Instant Recap: Cal opens season with convincing road win over North Texas

Cal reached 33 points just three times during the 2022 season. It took the Bears 30 minutes of game action to achieve that same feat Saturday. If a revitalized Cal offense is what you were looking for this season, you found it at DATCU Stadium in Denton as the Bears defeated North Texas, 58-21, in the opener for both teams.

On a day when the Bears were forced to use two quarterbacks, it was the running game that paced the new-look offense brought in with returning offensive coordinator Jake Spavital.

Running backs Jaydn Ott and Isaiah Ifanse combined for 219 yards and 4 touchdowns on just 22 carries in the first half giving the Bears control of the game that they would never relinquish.

In all, Cal rushed for 357 yards in Saturday's victory. The team reached 55 points for the first time since 2016, when Spavital was in his first stint in Berkeley and it was the highest-scoring game for the Bears since 2015.

The Bears never trailed in Saturday's road contest after taking an early lead on a 23-yard touchdown pass from starting quarterback Sam Jackson V to Jeremiah Hunter in the first quarter.

Jackson eventually had to leave the game after he was tackled hard near the sideline in the second quarter. He never returned but was ruled questionable with an undisclosed injury to his non-throwing (left) arm.

NC State transfer Ben Finley then entered the game and guided the Bears to five scoring drives ultimately finishing the game with 279 yards passing on 24 completions, on 34 attempts, to go with one touchdown pass.

The Cal defense struggled with explosive plays, which have been an emphasis coming into the season, but eventually was able to do enough in the second half to keep the Mean Green offense in check and help the team pull out a victory in its season opener.

UNT was held scoreless over the final 30 minutes.

An interception from Cal cornerback Jeremiah Earby set up the Ott's first rushing score of the game in the first quarter. Linebacker Kaleb Elarms-Orr, who made his first career start Saturday, came up with another interception to set up a 4-yard touchdown from Finley to Taj Davis in the third quarter.

Linebacker Blake Antzoulatos had the third interception of the game with his fourth-quarter play ultimately leading to a field goal.

Middle linebacker Jackson Sirmon finished the game with a team-high 8 tackles while outside linebacker Xavier Carlton had a team-high 1 1/2 tackles for loss.

The Bears return to Berkeley next week to face Auburn in the home opener on Sept. 9.