BERKELEY — Cal’s football season seemed ready to take a turn for the worse late Friday night when defensive back Brent “Paco” Austin came to the rescue.
The senior transfer from South Florida punched the ball out of the grasp of North Carolina wide receiver Nathan Leacock just before he was ready to cross the goal line for what would have been a 7-yard scoring play.
Austin then recovered the fumble in the end zone with 3:48 left, helping to preserve a 21-18 victory for the Golden Bears.
The Bears struggled offensively much of the game, played before 33,401 at Memorial Stadium and whatever portion of an ESPN audience remained awake before the game ended at 2:15 a.m. Eastern time.
UNC got one last offensive play and tried a series of laterals to keep the play alive from its own 19-yard line before the desperation try ended.
Cal escaped with its victory over coach Bill Belichick’s Tar Heels and improved to 5-2 overall, 2-1 in the ACC. The Bears hadn’t opened a season 5-2 since 2015.
The Heels, who played more competitively than they had in three previous losses, fell to 2-4, 0-2 in conference games.
Cal scored less than 3 minutes into the game after Carolina turned the ball over on its first play of the night. The Bears labored much of the rest of the evening.
Freshman quarterback Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele, knocked around a couple times, finished 21 for 39 for 209 yards. He threw a touchdown and ran for one and had no turnovers after being intercepted six times in the Bears’ previous three games.
Slot receiver Jacob De Jesus caught 13 passes for 105 yards and a touchdown. Running back Kendrick Raphael ran for 81 yards on 22 carries with a touchdown.
The Bears hurt themselves with nine penalties totaling 80 yards, but won the turnover battle 2-0.
Jacob De Jesus #21 of the California Golden Bears scores a touchdown during the first half against the North Carolina Tar Heels at California Memorial Stadium on Oct. 17, 2025 in Berkeley, California. (Photo by Thien-An Truong/Getty Images)
Cal stretched its four-point halftime lead to 21-10 when Raphael piled over from the 2-yard line, capping an 11-play, 79-yard drive that opened the third quarter.
Carolina matched that with its own 11-play, 84-yard scoring drive that was aided by unsportsmanlike and defensive holding penalties against the Bears. Davion Gause scored on a 4-yard pitch and run around right end with 12:14 left in the fourth, and Geo Lopez passed to Benjamin Hall for a successful two-point conversion, pulling UNC within 21-18.
Cal took a 7-0 lead barely 2 minutes into the game thanks to a turnover on Carolina’s first play from scrimmage. Defensive back Cam Sidney got the ball for the Bears by forcing and recovering a fumble at the 25.
Related Articles
What to know before Cal kicks off vs. Bill Belichick and North Carolina
The Bill Belichick disaster tour provides Cal football weird, wonderful opportunity
Cal fizzles after hot start as Duke sends Bears to a humbling 45-21 loss at home
The Cal Bears are 4-1, but here is how they can be better
Cal holds on for thrilling win over Boston College after Sagapolutele’s late TD pass
After Raphael ran it three times to the 2-yard line, Sagapolutele scored on a 3-yard keeper around left and with 12:48 left in the quarter.
But the Cal offense struggled to find any rhythm for much of the half, and the Tar Heels pulled even at 7-7 on the strength of a four-play, 70-yard drive. Running back Hall got the TD on an 18-yard dash, knotting the score with 4:48 left in the opening period.
The Bears answered immediately with their only sustained drive of the half, going 75 yards in 12 plays. Sagapolutele connected with slot receiver De Jesus four times for 40 yards, including the final 7 yards for the touchdown with 1:08 to play in the quarter.
The second quarter was nearly a wash, with the Heels accounting for the only points on a 41-yard field goal by Rece Verhoff with 6:14 before intermission.
Each team punted five times in the half, and there were three punts in the final 1:34 before halftime finally, mercifully arrived.
