Cal at No. 15 Louisville Game Thread: Bears Win in Overtime

Frreshman quarterback Jaron-Keawe Sagpaolutele fired a 3-yard touchdown pass to Jacob De Jesus in fourth down to lift Cal to a 29-26 overtime victory over Louisville on Saturday night.

The win snaps a two-game losing streak makes the Bears (6-4, 3-3 ACC) bowl eligible for the third straight year.

After neither offense could score on its final four possessions in regulation, Louisville (7-2, 4-2) got the ball first in overtime but had to settle for a field goal that made it 26-23.

Cal was expecting to have linebacker Cade Uluave, who was injured on the first defensive series last week against Virginia before being listed as probable in Thursday's ACC injury report. But the Bears' pregame radio show reported that Uluave will not play. He is on the sideline with his right hand wrapped.

COIN TOSS: Louisville wins the flip and defers. The Cardinals will kick off to Cal.

10:33 1st Q: Promising opening drive nets nothing for the Bears, who go from their own 25 to the Louisvile 11, where they had a first down. But a 1-yard, an incomplete pass, a false start and a sack leave them at fourth-and-21 from the 22. Chase Meyer then misses a 40-yard FG wide right. The possession began with a cool trick play, as WR Jacob De Jesus took a lateral pass on the right side and deliverd a 23-yard completion to Trond Grizell.

Cal has altered its offensive line for tonight: LT Nick Morrow, LG Jordan Spasojevic-Moko, C Bastian Swinney, RG Tyson Ruffins, RT Braden Miller. Cal 0, Louisville 0

5:11 1st Q: Louisville goes 78 yards in 10 plays with Duke Watson scoring on a 1-yard run. The Cardinal twice converted long third-down tries, including a 40-yard pass from QB Miller Moss to WR Caullin Lacy that put the Cardinals at the 8-yard line. Third down defense continues to be an issue for the Bears. Louisville 7, Cal 0

0:40 1st: Cal ties it up on Sagapolutele's perfect 20-yard back-shoulder TD pass to TE Brandon Morris at the near right corner of the end zone. The Bears go 74 yards in six plays, all through the air. Sagapoultele is 8 for 14 for 103 yards and a TD. Cal 7, Louisville 7

11:01 2nd Q: Cooper Ranvier kicks a 30-yard field goal to cap a 12-play, 67-yard drive. The big play was Miller Moss throwing 19 yards to . . . himself. Cal's Josiah Wagoner defected the pass but the ball went right back to Moss, who ran for a first down to the Cal 39-yard line. Moss then hit Dacari Collins for a 21-yard gain to the 18. The Bears missed a chance to get the take away when safety Dru Polidore made a great read on a pass but dropped the interception. Three plays later, Ranvier kicked the go-ahead FG. Louisville 10, Cal 7

5:59 2nd Q: Cal moves 65 yards in nine plays before stalling (thanks in part to another false start) after getting a first and goal at the 5. Chase Meyer converts the 27-yard field goal. Two big plays to open the possession: Sagapolutele's 25-yard completion to De Jesus (who has 5 receptions for 60 yards) and Kendrick Raphael's 24-yard run. De Jesus tried another pass on a trick play but threw incomplete over a crowd in the end zone and he is now 1 for 2 for 27 yards. Cal 10, Louisville 10

2:34 2nd Q: Ranvier drills a 49-yard FG to cap a seven-play, 44-yard drive. The big play: a 35-yard run by Keyjuan Brown on a third-and-1 play from the Louisville 34-yard line to the al 31. Louisville 13, Cal 10

0:07 2nd Q: Raphael powers in from the 2-yard line and the Bears take the lead at halftime after a nine-play, 75-yard drive. It was Raphael's 12th touchdown of the season, his 11th rushing TD. He has run the ball nine times for 52 yards. The big play: Sagapolutele's 21-yard pass to De Jesus, who finished the half with 8 receptions for 95 yards. Sagapolutele is 15 for 22 for 202 yards and a touchdown with no turnovers in the half. Cal has 272 yards against a Louisville squad that leads the ACC in total defense, allowing just 280 yards per game. Maybe Cal's best half of the season, especially considerng the level of their opponent here Louisville get the ball to start the second half. Cal 17, Louisville 13

11:34 3rd Q: Cornerback Hezekiah Masses' fifth intercepton of the season just 54 seconds into the half sets up a career-long 45-yard feld goal by Meyer that boosts Cal's lead. Cal 20, Louisville 13

7:43 2rd Q: Two huge penalties against the Bears -- a roughing flag vs. LB Odero Okaka and a facemark on safety Dru Polidore -- fuel an 8-play, 75-yard Louisvllle drive. Brown, who has 116 rushing yards, bolts 21 yards to the Cal. Moss scores on a second try at a 1-yard quarterbac sneak to knot the score. Cal 20, Louisville 20

0:23 3rd Q: Cal goes back in front on a 26-yard field by Meyer but a chance for more was wasted. Cal ws flagged for three more false starts during the 13-play, 67-yard drive -- that's five on the night. Sagapoutele's 21-yard completion to De Jesus converted a third-and-8 play and got the Bears to the 10-yard line. Cal 23, Louisville 20

11:08 4th Q: A 37-yard pass from Moss to tight end Nate Kurisky set up a 39-yard FG by Randvier and we have our fourth tie of the night. Cal 23, Louisville 23

1st OT: Neither offense scored on their final four possessions of the fourth quarter. Ranvier kicks a 49-yard field goal to give Louisville an overtime lead. Louisville 26, Cal 23

Pre-game reading:

Our comprehensive game preview

Good news on Cade Uluave from the injury report

Louisville beat writer answers 5 Questions about Cal's next football opponent

Cal CB Paco Austin did something unusual last Saturday

For Cal, snaps have not been a snap

Bowl projections for Cal