QB Bowers leads California past UNC
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. - Nothing felt foreign for Justin Wilcox in his first game as California’s coach. The same was true for first-time starting quarterback Ross Bowers.
Neither seemed surprised by winning their debuts, either.
Bowers threw for 363 yards and four touchdowns, while Cal rallied from an early deficit during a game-changing sequence and beat North Carolina 35-30 in Saturday’s opener.
“All due respect to North Carolina, we expected to win the game,” said Wilcox, a defensive coordinator the past 11 seasons at Wisconsin, USC, Washington, Tennessee and Boise State.
Bowers, a sophomore, had never thrown a pass in a college game and had to win a preseason battle for the starting job.
But he shook off two interceptions and came up with several good throws to help Cal win its first East Coast day game since 2012.
“I knew our game plan really well,” Bowers said. “I knew where we wanted to attack and who we wanted to attack. I just trusted all the training we’ve done this past fall camp and spring ball and offseason workouts and stuff like that.
“I think I was confident I wouldn’t say I was nervous. But running out for the first time I was like, ‘Man, it’s finally here, I finally get my opportunity.’” Oregon State 35, Portland State 32: Isaiah Hodgins caught a 17-yard touchdown pass from Jake Luton with about a minute left as Oregon State came back to defeat FCS-member Portland State 35-32 on Saturday.
Luton threw for 235 yards, one TD and one interception and had six completions in a row on the last drive for the Beavers (1-1), who bounced back from a season-opening loss at Colorado State.
“Hodgins had a big catch near the end and then obviously the touchdown,” Luton said.
“He’s a heck of a player and he’s just going to keep getting better.”
Fellow signal-caller Darell Garretson ran for 29 yards and a TD as Oregon State used two quarterbacks, sometimes changing multiple times on the same drive. Oregon 77, Southern Utah 21: The Willie Taggart era at Oregon got off to a fast start with Tony Brooks-James’ 100-yard touchdown return on the opening kickoff against Southern Utah.
Fitting for a team that’s (still) known for speed.
Royce Freeman ran for 150 yards and four touchdowns and the Ducks routed the Thunderbirds 77-21 on Saturday for Taggart’s debut as Oregon’s head coach.
It was the most points for the Ducks in a single game since 1916.
Kani Benoit ran for 107 yards and three additional scores for the Ducks, who had an Autzen Stadium-record nine rushing touchdowns in the game. Justin Herbert completed 17 of 21 passes to finish with 281 yards and a touchdown.
It was Oregon’s seventh straight season-opening win.
Thunderbirds quarterback Patrick Tyler threw for 197 yards and a TD, but threw two interceptions.