Pittsburgh’s Desmond Reid ran 72 yards on a fourth-down play in the second quarter, California’s Ryan Coe missed a potential go-ahead field goal with 1:50 remaining and the Panthers held on for a 17-15 Atlantic Coast Conference victory over the visiting Golden Bears on Saturday afternoon.Reid finished with a game-high 120 yards and two touchdowns on 16 carries, helping No. 22 Pittsburgh (6-0, 2-0) remain unbeaten despite going scoreless in the second half.Fernando Mendoza threw for 272 yards and a score for Cal (3-3, 0-3), which outgained the Panthers 335-277.The Golden Bears forced a punt after Coe missed low and wide right from 40 yards out. Cal got the ball back at its own 20-yard line with 41 seconds left but went four-and-out.The difference in the game turned out to be two missed two-point conversion attempts by the Golden Bears.The first came after Cal went up 6-0, the second after it closed within 17-15 on Jack Endries’ 19-yard touchdown reception with 10:30 left in the fourth quarter.Pittsburgh also gambled early on when, up 7-6, it went for a fourth-and-1 at its own 28 on the first play of the second quarter. Reid cashed in for the Panthers with his 72-yard touchdown run to give the hosts a 14-6 lead.The Golden Bears struck first on their opening possession. Jaivian Thomas’s 21-yard run capped a 10-play, 75-yard drive that left Cal ahead 6-0 after its first failed two-point attempt.
No. 22 Pitt edges Cal, improves to 6-0
Oct 12, 2024 | 7:00 PM
