Cal at Virginia Tech Game Thread: Hokies Win 42-34 in Double-OT

Cal fells 42-34 in double overtime at Virginia Tech on Friday night, missing its first chance to secure bowl eligibility.

Things will get tougher still for the Bears (5-3, 2-2 ACC), who host No. 16 Virginia next Saturday. Cal then has games at No. 19 Louisville on Nov. 8, at much-improved Stanford on Nov. 22 and at home vs. a strong SMU squad on Nov. 29.

Cal had hoped to clinch bowl eligibility earlier on the calendar than anytime since 2006.

Here's how things went in the two overtime periods:

— Cal scored on one play when Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele fired a 25-yard touchdown strike to tight end Mason Mini.

— VA Tech answered with quarterback Kyron Drones running it from 17 yards on second-and-2, tying the score at 34-all.

— The Hokies then got the ball first in the second OT and Drones hit Takye Heath with a 7-yard TD pas, his third scoring pass of the night. Required to go for 2 points on the second OT, Drones kept the ball and gave Tech a 42-34 lead.

— Sagapolutele threw incomplete on four straight plays on the Bears’ final possession, ending things.

In the video above, Cal outside linebacer TJ Bush Jr., a native of Woodbridge, VA, talks returning to his home state.

Here's our game thread:

COIN FLIP: Virginia Tech wins the toss and defers. Tech kicks off and Cal begins at the 25-yard lne after a touchback.

12:04 1st Q: Well, that didn't start very well for the Bears. Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele was sacked for a loss of 14 yards on the game's first play. The Bears wound up punting and gave VA Tech the ball at the Cal 47 after a 34-yard punt. The Hoskies needed just four plays to score, with Kryon Drones hitting WR Ayden Greene with a 27-yard TD pass against CB Paco Austin. First time this season the Hokies have scored a touchdown on their first possession. VA Tech 7, Cal 0

7:27 1st Q: Two possesions, two scores for the Hokies. This time a nine-play, 46-yard drive to set up a 46-yard field goal by John Love, who is money in the bank, now 52 for 59 on career field-goal attempts. The Bears have been outgained 98 yards to minus-5 and VA Tech has five first downs to none for Cal. The Hokies are gaining 8.2 yards per snap, Cal minus-0.8. This game can get out of hand real fast unless the Bears wake up. VA Tech 10, Cal 0

2:18 1st Q: Cal gets on the board with a 38-yard FG by Chase Meyer, capping a 10-play, 55-yard drive. RB Kendrick Raphael had 28 yards on 5 carries. But Cal wasted a chance for more, thanks to three penalties -- holding, ineligible receiver downfield and false start. Virginia Tech 10, Cal 3

END OF 1ST Q: The Bears have fought their way back into this. They will have second-and-1 from the Virginia Tech 3-yard line when the second quarter begins after moving from their own 49-yard line after forcing a punt. Sagapolutele hitJordan King for a 38-yard gain down the middle to the 12-yard line and Kendrick Raphael just ran 9 yards to the 3. Cal actually now has more yards (102 to 95) than the Hokies. VA Tech 10, Cal 3

14:46 2nd Q: An offsides penalty against the Hokies gives Cal a first down at the 1 and Raphael took a pitch left to score the touchdown. The Bears go 51 yards in just four plays to tie the score. Cal 10, VA Tech 10

9:31 2nd Q: Meyer connects again on a 29-yard FG and Cal takes the lead. But the Bears coulda/shoulda had more. Sagapoultele had passes dropped in the end zone by Trond Grizzell and Mark Hamper -- neither of them easy plays for the receiver, but both catchable. A season-long issue for the Bears persists. Cal went 41 yards in seven plays. They're getting the ball thanks to a defense that has come alive, in good part because of ILB Cade Uluave, who has has five tackles, including a sack and a second TFL. Cal 13, VA Tech 10

1:43 2nd Q: The turnaround from the 10-0 hole continues as the Bears get the ball at the VA Tech 21 after Cole Boscia blocks a Hokies' punt. It took Cal eight plays to go 21 yards but Sagapolutele completed a 2-yard pass to Jacob De Jesus for a first down at the 1-yard line before Raphael scores his second 1-yard TD, spinning into the end zone. Cal 20, VA Tech 10

HALFTIME STATS: Cal 20, Virginia Tech 10. Remember when Cal had minus-5 yards and VA Tech had 98? Since then, the Bears have racked up 180 yards to 35 for the Hokies. They have have scored the past 20 points. First downs now even at 8 apiece. Cal has converted 4 of 9 third- or fourth-down tries, VA Tech just 2 of 7. Cal has 3 sacks and blocked punt and Chase Meyer, who hadn't even attempted a field goal the past three games, is 2 for 2.

Sagapolutle is 13 for 19 passing for 139 yards for an offense without a turnover. And three of his incompletions could have been caught. Raphael has rushed 11 times for 47 yards and that helped open up the offense after the Hokies went hard after Sagapolutele the first two series. De Jesus, who had 13 catches a week ago, already has 7 for 77 yards.

Uluave has nine tackles, including three TFLs, two of them sacks The ESPN crew is frothing over his performance. Tech gets the football first to start the second half.

8:45 3rd Q: A 52-yard field goal by John Love pulls Tech within 20-13, but the Hokies came to close to converting a touchdown. Drones appeared to connect with Isaiah Spencer with a 42-yard TD pass but a review of the play showed the ball hit the ground on the driving try. Cal 20, VA Tech 13

5:06 3rd Q: It's all even again after Drones fires a 44-yard TD pass to Takye Heath, who was wide open down the middle of the field. Marcellous Hawkins ran 34 yards on the previous play to the Cal 44. An 86-yard drive in four plays. Cal 20, Virginia Tech 20

END OF 3RD Q: Virginia Tech threatening at the Cal 25-yard line after a 33-yard keeper by QB Drones on the heels of a roughing the passer penalty against Uluave, a play the ESPN announcers disputed. The third-quartr numbers are gruesome for Cal: VA Tech has outgaed the Bears 172 yards to 16. First downs in the quarter 8 to 2. Rushing yards122 to minus-17. Cal 20, VA Tech 20

7:11 4th Q: A Cam Sidney interception in the end zone with 14:45 left staved off one Tech scoring threat. But after Cal punted, the Hokies just ran the ball down the Bears' throats, rushing nine straight times for 64 yards with QB Drones keeping the ball after faking a handoff and running 14 yards around left end for the TD. VA Tech 27, Cal 20

2:34 4th Q: The Cal offense finally comes alive, driving 72 yards in nine plays with Raphael scoring his third touchdown of the night on a 2-yard run. Meyer's PAT tied the score. Sagapolutele was 5 for 6 for 62 yards, including a 34-yarder to Trond Grizzell. The Bears got a first down at the 2 when VA Tech's Ben Bell was flagged for roughing Sagapolutele (not sureabout that call) on third-and-goal fro the 5. Cal 27, VA Tech 27

0:01 4th Q: Meyer missed wide right on what would have been a career-long 49-yard field goal. VA Tech took a knee to end regulation. The Hokies' John Love, one of the nation's top kicker, hit the right upright with a 45-yard try with 1:12 left, keeping the score tied. To overtime . . . Cal 27, VA Tech 27

Pre-game reading:

Complete preview of Cal's Friday football game against Virginia Tech

Metallica rules at Virginia Tech stadium

How Cal's running back depth has been diminished

Five questions for Virginia Tech beat writer about the HokiesHas Cal been lucky or clutch?

Cal eager for more than just bowl eligibility

Here are Cal's most likely bowl destinations & opponents