Cal vs. NC State Thread: Bears Battle Back to 10-10 at Halftime

Coming off its roughest game of the season, Cal tries to get back on track against an NC State team whose coach was fired a day after losing at Stanford.

The Bears (3-5, 2-3 ACC) and Wolfpack (3-4, 1-3) kick off at 9 a.m. PT on Saturday in Raleigh, NC.

Cal is trying to avoid for a third straight loss for the first time since 2024, when the Bears lost four in a row on the way to a 6-7 record. The Bears lost 59-20 at SMU last week, outscored 42-0 in the second half.

NC State also has its past two games, including a 31-28 defeat at Stanford. That led to Dan Doeran being dismissed the next day. The Wolfpack hasn't lost three in a row since closing out the 2019 campaign with six straight defeats.

*** Quarterback Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele talks in the video above about the coaching shift with Pat McCann taking over play calling from OC Jordan Somerville.

We'll be back all morning to provide updates.

13:29 1st Q: A bad start for the Bears. Cal wins the coin flip and defers. Towns McGough's kickoff goes out of bounds, giving the Wolfpack a starting spot at the 35. NC State goes 65 yards in four plays with QB CJ Bailey throwing a 49-yard TD pass to RB Deandre Desinor, who loses AJ Tuitele in a tough matchup for the Cal linebacker. NC State 7, Cal 0

END OF 1ST QTR: Cal has the ball with a second-and-14 at its own 42. The Bears ran 15 offensive plays in the first quarter and totaled 31 yards -- 2.1 yards per snap. We saw the return of RB Adam Mohammed after missing four games with a left knee injury. He ran for 16 yards on his first carry, but the Bears managed just one first down in the quarter. Punter Angus Davies was excellent, averaging 43 yards on four punts, with two of the pinning NC State inside its 20. The Cal defense gave up the 49-yard TD pass but otherwise the Wolfpack had just 39 yards on 18 snaps -- 2.2 yards per play. NC State 7, Cal 0

9:28 2nd Q: Kanoah Vinesett kicks a 43-yard field goal and is 8 for 8 on the season. The FG caps an eight-play, 27-yard drive set up when Cal failed to convert on a riskty fourth-and-3 play from the NC State 47-yard line. The Wolfpack moved to the 19 before Cam Sidney sacked CJ Bailey to the 28, ultimartely forcing the FG try, NC State 10, Cal 0

4:58 2nd Q: Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele throws a 30-yard TD pass to Chase Hendricks, who outleaps CB Michael Tate to make the catch as he's falling into the end zone. Cal goes 75 yards in seven plays -- by far its best drive of the day. JKS is 4 for 4 for 56 yards on the drive. NC State 10, Cal 7

2:44 2nd Q: Cal wastes great opportunity after NC State QB CJ Bailey fumbles the snap and Solomon Williams recovers at the 19. JKS is sacked for a 4-yard loss and Ashten Emory takes a 2-yard loss on a screen play. Mohammed then gains 3 yards to the 22 but Towns McGough is wide right on a 40-yard FG that could have tied the game. NC State 10, Cal 7

0:00 2nd Q: Given a second chance, McGough comes through -- barely -- inching his 38-yard FG attempt just inside the right upright to tie the score. Cal went 54 yards in nine plays, aided by redshirt freshman RB Anthony League, who had runs of 10 and 14 yards. Cal had a first down at the 24 but couldn't get anything done and settled for the FG. Cal 10, NC State 10

Some pre-game reading material:

-- The Saturday morning injury update - a LOT of changes

-- Our thorough game preview

-- How the way Cal finishes this season can impact its recruiting class

-- What Tosh Lupoi did to raise WR Ian Strong's game

-- An NC State beat writer answers our 5 Questions

-- Tosh Lupoi needs his players to take ownership

-- Can oven mitts solve the Bears' penalty problem?

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