Aztecs Drop Road Game at California

BERKELEY, Calif. -- San Diego State trailed just, 7-3, at the half, but California scored on its first four possessions of the second half in a 31-10 win Saturday night at Memorial Stadium.

Fernando Mendoza threw two touchdown passes and ran for another score for the Bears, who started the season 3-0 for the first time since 2019. Jaivian Thomas ran for 169 yards, and Kadarius Calloway had a touchdown run for Cal.

The two teams combined for 27 penalties for 237 yards, including 15 penalties for 120 yards for the Aztecs (1-2). SDSU’s 13 penalties in the first half were tied for the most in any half for an FBS team in the last 10 seasons.

One the crucial penalties on San Diego State was an illegal block in the back on Marlem Louis after Tano Letuli intercepted a pass and returned it 65 yards for the score. Instead of taking a 10-7 lead midway through the second quarter, SDSU started on its own 45-yard line and failed to score.

After the Aztecs forced the high-powered California offense into consecutive three-and-outs to start the game, redshirt freshman Javance Tupou’ata-Johnson, making his first career start having never attempted a collegiate pass in place of an injured true freshman Danny O’Neil, got SDSU deep into Bear territory. San Diego State converted a key fourth-and-6 play when Tupou’ata-Johnson found Nate Bennett for 11 yards and a targeting penalty got the Aztecs to the Cal 12. SDSU managed just one yard on its next three plays, however, setting for a 29-yard field goal by former California kicker Nick Lopez.

The Bears answered with a 7-play, 69-yard drive, ending with an 8-yard rushing touchdown by Mendoza.

In the second quarter, SDSU stopped Cal on a fourth-and-1 and started in California territory on their 44-yard line. A Tupou’ata-Johnson 14-yard pass to Ja’Shaun Poke on the first play got San Diego State to the 30-yard line, but after an incomplete pass, 5-yard false start penalty, 9-yard sack and another incomplete pass, the Aztecs were forced to punt.

Letuli got the ball back for SDSU on the interception but neither team scored the rest of the half.

The Bears broke open a tight game in the third quarter with Thomas' 57-yard run setting up Calloway's 7-yard touchdown and Mendoza's 20-yard TD pass to Corey Dyches capping a 90-yard drive.

After a 48-yard field goal by Ryan Coe - his lone make in three tries - to start the fourth quarter, San Diego State finally scored responded with a touchdown. The Aztecs converted a pair of third-and-4s on the drive, including a short Tupou’ata-Johnson pass to Jordan Napier, who caught it at the Cal 35, juked past a few defenders and raced his way into the end zone.

After a Lopez PAT cut the Bear lead to 34-10, California answered right away with at 60-yard run by Calloway on second down and a 15-yard TD pass from Mendoza to Nyziah Hunter.

Tupou’ata-Johnson was intercepted on the second play of the next drive but each team was stopped on fourth-and-shorts before Coe missed his second field goal of the game with 1:55 left.

SDSU then ran out the clock to end the game.

Tupou’ata-Johnson went 13 for 29 for 156 yards with one touchdown and two interceptions. Marquez Cooper rushed for 87 yards on 22 carries, and Jude Wolfe and Louis Brown IV led San Diego State with three catches apiece.

White led the Aztec defense with six tackles, 2.5 sacks and a pass breakup, while Owen Chambliss and Kyle Moretti also chipped in with six tackles apiece.

SDSU fell to 4-5 all-time against Cal with the home team winning all nine games in the series.