Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele throws late TD and Luke Ferrelli picked off a pass, lifting Cal past BC

BOSTON (AP) — Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele hit tight end Mason Mini on 51-yard TD with 1:30 to play and Luke Ferrelli picked off a pass in the end zone with 15 seconds left, sending California to a 28-24 victory over Boston College on Saturday.

Sagapolutele completed 22 of 34 passes for 254 yards and a score for Cal (4-1, 1-0 Atlantic Coast Conference). Kendrick Raphael rushed for 113 yards and a TD.

“I think that was the most positive lesson we’ll learn from this game: We don’t have to be perfect to win,” Cal coach Justin Wilcox said. “We certainly weren’t, but they played the entire game, literally down to the last play.”

Dylan Lonergan, who entered the weekend leading the country in completions per game (30), was 21 of 37 with 197 yards but threw two interceptions for BC (1-3, 0-2 ACC). He did run for a 7-yard TD.

Sagapolutele rolled around the left end and lofted a pass to Mini, who made a leaping grab behind a defender and raced in for the game-winner after Turbo Richard broke free for a go-ahead 71-yard touchdown run early in the fourth quarter that had pushed BC ahead.

“That’s just who he is,” Wilcox said of his QB. “He’s a poised guy. He walked onto campus that way. For a freshman to go out and make the plays he’s made throughout the year and the throws he’s made is very impressive. He’s got so much great football in front of him.”

Sagapolutele said the play broke down and he was forced to create something.

“I just had to improvise, just make a play happen,” he said. “Glad my teammates trusted in me to be able to make that throw.”

Lonergan drove BC from its own 25 to the Golden Bears’ 5 and appeared to have a go-ahead TD, but receiver Reed Harris dropped the ball when he hit the ground.

On the next play, Ferrelli made the game-saving play.

“You just can’t do that,” BC coach Bill O’Brien said of the late breakdowns. “Like I just told the team, I haven’t been able to get it done in this program at this point, these guys learning not how to lose before they can learn to win.”

Richard carried for 171 yards on 15 attempts.

On the first play from scrimmage after Cal took the lead, Richard burst through and outraced the secondary down the left sideline.

Trailing by 3 after being stopped on a fourth-and-1 at BC’s 3, Golden Bears corner Hezekiah Masses picked Lonergan off at the 24-yard line and returned it to the 2.

Raphael scored on a run up-the-middle the next play, pushing Cal ahead 21-17.

The Eagles went into halftime with a 17-14 edge after Luca Lombardo kicked a career-best 52-yard field goal.

The takeaway

California: Coming off a blowout loss at San Diego State, the Golden Bears recovered from a quick 14-0 hole. True-freshman Sagapolutele didn’t get rattled after an early pick and seemed especially poised in the final quarter.

Boston College: With a tough road game at Pitt coming up next and then Clemson visiting Chestnut Hill before even tougher games against Notre Dame, Georgia Tech and SMU down the road, the Eagles really needed a victory.

We hardly know you

It was just the second meeting between the schools, the other was a 21-15 home victory for BC on September 13, 1986.

Finally

The Golden Bears finally won a close one. Last season, they dropped four straight games by a combined nine points.

Up next

California: Hosts Duke on Saturday night.

Boston College: Visits Pittsburgh on Saturday at noon.

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