Cal vs. North Carolina Game Thread: Bears Hold On For 21-18 Win

Cal improved to 5-2 for the first time in 10 years with 21-18 victory over North Carolina in front of 33,401 fans at Memorial Stadium and an ESPN national audience.

The game was not secure until senior defensive back Brent "Paco" Austin the ball loose from receiver Nathan Leacock just before he reached the end zone Austin then recovered te fumble in the end zone with 3:48 left.

COIN FLIP: Cal wins the toss and defers. The Bears wil kick off and get the ball to start the second half.

12:48 1st Q: QB Jaron-Keawe Sagapoluele scores on a 3-yard keeper around left end, capping a four-play, 25-yard drive. Kendrick Raphael accounted for the other 22 yards on three carries. Cal got the ball when Carolina WR Shanard Clower caught a 7-yard pass on first down, was hit by defensive back Cam Sidney and fumbled, with Sidney also recovering at the 25. Cal 7, UNC 0

4:48 1st Q: Benjamin Hall runs 18 yards for a touchdown, capping a four-play, 70-yard scoring drive. The big play: a 37-yard completion from Lopez to Kobe Paysour to the Cal 28. Cal 7, UNC 7

1:08 1st Q: Sagapolutele rolls right and throws a 7-yard TD pass to Jacob De Jesus, capping a 12-play, 75-yard drive. JKS also completed a 12-yard pass to Mark Hamper on a third-and-5 and a 23-yarder to De Jesus. Cal 14, UNC 7.

6:14 2nd Q: Rece Verhoff kicks a 41-yard field goal to cap an 11-play, 45-yard drive. Cal 14, UNC 10

HALFTIME: A blah first half ends with 3 punts in the final 1:34 and Cal still holding a tenuous lead. The numbers: Cal 163 total yards to 152 for the Tar Heels. Cal has 115 passing yards and 48 on the ground. UNC more balanced: 78 pass, 74 rush.

The difference: Carolina's turnover on its first offensive play led to Cal's first touchdown on a 25-yard drive. The Bears have 11 first downs to 8 for UNC. Cal has convered 4 of 10 third downs, UNC just 1 of 8.

Sgapolutele is 11 for 25 for 115 yards with a TD pass and a TD run. He has not been intercepted after throwing six picks in Cal's previous three games. Kendrick Raphael has 45 rushing yards on 10 carries.

The Bears will get the ball first to start the second half. Cal 14, UNC 10

9:22 3rd Q: Cal goes 79 yards in 11 plays to score on the opening possession of the third quarter and generate its biggest lead of the night. Raphael powered in from the 2-yard line for the TD after a pass interference flag against Carolina DB Marcus Allen in the end zone against Trond Grizzell. Sagapolutele was sharper, going 6 for 7 for 58 yards on the drive. The TD came at 12:50 a.m. ET - wondering if anyone is still watching in Chapel Hill? Cal 21, UNC 10

12:14 4th Q: Davion Gause takes a pitch and runs into the end zone from the 4-yard line, closing out an 11-play, 84-yard drive for he Tar Heels. Lopez passes to Hall for the 2-point conversion and the Heels trail by just 3 points. The Bears sabotaged themselves with two costly penalties - an unsportsmanlike penalty and a defensive holding, both providing UNC first downs. Cal 21, UNC 18

Pre-game reading to get you prepared:

Our comprehensive Cal vs. UNC game preview

Three keys to Cal winning tonight

College Football News publisher says what about the Cal Bears?

We think we know who will play QB for Carolina tonight

Here's what the weekend in the ACC looks like

We ask a North Carolina beat writer 5 Questions about Cal's next foe

Cal QB Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele enjoyed 'hairy' candy in a trip to Chinatown

Which six bowl games do the experts see as possibilities for Cal?

Evaluating Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele's first six games as a freshman quarterback