Offense struggles as Cal falls to UNLV in LA Bowl

For the second consecutive year, Cal has come up short in a bowl game. 

The Bears’ offense struggled throughout most of Wednesday’s game as Cal fell to No. 24 UNLV 24-13 in the LA Bowl at Sofi Stadium. 

Cal was without starting quarterback Fernando Mendoza after he announced last week that he was entering the transfer portal.

The Bears went with third-string QB CJ Harris, but he left the game in the third quarter with an injury, prompting true freshman EJ Caminong to finish the game. Usual backup Chandler Rogers was not expected to play after sustaining a leg injury during Cal’s regular-season finale against SMU, but suited up after Harris went down. 

In what might have been his last game in a Cal uniform, junior Jaydn Ott rushed for 84 yards on 11 carries. Freshman receiver Josiah Martin had 69 yards from scrimmage to go along with a rushing touchdown.  

Cal’s passing games struggled as Harris and Caminong combined to complete 19 of 39 passes for 166 yards and no touchdowns. 

NorCal native Jacob De Jesus did it all for UNLV, totaling 142 all-purpose yards and a receiving touchdown. 

With Wednesday’s loss, Cal fell to 12-13-1 in bowl games and is now 1-3 in postseason games under head coach Justin Wilcox. Cal has now suffered its fifth consecutive losing season. 

Cal put the first points on the board, gaining three points on a 43-yard field goal from Derek Morris in the first quarter. 

On the next drive, UNLV’s offense responded on a 49-yard touchdown pass from Hajj-Malik Williams to Kayden McGee to go up 7-3 midway through the first quarter. 

Cal used some trickery to end the period with a score as true freshman Josiah Martin juked and stutter-stepped his way to a 29-yard rushing score on an end around to the left side to take a three-point lead. 

To take back the lead, UNLV used a fake punt that set up a nine-yard hook up between Williams and De Jesus, making the score 14-10 in the second quarter. 

At halftime, UNLV led 14-13. 

Midway through the third quarter, Harris appeared to suffer a shoulder injury on a scramble, prompting Wilcox to insert Caminong at quarterback with Cal down 14-13.

On his second drive, Caminong threw a backwards pass that was recovered by the Rebels. UNLV made good on the turnover as Kylin James rushed in for a 23-yard touchdown to put the Rebels up eight points late in the third. 

The Rebels put the game out of reach after Caden Chittenden knocked in a 48-yard field goal at the 6:01 mark to put UNLV up two scores.