Cal Hammers Sacramento State, 55-14
Kenny Lawler caught two touchdown passes form Goff – including a leaping one-handed snag.
(BERKELEY, Calif. ) — Jared Goff matched his career high of four touchdown passes, backup Luke Rubenzer threw for one and ran for another, and Cal beat Sacramento State, 55-14, on Saturday at Kabam Field at California Memorial Stadium.
Kenny Lawler caught two touchdown passes form Goff – including a leaping one-handed snag – while Chris Harper, Maurice Harris and Darius Powe also scored on touchdown receptions. Goff went 17 of 22 for 229 yards.
Daniel Lasco added a 50-yard scoring run as the Golden Bears (2-0) raced to a 45-0 lead by late in the second quarter then coasted to its most lopsided win since beating Presbyterian 63-12 in 2011.
Cal also got a lift from its defense, which held Sacramento State (1-1) to minus-12 yards rushing in the first half. Todd Barr forced a fumble that led to a TD and Griffin Piatt intercepted a Sac State pass in the end zone.
Lasco had a career-high 94 yards on nine carries and provided the signature play of the game with his long touchdown run in the second quarter. He took a handoff from Goff and broke through the left side of the line, did a 360-degree spin at the 45, then outraced three defenders over the final 20 yards to finish the second-longest touchdown run of his career.
Cal scored on its first seven drives before missing a field goal attempt to end the first half.
Goff, the Bears' sophomore quarterback, had scoring throws of 4, 12, 17 and 19 yards, giving him seven touchdown passes despite sharing his game time with Rubenzer.
For the second straight game, Cal used both Goff and Rubenzer, a freshman who led the Bears in rushing during their season-opening win over Northwestern, despite only taking a handful of snaps.
Rubenzer ran for 34 yards against the Hornets and scored on a 1-yard keeper around the right side. He was equally effective in the pocket, completing 3 of 4 throws for 84 yards, including a 60-yard touchdown to Powe in the first quarter that was the longest catch of Powe's career. Rubenzer had a second touchdown pass negated by an offensive pass interference penalty.
Cal used third-stringer Austin Hinder for much of the third quarter before Goff returned to throw a 12-yard touchdown to Chris Harper to make it 55-14.
James Langford added field goals of 33 and 47 yards for Cal.
The Bears led 45-0 when the Hornets ended the shutout on a 3-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Garrett Safron to tight end Chris Broadnax late in the third quarter.
Safron, who passed for five touchdowns in Sac State's season-opening win, later scored on a 73-yard run – the longest by any Hornets' player since 2004.
Source: Cal Athletics/AP
