Cal ends SMU’s ACC title/CFP dreams in 38-35 upset

Key Highlights

• The Golden Bears stunned the Mustangs 38-35 on senior day in Berkeley, taking SMU (8-4, 6-2 ACC) out of the running for an ACC championship and instead catapulting Duke (7-5, 6-2) into the title game to face Virginia (10-2, 6-2 ACC). SMU faced an uphill climb in the second and third quarters, getting outscored 21-7 by the underdog Golden Bears during that middle stretch.
• Cal scored on the opening play of the fourth quarter, extending its lead to three possessions at 31-14 and placing the Mustangs’ ACC title hopes in dire position.
• However, Rhett Lashlee’s squad showed tremendous resiliency, rattling off three-consecutive fourth quarter touchdowns to capture a 35-31 lead. T. J.
• Harden ran in the go-ahead score with 2:22 remaining in the contest, and all the Mustangs needed to do was produce a third-straight defensive stop.
• Instead, Cal flew down the field with ease, ripping off eight-straight positive plays including a pass interference in a 99-second drive.