Robinson's pick-6 slams the door on Cal's comeback in 31-21 win
The “Cardiac Cavs” struck again in Berkeley, defeating Cal 31-21 on Saturday in a game that looked like it would go as Virginia’s fifth one-possession win, if not worse, before Kam Robinson’s pick-six with just 0:34 remaining in the fourth quarter.
After their offense struggled through their three games in October, the Hoos (8-1, 5-0 ACC) started their first game of November off right, driving 75 yards in eight plays before J’Mari Taylor took it in from 25 yards out to build a 7-0 lead. The Virginia defense then got off to a strong start of its own, forcing the Golden Bears (5-4, 2-3) to punt on their first offensive drive after just six plays.
The Cavaliers drove down to Cal’s 6-yard line with a 38-yard strike from Chandler Morris to Eli Wood, just his fifth reception of the year. But UVa could not find the end zone and settled for a 26-yard field goal, going up 10-0.
The Golden Bears’ offense found the end zone on the next drive with a long, 14-play, 75-yard drive, capped with a direct snap to Kendrick Raphael up the middle from two-yard out for the score. But the Wahoos responded with an almost identical, 14-play, 75-yard drive of their own capped off with a 5-yard rush from Taylor for the score.
But after that, the teams traded three-and-outs late in the half. Cal’s final drive of the second quarter ended with another punt that was downed at UVa’s 29. Morris and the Hoos drove 40 yards to Cal’s 31 before Will Bettridge missed what would’ve been a career-long 48-yarder as time expired. The Cavaliers went into the break up 17-7.
In the third quarter, they squandered a golden opportunity to increase their lead after a 26-yard punt return from Cam Ross set them up at Cal’s 23. Morris and the offense went three-and-out, made worse by a failed fake field goal on 4th and 6, in which a Daniel Sparks run was stopped just short of the marker.
The two teams traded punts before Cal finally brought the lead within a score, capitalizing on a 18-yard punt return from Jacob De Jesus by scoring on the first play of the drive, a 42-yard pass from tight end Mason Mini to Raphael to cut the deficit to 17-14.
But the Hoos again responded with a touchdown of their own, with an 11-play, 75-yard drive capped by a 3-yard rushing touchdown from Wood, his second of the year. He finished with a season-high 46 receiving yards on two targets.
The Cavaliers entered the fourth quarter up 24-14, but another special teams snafu, this time a Sparks punt that went just 14 yards before sailing out of bounds at UVa’s 25, set Cal up for easy points. Just two plays later, the Golden Bears were in the end zone as Mini hauled in a 24-yard reception in the first, before Raphael punched it in from a yard out to make it 24-21.
The two teams traded back-to-back punts as the deficit remained at three when the Hoos got the ball back with 5:20 to go. They then drove some 67 methodical yards down the field in 11 plays before they faced 3rd and 3 at the Bears’ 15.
With Cal having no timeouts, a 1st down could’ve ended it there, but UVa failed to convert on 3rd then 4th down to gave the Bears the ball back with 45 seconds remaining at their own 14. But Robinson picked off quarterback Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele down the middle of the field at the 35 and took it to the house, finally putting the long-awaited nail in the coffin.
The Cavaliers outgained the Golden Bears 456-263 in total yards despite what the scoreboard said most of the day. Morris finished 24-for-36 passing for 262 with no touchdowns or interceptions. Taylor led all rushers with 105 yards and two touchdowns across 21 carries.
Raphael matched his two scores but had just 46 yards on 13 carries. He also finished as the Bear’s second leading receiver with 66 yards and Cal’s third touchdown of the day.
No other Bear besides him found the end zone, with Mini credited with throwing his passing touchdown.
