BOULDER, Colo. – A series of big plays by Colorado proved too much for California to overcome, as the Golden Bears fell to the Buffaloes, 44-28, Saturday afternoon.
 
In the first half alone, the Buffaloes (5-4, 2-4 Pac-12) produced five plays of at least 20 yards, including scoring plays of 22 and 65 yards. Then late in the fourth quarter, Nick Fisher returned an interception 100 yards with 2:34 left to give Colorado its final points.
 
CU quarterback Steven Montez completed 20-of-26 passes for 349 yards and three touchdowns, and running back Phillip Lindsay rushed for 161 yards to lead the offensive attack.
 
Cal QB Ross Bowers passed for 359 yards and three touchdowns, completing 29-of-52 attempts. Patrick Laird paced the Bears (4-5, 1-5) on the ground with 13 carries for 52 yards. Kanawai Noa finished with seven catches for 108 yards and two scores, and Jordan Veasy had seven receptions for 111 yards and one TD.
 
After Colorado took a 7-0 lead midway through the first quarter, Cal quickly responded with an 11-play, 75-yard drive. The Bears converted on a fourth-and-2 situation to keep the ball moving and got into the end zone with a bit of razzle dazzle. On a second-and-11 from the Colorado 15, Bowers handed off to Vic Wharton III, who ran left and tossed a pass to a wide-open Noa for the touchdown.
 
However, the Buffaloes scored on each of their next three possessions to build a 24-7 lead. Montez ran for one score from seven yards out and connected with Shay Fields on a 65-yard pass for another, while James Stefanou drilled a 29-yard field goal.
 
Cal broke Colorado's scoring run with a 17-play, 79-yard drive that took 5:43 to complete. The Bears converted on four third downs and one fourth down to keep the drive alive and got into the end zone on a 27-yard pass from Bowers to Noa.
 
The Buffaloes took a 27-14 lead at the half on another Stefanou field goal, this one from 39 yards, as time expired in the second quarter.
 
After a scoreless third period, Colorado struck quickly in the fourth on a 23-yard pass from Montez to Jay MacIntyre to make the score 34-14 with 13.17 to go. The Bears got on the board again with an 84-yard drive that took just 1:07 to complete. A Bowers to Veasy 51-yard pass set Cal up at the Colorado 14. From there, Bowers hit Wharton with an inside screen that resulted in a touchdown to close the deficit to 34-21. Bowers and Veasy completed Cal's scoring with an 8-yard pass with under a minute to go.
 
Cal plays its final home game of the season next weekend when the Bears host Oregon State at 2 p.m. Saturday in California Memorial Stadium.