BERKELEY, Calif. (AP) — J'Mari Taylor ran for two touchdowns and No. 15 Virginia extended its winning streak to seven straight games for the first time since 2007 by beating California 31-21 on Saturday.
Taylor scored on two of the first three drives of the game to get the Cavaliers (8-1, 5-0 ACC) off to a fast start in their first meeting with the Golden Bears (5-4, 2-3).
“It’s the month of November, right,” coach Tony Elliott said. "The way we kind of outline our season, this is go time. This is where we got to be trying to to prime up and get rolling on all cylinders. It was important for them to get off to a fast start and put together some drives and score some points."
Virginia held on from there, getting a 35-yard interception return for a touchdown by Kam Robinson with 34 seconds left in a win that lifted the Cavaliers to their first 8-1 start to a season since 1990.
“Everyone calls them the Cardiac Cavs,” Elliott said. "But really it’s a mindset. These guys believe. They’re going to find a way to win. It’s a mindset. Then because of that mindset, they’re able to go out and just find a way.”
Kendrick Raphael scored three TDs for the Bears, who have lost 14 straight games against ranked opponents since beating No. 21 Oregon in 2020.
Cal got back into the game with a trick play midway through the third quarter. Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele threw a lateral to tight end Mason Mini, who then passed to Raphael open down the field for a 42-yard score that cut Virginia's lead to 17-14.
But Chandler Morris and the Cavaliers responded with a 75-yard drive capped by Eli Wood's 3-yard touchdown run.
Raphael scored again on a 1-yard run after a shanked punt gave Cal the ball at the Virginia 25, making it a three-point game early in the fourth quarter.
The Bears failed to move the ball on their next two drives and then Sagapolutele's late interception ended any comeback hopes.
“The want to and the effort was there but we missed out on some opportunities,” coach Justin Wilcox said. “On defense it was the third downs, offense we had a couple we didn't quite connect on. Ultimately against a team like that, you have to make those and we didn’t do that.”
Virginia: After two overtime wins and two more wins by a combined three points in the past four games, the Cavaliers had a slightly easier time of it against Cal. They could have won by even more if not for Will Bettridge missing a 48-yard field goal on the final play of the first half and a fake field goal getting stopped on the opening possession of the third quarter.
California: After getting off to a promising 5-2 start, the Bears have lost back-to-back games for the first time this season and now need one win in the final three games — including tough matchups against No. 16 Louisville and SMU — just to get bowl-eligible.
Virginia: Hosts Wake Forest on Saturday.
California: Visits Louisville on Saturday.
Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here and here (AP News mobile app). AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-football
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