Postgame Notes: Oregon State At Cal (10.26.2024)
Andrew Madsen/KLC Fotos
Fernando Mendoza threw for a career-high 364 yards in Cal's 44-7 win over Oregon State on Saturday.

FB10/26/2024 6:17 PM | By: Cal Athletics

Postgame Notes: Oregon State At Cal (10.26.2024)

Fernando Mendoza threw for a career-high 364 yards in Cal's 44-7 win over Oregon State on Saturday.

  • Cal's 37-point margin of victory in today's 44-7 victory over Oregon State was its largest since also winning by 37 points at North Texas (58-21) in last season's opener on Sept. 2, 2023. 
  • Cal's 31-0 halftime lead was its largest since a 52-0 advantage at the break in a 73-14 win over Grambling State in a season opener on Sept. 5, 2015.
  • Cal's 44 points were its most since a 50-49 loss to USC on Oct. 28, 2023.
  • Cal finished its 2024 regular-season non conference games with a 4-0 record in those contests and has won five straight non conference regular-season contests overall.
  • Cal played Oregon State in a non conference tilt for the first time in nearly 64 years since Oct. 29, 1960, when the Golden Bears were a member of the Athletic Association of Western Universities (AAWU) and Oregon State was an independent. Cal was a 14-6 winner in Corvallis on that day.
  • Cal extended its streak of consecutive games with a takeaway to 10 and now has at least one in 43 of its last 46 contests overall. Cal forced a pair of Oregon State turnovers on an interception by Craig Woodson in the second quarter and a forced fumble by Hunter Barth on a kickoff return in the third quarter that Cam Sidney recovered. Cal converted each interception into a field goal for a 6-0 advantage on points off turnovers to increase its lead over its opponents on the season to 47-13. 
  • Cal's 364 team passing yards were its most since 406 at USC on Nov. 5, 2022, and its 478 total yards of total offense its most since 527 against USC on Oct. 28, 2023.
  • The 200 yards of total offense given up by Cal was its fewest since allowing 104 to Colorado on Oct. 23, 2021.
  • Cal has now outscored opponents in the third quarter this season, 61-8, including a 10-0 advantage today.
  • Cal has scored a TD on its opening drive for the third straight game and the fourth time this season (at Auburn, at Pitt, NC State, Oregon State).
  • QB Fernando Mendoza completed 27-of-36 passes for a career-high 364 yards with two touchdowns and no interceptions for a 178.3 rating that was the second-highest of his career to the 179.7 he posted earlier this season against Miami on Oct. 5. The 364 passing yards were the most by a Cal quarterback since Jack Plummer had 406 at USC on Nov. 5, 2022.
  • Mendoza was also credited with 15 yards receiving and a touchdown receiving but no receptions when he completed a pass to Jaivian Thomas, who ran to the Oregon State nine-yard line before lateraling to Mendoza at the Oregon State 15-yard line before Mendoza ran the ball into the end zone.
  • PK Derek Morris tied a Cal single-game school record with a career-high five field goals made (33, 46, 19, 25, 38). Morris became the third Cal player to achieve the feat and now shares the record with Mark Jensen (Sept. 21, 2022) and Matt Anderson (Nov. 26, 2016, vs. UCLA).
  • WR Nyziah Hunter had his first touchdown reception since the third game of the season against San Diego State and his team-leading fifth of the campaign.
  • RB Jamaal Wiley scored his first career touchdown on a one-yard run in the third quarter.
  • DL Derek Wilkins' blocked field goal in the second quarter was Cal's first since Cameron Walker blocked a field goal against Washington on Oct. 11, 2014.
  • ILB Hunter Barth and OL Frederick Williams III made their first career starts. It was also the Cal debut for Williams, WR Cole Boscia and OL Braden Miller.
  • Cal had season highs of 28 first downs and 19 passing first downs.
  • Cal had a season-high-tying nine receivers. It was the sixth time in the first eight contests that the Golden Bears had nine different receivers.
  • Cal Offensive Starters: LT Nick Morrow, LG Rush Reimer, C Will McDonald, RG Bastian Swinney, RT Frederick Williams III, TE Jeffrey Johnson, TE Jack Endries, QB Fernando Mendoza, RB Jaydn Ott, SLOT Trond Grizzell, Z Jonathan Brady
  • Cal Defensive Starters: DT Ricky Correia, DT Aidan Keanaaina, OLB Xavier Carlton, ILB Hunter Barth, ILB Teddye Buchanan, OLB Cheikhasilou Fall, CB Marcus Harris, S Miles Williams, S Craig Woodson, CB Nohl Williams, NB Cam Sidney
  • Cal Captains: TE Jack Endries, QB Fernando Mendoza, DB Miles Williams, S Craig Woodson
  • Attendance: 33,090
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