Seattle, WA -- Jared Goff's 2 touchdowns helped guide the California Golden Bears over a big Pac-12 win against the Washington Huskies.
Goff completed 24 of 40 passes for 342 yards to go along with his 2 touchdowns. Jake Browning for Washington completed 17 of 28 passes for 158 yards.
Cal had a comfortable lead at 27 to 7 at one point in the third quarter but Washington found its way back. Chico McClatcher ran in a 2-yard touchdown and a recovered fumble taken back 70 yards made it 27-21 at the end of the third quarter. The two teams traded field goals and Cal would hold on after a clutch interception, 30-24.
This win is big for Cal. Not only is it a league win, it means Cal is 4-0 and rolling. Win by win, Cal has managed to do what most fans wouldn't expect last year or the year before that. Goff has led this offense and Cal might even be able to pull an upset on a top Pac-12 North team. It's an unrealistic goal but if they play their cards right may even squeak into the back-end of the Top 25. Cal is in a nice spot and it's looking quality right now. None of their wins have been incredible, but they won them nonetheless. That's the key for them is they are winning the games they should win, which we may not have been able to say that in the past.
"They're playing hard, they know what to do and they're doing it with tremendous pride and effort," Cal head coach Sonny Dykes said. "I'm really proud of them. They really stepped up big for us."
Cal has not only been good offensively but creating turnovers on defense. 5 of them coming in tonight's game.
"I think we did the same things we’ve been doing all year," said defensive end Kyle Kragen, who finished with 2.5 sacks, one forced fumble and a pass break-up. "Good rush lanes, good techniques and things just happened to fall for us more today than previously."
The defense showed up big at the end forcing a turnover to clinch the win. "If they continue to do that, we're going to be tough to beat," Goff said of his defense. "I couldn't be prouder of them. The progress they've made in the offseason through now and making big plays when it matters, it's just so big for our team."
Cal hosts Washington State next week, with the chance at going 5-0 very realistic. The two games after Washington State though, will be tough. Cal travels on the road to Utah, then on the road to UCLA to make a statement to the top Pac-12 teams that they are a force to be reckoned with.