‘As bad as you can imagine’

Listen to what Cal head coach Justin Wilcox said about the Golden Bears’ 39-38 heartbreaking loss to the Miami Hurricanes.

The California Golden Bears were poised for one of their best days in program history. Following ESPN College GameDay‘s first-ever visit to campus, Cal surged to a 35-10 lead against No. 8 Miami. However, the Hurricanes mounted a comeback, leaving Cal reeling with a 39-38 defeat.

The Cal team walked off the field somberly after a devastating finish on a significant day for the program.

In discussing the team’s morale post-game, Wilcox remarked, “What’s the mood? It’s as bad as you can imagine. Football is a humbling game. We had every opportunity to win that game, obviously, and we didn’t get it done. So every individual has to own it.”

“I think this is a pivotal moment for this team. I hope that all coaches, players, administrators and everybody involved will be proud of how they responded in a month, two months, six months or a year from now.”

Cal received an impressive presence Saturday at 6 a.m. PT (even earlier) that drew the nation’s eyes to the program. And the momentum carried into the game as a sold-out crowd of 52,428 and a red-hot Golden Bear team had established a 35-10 lead midway through the third quarter. But it wasn’t enough to secure the win.

“We were very appreciative of all that happened today,” Wilcox said. “The fans and student body were incredible. But the team and coaches were focused on the game and we didn’t finish the game. I love how competitive our team is, they tried really hard. We ran out of gas and we didn’t make plays in the second half against an extremely talented team. We were a point short.

Cal executed four plays of 50 yards or more on offense, scoring 28 points, while a Nohl Williams pick-six put them in an excellent position for a major upset. An early fourth-quarter field goal left the Golden Bears leading 38-18 with 14:13 remaining.

Wilcox remarked, “There were some good plays that put us in a position to win the game. But it’s hard right now … Ultimately it’s about winning the game. There were a lot of opportunities in every phase to win that game.”

A crucial moment was a late no-call on a potential targeting hit by Miami; after review, the controversial hit was not flagged, allowing Miami to capitalize and execute their game-winning drive. Wilcox did not comment on the incident when asked.

“We are very, very close,” Wilcox said. “Unfortunately, close doesn’t cut it and want-to doesn’t cut it … We played really hard. The coaches did a great job preparing them. Everything we do matters, from practice to walk-throughs, recruiting, strength and conditioning, and administrative support. It all matters. These are the margins. If you want to compete at this level against a Top 10 team, we have to find a way to improve – everywhere, everybody.”

Miami’s comeback was powered by star quarterback Cam Ward, who completed 35 of 53 passes for 437 yards and 2 touchdowns, along with a 24-yard touchdown run. Miami accumulated 353 yards of offense in the last 22 minutes, outgaining Cal 278 yards to 26 in the fourth quarter.

Cal’s record now stands at 3-2 overall and 0-2 in ACC play after two tough conference losses. They must regroup and prepare for an upcoming game against undefeated Pittsburgh (5-0, 1-0) on Saturday at 12:30 p.m. PT.

“Individual by individual, everybody has to make a decision to respond,” Wilcox emphasized. “It’s not going to happen right now, tonight. It might not happen in the morning. But by the time we all come in on Monday, that’s what we have to do. That’s how this game goes. We have a next game.

“When we play good football, clean football, when we’re firing on all cylinders – we can achieve great things. So it will be a challenge for everyone to respond and be ready on Monday. We don’t have the luxury of feeling sorry for the next few days. We’re going to get back to work, as hard as it sounds right now. That’s our responsibility.”