Northwestern Wildcats vs California Golden Bears Box Score on Aug 31, 2013

SportsDirect Inc. staff
Sep 1, 2013

No. 22 Northwestern 44, California 30: Outside linebacker Collin Ellis returned two interceptions for touchdowns in the second half as the visiting Wildcats spoiled Sonny Dykes' coaching debut with the Golden Bears.

Ellis, a 6-foot-2 junior, returned a deflected pass 56 yards for his first touchdown late in the third quarter to give Northwestern a 27-24 lead. He added a 40-yarder that bounced off the hands of wide receiver Darius Powe to increase Northwestern's lead to 37-27 with 7:57 remaining.

Jared Goff, who became the first freshman to start a season opener at quarterback at Cal, completed 38-of-63 passes for a school freshman record 445 yards and two touchdowns, but was intercepted three times. The Golden Bears, who ranked 87th nationally in pass offense in 2012 with an average of 202 yards per game, finished with 548 total yards including 455 passing.

Despite Goff's glossy numbers, the Bears trailed 17-10 at halftime with the only touchdown coming on a fake field goal on their first possession of the game as kicker Vincenzo D'Amato hit holder Jackson Bouza for a 10-yard score. Northwestern scored the next 17 points with running back Treyvon Green scoring on a 33-yard run and quarterback Trevor Siemian connecting with wide receiver Tony Jones for a 19-yard touchdown.

Goff rallied Cal to a 24-20 lead in the third quarter with a pair of touchdown passes to wide receiver Chris Harper, who finished with 11 receptions for 153 yards. But Ellis put the Wildcats ahead to stay with his second interception return midway through the fourth quarter and Green, who ran for a game-high 129 yards on 16 carries, clinched it with a six-yard scoring run with 1:51 to go.

GAME NOTEBOOK: Northwestern starting QB Kain Colter left after two plays with what appeared to be a left shoulder injury. ... The Wildcats improved to 8-0 in season openers under coach Pat Fitzgerald. ... Cal's 64 pass attempts - 63 by Goff and one by D'Amato on the fake field goal - were a school single-game record.