The decisions add up over time, as Cal has found out in the hard way. A failed fourth down conversion that could've been a field goal, a bad snap, and two failed two point conversions all took points off the board, especially after the Bears decided to go for two in the wake of a TCU offsides call on a PAT they made. That added to a 34-32 loss to TCU, after the Bears failed a two-point conversion on a final Damien Moore touchdown.

In the reverse of last week, Cal came out throwing downfield, with Chase Garbers completing a bomb to Kekoa Crawford for 49 yards to get the Bears into the red-zone, but Cal went for it on 4th and 1 from the TCU 7, with Chris Brooks being stopped at the line by Wyatt Harris. The aggressiveness didn't pay off, taking a potential three points off the board.

Cal got the ball back after making a stop on TCU, but a cheapshot from Obinna Eze took down Kuony Deng for the game, as the Bears played with a number of less experienced outside linebackers and inside linebackers. Trey Paster did not make the trip, as true freshman Femi Oladejo took his first real action for the Bears. Chase Garbers took advantage of a break in TCU's coverage, with a 54 yard touchdown on a 3rd and 11. A bad snap from Slater Zellers led to a bobble by Jamieson Sheahan and a failed conversion. That meant four points were off the board for the Bears.

Cal and TCU traded a couple punts, but the Cal defense got the Bears back on the scoreboard. Jaedon Roberts came up with his first career sack on an intentional grounding call, then Daniel Scott intercepted Max Duggan on a slant, returning it nine yards for a pick six. Cal would go for two, as Justin Wilcox later remarked that the Bears were 'chasing the point' all the way into the fourth quarter, but a rollout by Garbers was intercepted by TCU, with the score being 12-0. The conversion attempt came after TCU was called for offsides while the Bears made a PAT. That marked five points left off the board

TCU would come back for a score, as Zach Evans (22 rushes for 183 yards and a TD) had a 22 yard gain, setting up a Duggan 30 yard seam to Blair Conwright. Cal would quickly answer, as Clark found space in a busted coverage for 68 yards from Garbers, then Nikko Remigio got behind the defense from 7 yards out for a score. Cal kicked the PAT, making it 19-7.

Cal forced another TCU punt, and had a 3rd and 2 at their own 28 with under a minute to go. Garbers went deep to Crawford, and in a play that was originally ruled an interception, Crawford couldn't bring in the throw.

Then started a poor period for the defense. 28 seconds left for TCU, as they completed a pass to Derius Davis for a first down, then Evans evaded Cal tacklers on a 51 yard jaunt, for a score, where Elijah Hicks and Collin Gamble took poor angles, but it left Cal only up 19-14 with TCU getting the ball to start the second half.

Second Half

Cal gave up four 3rd downs, including three of 8 yards or longer, with a final 3rd and 9 from Duggan to Quentin Johnston from 18 yards out giving TCU the lead, 21-19. Cal would go three and out, while TCU would miss a field goal. Cal and TCU would trade a couple more punts before Cal would get on a scoring drive.

A 2nd and 15 scramble by Garbers for 13, along with a circus catch by Jake Tonges, which coupled a roughing the passer penalty into a 31 yard gain. Garbers would scramble for a key 18 yards on 3rd and 13, followed by a speed option to Nikko Remigio for 13. Damien Moore would score the first of his two fourth quarter touchdowns on a 12 yard run, busting two tackles at the line of scrimmage.

More poor tackling would doom the Bears on the ensuing TCU drive, as Johnston ran a curl route, Chigozie Anusiem slipped on a tackle attempt, and the Bears couldn't bring the big TCU wideout down as he went 45 yards for a score. A two-point attempt would be intercepted by Daniel Scott.

Cal would go 3 and out on the next possession, with a pass to Remigio from Garbers just out of reach. TCU then ran the ball, aided by a Cam Goode horse collar penalty, with six plays going 81 yards solely on the ground for a Duggan score to make it 34-26.

Cal would quickly recover, with a 3rd down conversion by Jake Tonges, a contested catch deep by Jeremiah Hunter, and a near Garbers scramble TD prior to Damien Moore getting his second TD on a 1 yard pitch play. Cal would go for two, but Moore was ruled short on a play where the ESPNU broadcast did not appear to have more than one angle filming.

From there, the Bears needed one stop to try, but Duggan would convert a first down, ending the Bears' chance at a comeback, 34-32. Cal left at least five points on the field by choosing to go for it and missing conversions, and that ended up being the difference, along with a handful of missed tackles on TCU's running backs.

- This is Cal's first 0-2 start since 2001

- This was the third 300+ yard passing performance by Chase Garbers and the first 100+ yard receiving performance by Trevon Clark. The 68 yard pass from Garbers to Clark was the longest since a 75 yard touchdown from Ross Bowers to Kanawai Noa in 2017 against Oregon.

- Daniel Scott had his first interception since the 2019 Big Game.

- Cameron Goode recorded two sacks and three tackles for loss total. He is now 6.5 TFLs from cracking Cal's top ten for career tackles for loss, as well as 4 sacks from Cal's top 10 in career sacks.

Cal will face Sacramento State next Saturday to close out their non-conference schedule. Cal will play Washington in Seattle to open up conference play September 25th.