Cal Football: Bears Topple Illinois 35-20 to Secure Redbox Bowl Victory

The offense stepped into the spotlight and carried Cal to a 35-20 win over Illinois in the Redbox Bowl in front of 34,177 fans at Levi's Stadium.

Quarterback Chase Garbers, named the game's Offensive MVP, was 21 of 32 for 272 yards with four touchdown passes, one TD run and no turnovers.

Christopher Brown Jr. rushed for 120 yards and caught a TD, while tight ends Collin Moore and Gavin Reinwald and wideout Nikko Remigio had touchdown catches.

Cal defensive end Zeandae Johnson was named Defensive MVP.

Cal won its final three games and finished the season 8-5.

PRE-GAME: Cal made it back to a bowl game this season.

Now the Golden Bears want to go home a winner.

Cal (7-5) and Illinois 6-6) kick off at 1:05 p.m. today at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara in the Redbox Bowl.

The Bears enter the game riding a two-game win streak. A year ago, Cal skidded into its Cheez-It Bowl matchup vs. TCU and lost 10-7 in overtime.

Maybe it was just enough to be there a year ago. No one in the Bears' locker room will feel that way this time.

Some pre-game reading:

-- Our comprehensive game preview..

-- A look at how linebacker Evan Weaver changed the direction of the Cal program.

-- Five questions for an Illinois beat writer

-- How the outcome of the Redbox Bowl will color our view of Cal's season

-- Our picks for the final stretch of bowl games, including the Redbox Bowl

-- A list of Cal's team award winners

-- How quarterback Chase Garbers learned to slide and please his mother

Enjoy the game and check for regular updates during the game.

PRE-GAME: WRs Kekoa Crawford and Jeremiah Hawkins, both sidelined by injury for weeks (and weeks) warmed up with the Bears. They were expected to be ready to play today.

COIN FLIP: Chase Garbers, Camryn Bynum, Jake Curhan and Evan Weaver participate in the pre-game coin flip. Cal -- as the visitor (really) -- gets to make the call. Cal calls Movies. Games wins (seriously). Illinois wins the toss and defers. Cal will take the opening kickoff.

12:41 1st Q: Cal manages one first down on a 25-yard completion from Chase Garbers to TE Jake Tenges, but punts after Garbers throws incomplete on third-and-7 and is flagged for intentional grounding. Illinois starts at its own 29. Cal 0, Illinois 0.

10:20 1st Q: Illinois draws first blood. QB Brandon Peters runs 30 yards to the Cal 41, then RB Reggie Corbin picks up 12 to the 29. Peters then passed to Isaiah Williams, who fumbled and tackle Richie Petitbon recovered at the Cal 11. The Bears' defense stiffened, forcing a field goal try, which James McCourt converted from 25 yards. Illinois 3, Cal 0.

7:09 1st Q: Cal responds. Christopher Brown Jr. rambles 54 yards (a career-long run), carrying Illinois safety Jartavious Martin the final 10 yards, to the Illini 19. A pass interference penalty against Martin three plays later sets up the Bears at the 4. Garbers then uses a nice play-fake to Brown and throws to a wide-open TE Collin Moore in the right corner of the end zone for the touchdown. It was just the second catch and first TD of Moore's career. The Bears go 79 yards in six plays. Cal 7, Illinois 3.

0:10 1st Q: Illinois is slicing right through Cal's defense so far. The Illini marches 75 yards in 15 plays before Peters throws a 5-yard TD pass to TE Daniel Barker. Peters converted a pair of third-down plays - a 14-yard pass completion and a 7-yard scramble. The Illini QB is playing very well so far. Illinois looks quicker than the Bears and has piled up 139 yards on two possessions. So much for the defensive battle we expected. Illinois 10, Cal 7.

12:12 2nd Q: We seem to be embarking on a shootout. Yes, involving the Bears! Cal goes 84 yards in 8 plays before Garbers scored on a 1-yard sneak. The big plays: Garbers complete passes of 13, 12 and 38 yards to Makai Polk, the latter taking the ball to the 1 after an official review reversed an initial incomplete call. Brown also had runs of 9 and 10 yards and now has six rushes for 79 yards. Cal 14, Illinois 10.

5:20 2nd Q: Cal starts at its own 3-yard line after a fourth straight punt that has slowed the pace of this game. The first five possessions of this game resulted in three touchdowns, a field goal and just one punt. Cal 14, Illinois 10.

0:25 2nd Q: The Bears go 97 yards in 12 plays to pad their lead. Big early play: On third-and-10 from the 3, Garbers throws 25 yards to Nikko Remigio, who makes a spectacular over-the-shoulder catch for a first down at the 28. Remigio is shaken up on the play, but later returns to play during the drive. Garbers then completed an 18-yard pass to Tonges, who makes a leaping grab for a first down at the Cal 46. Garbers hits Polk (5 catches, 105 yards) for 16 yards to the 5. Finally, on fourth-and-goal from 3, Garbers drops a pass off to Brown in the right flat and the 230-pound running back powers his way across the goal for the TD. Cal 21, Illinois 10.

0:00 2nd Q: Amazingly, Illinois goes gets three points to end the half in just 25 seconds. A 40-yard completion from Peters to TE Barker sets up the Illini at the Cal 20. Two plays later, McCourt kicks a 30-yard field goal. Big momentum change after the Cal TD moments earlier. And Illinois gets the second-half kickoff. Cal 21, Illinois 13.

HALFTIME STATS: Both quarterbacks are playing very well. Garbers is 13 for 16 for 194 yards and two touchdowns. The Illini's Peters is 9 for 16 for 122 yards and a TD and has run for 43 yards.

Cal's Brown has 11 rushes for 82 yards and a touchdown reception. Makai Polk has five receptions for 105 yards - the first career 100-yard game for the freshman wideout.

Cal has 273 total yards to 242 for Illinois. No turnovers by either team. Both teams are 4 for 7 on third downs, Cal is 1 for 1 on fourth down, the 3-yard TD pass from Garbers to Brown late in the second quarter.

All-American linebacker Evan Weaver, by the way, had just 4 tackles and is unlikely to to reach the 21 he needs to set a new FBS single-season record.

10:45 3rd Q: Cal's defense forced a punt on the Illini's opening possession of the quarter, and the offense responded with a 56-yard scoring drive. Brown had two rushes for 23 yards and Tonges made a 24-yard catch for a first down at the 9. After a pass interference penalty gave Cal a first down at the 2, and Garbers threw a 2-yard TD pass to tight end Gavin Reinwald. Garbers is now 15 for 20 for 218 yards and three touchdowns with no interceptions. Cal 28, Illinois 13.

END OF 3rd Qtr: Cal has the ball with a third-and-1 from its own 39 when the fourth quarter begins. Garbers is 18 for 23 for 243 yards with three touchdowns, no interceptions and a rushing TD. Quite a contrast from a year ago, when he was pulled at halftime of the Cheez-It Bowl after throwing three first-half picks. Cal has 358 total yards to 299 for the Illini. Brown has rushed 17 times for 116 yards. Cal 28, Illinois 13.

11:06 4th Qtr: The rout is on. The Bears went 88 yards in 12 plays with Garbers throwing his fourth TD pass of the game, a 6-yarder to Nikko Remigio. The Bears now have a season-high point total. Garbers is 22 for 29 for 272 yards, no interceptions. Cal 35, Illinois 13.

8:01 4th Qtr: This won't really matter, right? We'll see. But the Illini stopped the bleeding, at least for now, with a 9-play, 75-yard drive capped by Reggie Corbin's 6-yard touchdown run. Cal 35, Illinois 20.

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