University of North Carolina Athletics
Friday, October 17
Berkeley, Calif. (California Memorial Stadium)
10:30 PM
North Carolina
2-4 , 0-2
18
at
21
California
5-2 , 2-1
1st
2nd
3rd
4th
F
North Carolina
7
3
0
8
18
California
14
0
7
0
21
Photo by: Jeffrey A. Camarati
Late Rally Comes Up Short At Cal, 21-18
October 17, 2025 | Football
BERKELEY, CALIF.—Cal recovered a North Carolina fumble in the final four minutes just as the Tar Heels were poised to take their first lead, preserving a 21-18 win over UNC on Friday night at California Memorial Stadium.
With Carolina controlling the momentum and seemingly poised to take the lead with 3:48 to play, the Golden Bears forced Nathan Leacock to fumble at the one-yard line, just as it appeared he was ready to give the Tar Heels a late lead. Cal recovered the ball in the end zone to preserve its 21-18 advantage.
UNC played one of its better games of the season overall and put forth its best effort of the Fall against a major college opponent but dropped its third consecutive game to fall to 2-4, 0-2 in the Atlantic Coast Conference. Cal improved to 5-2, 2-1 ACC.
"Obviously, a real competitive game here," Tar Heel head coach Bill Belichick said in his postgame press conference. "A couple of big mistakes hurt us, but a lot of things we could have done better in all three phases. So just came up a little bit short today, here, couple of inches, I guess, on the touchdown, on the fumble. But just keep working on things that obviously we need to do a better job of. Third-and-long on defense, third-down conversions on offense, ball security, things like that."
Carolina's second-half rushing attack gave it the advantage in time of possession by the late stages of the game despite Cal's early-game offensive success.
The Tar Heels mounted their second consecutive 11-play drive midway through the fourth quarter and were within a yard of taking the lead before Leacock's red zone fumble.
UNC ran for 120 yards, averaging 4.1 yards per carry, while limiting the Golden Bears to 2.6 yards per attempt.
Gio Lopez returned to the lineup at quarterback for Carolina, starting the game and going the distance after missing the Clemson game due to injury. Lopez completed 19 of 35 passing attempts for 167 yards. Benjamin Hall ran 14 times for 68 to lead UNC on the ground.
Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele connected on 21 of 39 attempts for 209 yards and a touchdown for Cal. Kendrick Raphael ran it 22 times for 81 yards and a score, and Jacob De Jesus caught 13 passes for 105 yards and a TD.
Up Next
Carolina will return to action at home on Saturday October 25 at noon against Virginia.
How It Happened
First Quarter
• On the first play from scrimmage to start the game, Shanard Clower fumbled at the Tar Heel 23-yard line, giving the Golden Bears prime field position on a bonus first drive.
• Four plays later, Sagapolutele ran it in from three yards out for a quick, 7-0 Golden Bear lead.
• Carolina punted on its next two possessions before breaking through on an 18-yard rush by Benjamin Hall with 4:48 left in the quarter, tying the game at 7-7.
• Sagapolutele connected with Jacob De Jesus for a 7-yard score with 42 seconds left in the opening quarter. The TD capped a methodical, 12-play, 75-yard drive that chewed up over four minutes of the clock and made the score 14-7.
Second Quarter
• UNC's defense forced punts on five of Cal's first seven possessions of the game and held the Golden Bears scoreless in the second quarter.
• Tar Heel kicker Rece Verhoff's 41-yard field goal with 5:37 on the clock pulled UNC within four points at 14-10.
Third Quarter
• Cal put together a long drive to start the second half. Kendrick Raphael ran it in from two yards out, topping off an 11-play, 79-yard drive that consumed 5:33 on the clock.
Fourth Quarter
• The Tar Heel offensive line powered a dominant drive to pull Carolina within a score in the opening minutes of the fourth period. Davion Gause ran it in from four yards out with 12:16 left in the game, and a two-point conversion completion from Lopez to Hall made the score 21-18 Cal.
• Lopez's sneak on a fourth-and-short play with 8:25 left in the game kept a Tar Heel drive alive just inside Golden Bear territory.
• With 3:48 remaining, Lopez connected with Leacock, who appeared primed to score a touchdown before fumbling on the one-yard line. Cal recovered the ball in the end zone to preserve its 21-18 lead.
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With Carolina controlling the momentum and seemingly poised to take the lead with 3:48 to play, the Golden Bears forced Nathan Leacock to fumble at the one-yard line, just as it appeared he was ready to give the Tar Heels a late lead. Cal recovered the ball in the end zone to preserve its 21-18 advantage.
UNC played one of its better games of the season overall and put forth its best effort of the Fall against a major college opponent but dropped its third consecutive game to fall to 2-4, 0-2 in the Atlantic Coast Conference. Cal improved to 5-2, 2-1 ACC.
"Obviously, a real competitive game here," Tar Heel head coach Bill Belichick said in his postgame press conference. "A couple of big mistakes hurt us, but a lot of things we could have done better in all three phases. So just came up a little bit short today, here, couple of inches, I guess, on the touchdown, on the fumble. But just keep working on things that obviously we need to do a better job of. Third-and-long on defense, third-down conversions on offense, ball security, things like that."
Carolina's second-half rushing attack gave it the advantage in time of possession by the late stages of the game despite Cal's early-game offensive success.
The Tar Heels mounted their second consecutive 11-play drive midway through the fourth quarter and were within a yard of taking the lead before Leacock's red zone fumble.
UNC ran for 120 yards, averaging 4.1 yards per carry, while limiting the Golden Bears to 2.6 yards per attempt.
Gio Lopez returned to the lineup at quarterback for Carolina, starting the game and going the distance after missing the Clemson game due to injury. Lopez completed 19 of 35 passing attempts for 167 yards. Benjamin Hall ran 14 times for 68 to lead UNC on the ground.
Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele connected on 21 of 39 attempts for 209 yards and a touchdown for Cal. Kendrick Raphael ran it 22 times for 81 yards and a score, and Jacob De Jesus caught 13 passes for 105 yards and a TD.
Up Next
Carolina will return to action at home on Saturday October 25 at noon against Virginia.
How It Happened
First Quarter
• On the first play from scrimmage to start the game, Shanard Clower fumbled at the Tar Heel 23-yard line, giving the Golden Bears prime field position on a bonus first drive.
• Four plays later, Sagapolutele ran it in from three yards out for a quick, 7-0 Golden Bear lead.
• Carolina punted on its next two possessions before breaking through on an 18-yard rush by Benjamin Hall with 4:48 left in the quarter, tying the game at 7-7.
• Sagapolutele connected with Jacob De Jesus for a 7-yard score with 42 seconds left in the opening quarter. The TD capped a methodical, 12-play, 75-yard drive that chewed up over four minutes of the clock and made the score 14-7.
Second Quarter
• UNC's defense forced punts on five of Cal's first seven possessions of the game and held the Golden Bears scoreless in the second quarter.
• Tar Heel kicker Rece Verhoff's 41-yard field goal with 5:37 on the clock pulled UNC within four points at 14-10.
Third Quarter
• Cal put together a long drive to start the second half. Kendrick Raphael ran it in from two yards out, topping off an 11-play, 79-yard drive that consumed 5:33 on the clock.
Fourth Quarter
• The Tar Heel offensive line powered a dominant drive to pull Carolina within a score in the opening minutes of the fourth period. Davion Gause ran it in from four yards out with 12:16 left in the game, and a two-point conversion completion from Lopez to Hall made the score 21-18 Cal.
• Lopez's sneak on a fourth-and-short play with 8:25 left in the game kept a Tar Heel drive alive just inside Golden Bear territory.
• With 3:48 remaining, Lopez connected with Leacock, who appeared primed to score a touchdown before fumbling on the one-yard line. Cal recovered the ball in the end zone to preserve its 21-18 lead.
Follow Tar Heel football on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
Team Stats
UNC
CAL
Total Yards
287
294
Pass Yards
167
214
Rushing Yards
120
80
Penalty Yards
46
79
1st Downs
18
19
3rd Downs
5
6
4th Downs
2
2
TOP
31:10
28:50
1st Quarter
UNC 0, CAL 7
CAL - Sagapolutele,Jaron-Keawe 3 yd run (Meyer,Chase kick), 4 plays, 25 yards, TOP 01:50
UNC 7, CAL 7
UNC - Hall,Benjamin 18 yd run (Verhoff,Rece kick), 4 plays, 70 yards, TOP 01:15
UNC 7, CAL 14
CAL - De Jesus,Jacob 7 yd pass from Sagapolutele,Jaron-Keawe (Meyer,Chase kick) 12 plays, 75 yards, TOP 04:06
2nd Quarter
UNC 10, CAL 14
UNC - Verhoff,Rece 41 yd field goal 11 plays, 45 yards, TOP 05:37
3rd Quarter
UNC 10, CAL 21
CAL - Raphael,Kendrick 2 yd run (Meyer,Chase kick), 11 plays, 79 yards, TOP 05:33
4th Quarter
UNC 18, CAL 21
UNC - Gause,Davion 4 yd run (Hall,Benjamin pass), 11 plays, 84 yards, TOP 04:45
Players Mentioned
Wide Receiver
/ Football
Running Back
/ Football
Running Back
/ Football
Wide Receiver
/ Football
Kicker
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