Cal-North Carolina Postgame Notes
Al Sermeno/KLC fotos
Jordan Veasy hauls in Cal's first TD catch of the season.

FB9/2/2017 1:06 PM | By: Cal Athletics

Cal-North Carolina Postgame Notes

  • Today's game marked the first-ever meeting between Cal and North Carolina and the first game for Justin Wilcox as Cal's head coach.
  • Cal won its fourth consecutive season opener and is now 77-42-2 all-time in season openers with a 12-4 mark since 2002.
  • Cal snapped a nine-game losing streak in true road games with the victory the Golden Bears' first in a true road game since a 30-24 win at Washington on Sept. 26, 2015.
  • Cal posted its first win in a state bordering the Atlantic Ocean since a 20-10 victory at Rutgers on Nov. 23, 2001.
  • In his first career start, Ross Bowers finished 24-of-38 for 363 yards, 4 touchdowns and 2 interceptions. He tossed one TD in each quarter – 10 yards to Jordan Veasy in the 1st, 67 yards to Vic Wharton III in the 2nd, 54 yards to Patrick Laird in the 3rd and 20 yards to Jordan Duncan in the 4th.
  • Bowers' four TD passes are the most for a Cal quarterback since Davis Webb had five in a double OT win over Oregon last Oct. 21.
  • Here's a quick look at the passing numbers of the last three starting Cal quarterbacks in their debut games:
    • Davis Webb vs. Hawaii, Aug. 26, 2016 (Sydney, Australia) – 38-of-54, 441 yards, 4 TDs – W, 51-31
    • Jared Goff vs. Northwestern, Aug. 31, 2013 (Berkeley) – 38-63, 445 yards, 2 TDs – L, 30-44
    • Zach Maynard vs. Fresno St., Sept. 3, 2011 (San Francisco, Candlestick Park) – 16-35, 266 yards, 2 TDs – W, 36-21
  • After allowing 42.6 ppg last season (including 48.8 ppg in true road games), Cal's defense limited North Carolina to 30 points – fewest for a Golden Bear defense in a true road game since a 30-24 loss at Utah on Oct. 10, 2015.
  • Devante Downs finished with a game-high 13 tackles including eight solo, as well as 0.5 tackles for loss, a forced fumble, a quarterback hurry and a first-half ending interception he returned 39 yards for his fourth career INT.
  • Wharton's 67-yard touchdown reception and Laird's 54 yard TD catch were both career longs. at the end of the second quarter was a career long.
  • Tony Mekari's fumble recovery for Cal's first defensive turnover of the season was the first time he had been involved in a turnover in his career.
  • Derron Brown had his first career interception.
  • With five points (all on extra points), Matt Anderson moved up to 9th on Cal's career scoring list, now with 226 points. On Saturday, he passed Chuck Muncie, who finished his career in 1975 with 224 points.
  • Quentin Tartabull finished with eight tackles – the first tackles of his career.
  • 15 Golden Bears participated in first game for Cal – Greyson Bankhead, Gerran Brown, Camryn Bynum, Steven Coutts, Jake Curhan, Valentino Daltoso, Alex Funches, Cameron Goode, Jeremiah Hawkins, Elijah Hicks, Teven Paul, Gavin Reinwald, Gabe Siemieniec, Chinedu Udeogu, Alonso Vera
  • Eight Golden Bears participated in first game for Cal – Greyson Bankhead, Gerran Brown, Camryn Bynum, Steven Coutts, Jake Curhan, Valentino Daltoso, Alex Funches, Cameron Goode, Jeremiah Hawkins, Elijah Hicks, Teven Paul, Gavin Reinwald, Gabe Siemieniec, Chinedu Udeogu, Alonso Vera
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