PITTSBURGH (93.7 The Fan) – It's the key plays from the Pitt struggle, yet win over Cal, 17-15 Saturday at Acrisure Stadium. From a record-setting field goal to the missed field goal and a game-breaking run.
1st quarter
· On 3rd and 19 and Pitt blitzing, the Cal U line held and Fernando Mendoza found Jonathan Brady wide open in the middle of the field for 23 yards to the Pitt 33.
· 3rd and 8, Mendoza finds Brady on a screen for an 11-yard completion
· TD, Jaivian Thomas goes 21 yards left side untouched with perfect blocking for a touchdown, 6-0 (surprise two-point attempt failed) (10-75 yards, 4:50)
· 4th down and 5 at the Cal 48-yard line, Pitt rolls the dice, Holstein hits Desmond Reid out of the backfield on a skinny post for 19 yards
· Holstein to Bartholomew 9 yards on 3rd and 10 and then a hands-to-the-face penalty on Cal to put the ball at the Cal 5-yard line.
· TD, Desmond Reid cuts right at the line and barrels in for a 5-yard score, Ben Sauls extra point, 7-6 (11-75 yards, 3:48)
· Mendoza 11-yards to Trond Grizzell on 3rd and 9
2nd quarter
· TD, 4th and 1 a 72-yard run by Reid right side as the offensive line kicked out for the hole, 14-6, Sauls kick, 14-6 (4-81 yards, 1:17)
· FG, Ben Sauls sets a Pitt record in Acrisure Stadium with a 58-yard field goal, 17-6 (6-54 yards, 1:50)
· FG, After a penalty set Cal up at the Pitt 25, a gang tackle for loss with Braylan Lovelace leading the charge created a third and long, kept Cal to Ryan Coe 39-yard FG, 17-9 (9-54 yards, 4:07)
· Cal LB Teddye Buchanan as Eli Holstein is rolling right on 3rd and 1, he was able to keep the QB contained, close the gap and defend the attempted pass to Gavin Bartholomew
· 3rd and 7, Mendoza hits wide open tight end Jack Endries for 21 yards to the Pitt 34-yard line
· Lovelace sacks Mendoza on 3rd and 12 to knock Cal out of field goal range with 5 seconds left in the first half combined with unsportsmanlike conduct ends the first half
3rd quarter
· Kyle Louis broke up what looked to be another Cal 3rd down conversion on the first drive of the third quarter. The Bears would have had the ball at midfield
· Buchanan with another pass breakup, stopping a Pitt third-down conversion deep in Cal territory and forcing a punt.
· Lovelace with a sack on first down and then Kyle Louis with a sack on third down and into the end zone, marked at the Cal 1-yard line allowing Pitt to start at the Cal 31
· Miscommunication between Holstein and Kenny Johnson as Johnson stopped after 10 yards, the ball was thrown to the end zone and an easy interception for Nohl Williams on the 1st play of the drive
· Offense struggling, Holstein finds Konata Mumpfield for 23 yards to get it up to the Pitt 31, then Holstein with nice cuts to pick up 10 yards on 3rd down. Buchanan with an 11-yard sack of Holstein on 2nd down on that same drive to move the ball back to the Pitt 45-yard line. It would lead to a 3rd and 19 and a Cam Sidney interception for the Bears.
· Jimmy Scott sack on 3rd and 16 on the ensuing possession to force a punt
4th quarter
· TD, Mendoza to Endries for 19-yard TD, Endries had 66 yards receiving on the drive, 17-15, 2-point attempt failed-Lovelace tackle (6-78 yards, 3:04)
· Pass interference called on Cruce Brookins on a Cal 3rd and 14, gets ball to Pitt 36-yard line
· Coe 40-yard field misses low and wide right with 1:50 to play.
· Rashad Battle makes a tackle on a 4th down pass as Cal is stopped short
