people to tackle him,” Wilcox said. “I know it is for us.”

“I think I’m a pretty versatile running back,” Ott said. “I’ve got a little bit of speed.”

That assessment brought a chuckle from Plummere. “As a team, we kind of expected that,” he said. “We weren’t really surprised.”

BIG PLAYS BY DEFENSE: Three plays by the defense helped direct the outcome in Cal’s direction. The first came late in the first quarter with Davis already leading 7-0 when senior safety Daniel Scott stuffed Trent Tomkins on a fourth-and-2 play at the Cal 19.

Junior safety Craig Woodson then gave the Bears’ lead a cushion when he intercepted a pass on the second play of the second half, returning it 39 yards for a touchdown and a 24-7 score.

Woodson missed all of last season with a knee injury and his teammates were thrilled for him. “Especially excited for Craig after having the year he had last year, coming out and playing fast,” Scott said.

Finally, freshman cornerback Jeremiah Earby of East Palo ended the Aggies’ last meaningful push when he picked off a pass at the 2-yard line late in the third quarter, allowing the Bears to maintain a 27-13 edge.

“Really heck of a play,” Wilcox said of Earby, who spent as much time at wide receiver as on defense at Menlo-Atherton High School. “He’s still young and learning but it was great to see him make that play.”

LINEBACKER OUT FIRST TWO WEEKS: Linebacker Mo Iosefa, who was third on the team with 55 tackles a year ago, did not play and was not listed on the team roster Saturday. Wilcox said he will be out the first two games because of a university rule and is expected back the week of the Notre Dame game.

UP NEXT: Bears host UNLV. The Rebels visit Berkeley after getting this weekend off following their 52-21 victory over FCS foe Idaho State. It was an encouraging start for UNLV, which has assembled just one winning season since 2000.

This team, coached by one-time Cal assistant and San Jose State graduate Marcus Arroyo, is powered by more than a dozen transfers from high-major FBS programs. Chief among them is wide receiver Ricky White, formerly of Michigan State, who caught eight passes for 182 yards and two touchdowns in the opener.

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