BERKELEY, CALIFORNIA - SEPTEMBER 3: California wide receiver Jeremiah Hunter (3) reaches to catch a touchdown pass in front of UC Davis’ Jehiel Budgett (3) during the first half of their game at Memorial Stadium in Berkeley, Calif., on Saturday, Sept. 3, 2022. (Jose Carlos Fajardo/Bay Area News Group)
BERKELEY — New quarterback Jack Plummer threw three touchdown passes and freshman running back Jaydn Ott showed dazzling flashes but Cal was hardly overwhelming in a 34-13 victory over UC Davis in front of 34,984 fans at Memorial Stadium on Saturday afternoon.
Davis, an FCS level team that is now 0-11 all-time vs. Cal, led 7-0 after the first quarter and had more yards than the Bears through three periods.
Two defensive plays were critical for the Bears.
Safety Craig Woodson, who missed all of the 2021 season with an injury, delivered a 39-yard interception return for a touchdown on the second play of the second half, pushing the Bears’ lead to 24-7.
Freshman cornerback Jeremiah Earby likely saved a touchdown when he picked off a pass at the 2-yard line late in the third quarter, preserving a 27-13 lead.
Plummer, the senior transfer from Purdue, was 23 for 35 for 268 yards. His final TD, a 14-yarder to redshirt freshman Mavin Anderson with 7:19 left, pushed the Bears’ lead to 21 points, essentially clinching the victory.
Ott rushed 17 times for 104 yards and caught two passes for 26 yards, including an 8-yarder for his first collegiate touchdown.
Davis scored first on Miles Hastings’ 4-yard touchdown pass to Chaz Davis with 3:09 left in the opening period, and the Aggies outgained Cal 91 yards to minus-1 in the first quarter.
A 65-yard punt by Cal’s Jamieson Sheahan flipped the field position early in the second quarter and the Bears knotted the score when Plummer passed 3 yards to Jeremiah Hunter with 8:54 left in the half.
Cal scored again on its next possession, with Ott taking centerstage. He rushed six times for 34 yards and scored on an 8-yard play where he took a pass in the right flat and dashed untouched into the end zone. That capped a 10-play, 82-yard drive and gave the Bears a 14-7 lead with 2:25 left in the half.
Equipped with just 36 seconds and starting at their own 34, the Bears moved quickly to set up a 32-yard field goal by Dario Longhetto on the last play of the half. Plummer completed three straight passes to Hunter totaling 35 yards and Ott danced for 18 yards after a short pass reception to set up the field goal.
Originally published at Jeff Faraudo