Freshman quarterback Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele threw a 3-yard touchdown pass to Jacob De Jesus on fourth down in the first overtime, leading Cal to a stunning 29-26 victory over host No. 15 Louisville on Saturday night.
“That was our moment, that was our time to shine,” Sagapolutele said. “I had so much confidence in Jacob that he was going to make a play. He got open and he scored.”
Sagapolutele threw for a career-high 323 yards and two touchdowns, while De Jesus caught 16 passes for 158 yards as the Bears (6-4, 3-3 ACC) snapped a two-game losing streak and secured bowl eligibility for the third straight year.
In overtime, Sagapolutele completed passes of 8 and 9 yards to running back Kendrick Raphael, advancing the team to the 8-yard line. Raphael then ran the ball twice to the 3-yard line before a trick play on third down stalled. On fourth down, Sagapolutele connected with De Jesus for the game-winning touchdown.
Louisville (7-1, 4-2) had the first possession in overtime but settled for a 49-yard field goal from Cooper Ranvier, taking a 26-23 lead. The loss dropped the Cardinals out of what would have been a five-way tie for first place in the ACC.
The game went into overtime tied 23-all after neither team scored on their final four possessions of regulation.
Cal added to its four-point halftime lead early in the third quarter when cornerback Hezekiah Masses intercepted his fifth pass of the season. This set up a career-long 45-yard field goal by Chase Meyer, giving the Bears a 20-17 lead with 11:34 remaining in the third.
Louisville responded with an eight-play, 75-yard drive fueled by two 15-yard penalties against Cal—one for roughing and another for a facemask. Miller Moss capped the drive with a 1-yard quarterback sneak, tying the score at 20-20 with 7:43 left in the third quarter.
Cal regained the lead at 23-20 when Meyer drilled a 26-yard field goal with just 23 seconds left in the third period. However, three false start penalties during the drive hindered the Bears from potentially extending their advantage.
The Cardinals tied the game again at 23-all when Ranvier hit a 39-yard field goal with 11:08 remaining in the fourth quarter.
Cal played one of its best halves of the season to secure a 17-13 lead at halftime. The Bears took their first lead on Raphael’s 2-yard touchdown run with 7 seconds left in the second quarter, capping a nine-play, 75-yard drive. That marked Raphael’s 12th touchdown of the season and his 11th rushing score.
The Bears amassed 272 yards in the first half against a Louisville defense that led the ACC, allowing just 280 yards per game. Cal featured seven plays of at least 20 yards during the half.
Offensively, Cal made changes along the line, with Bastian Swinney stepping in at the previously troubled center position.
Sagapolutele was efficient in the first two quarters, completing 15 of 22 passes for 202 yards, one touchdown, and no turnovers. De Jesus caught eight of those passes for 95 yards and also completed a 23-yard pass to Trond Grizzell on a trick play that opened the game.
That promising opening drive ended with a missed 40-yard field goal attempt by Meyer.
Louisville answered immediately with a touchdown drive before Cal tied the score again when Sagapolutele delivered a perfect 20-yard back-shoulder touchdown pass to tight end Landon Morris with 40 seconds left in the first quarter.
The teams then exchanged field goals, with Meyer converting a 27-yarder to tie the score at 10-10 with 5:59 left in the half. Louisville edged back in front, 13-10, on Ranvier’s 49-yard field goal with 2:34 remaining.
With limited time but three timeouts in hand, Sagapolutele calmly guided the Bears down the field. He connected with De Jesus for a 21-yard gain and Raphael for a 23-yard run to enter the red zone.
On third-and-goal from the 2-yard line, Raphael powered across the goal line to put Cal in front, setting the tone for the thrilling finish.
https://www.mercurynews.com/2025/11/08/cal-stuns-no-15-louisville-29-26-in-overtime-as-sagapolutele-delivers-game-winning-td-pass/
