Football’s stirring rally comes up just short in 45-44 loss to Cal

Saturday, September 19

Austin, Texas

6:30 p.m.

University of Texas

1-2

California

3-0

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

California

Texas

Football’s stirring rally comes up just short in 45-44 loss to Cal

09.19.2015 | Football

Box Score

Jerrod Heard sets a new UT single-game total offense record with 527 yards (364 passing/163 rushing)

Postgame Notes
Quotes: Texas | Cal
Photo gallery | Longhorns Gameweek

AUSTIN, Texas — Despite a school single-game total offense record of 527 yards from redshirt freshman quarterback Jerrod Heard, a furious fourth-quarter Texas rally came up just short on Saturday night in front of 91,568 fans at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium, as the Longhorns fell to California, 45-44.

UT had nearly fought its way out of a 21-point fourth quarter hole, with Heard scampering 45 yards for a TD with 1:11 left on the clock, before missing what would have been the game-tying extra point.

Heard was magnificent for the Burnt Orange & White, throwing for 364 yards and rushing for 163 more (three rushing scores) to break the old single-game total offense mark of 506 yards set by Vince Young at Oklahoma State in 2005. The 300-yard passing/100-yard rushing effort also marked the first for Texas since Colt McCoy threw for 304 and rushed for 175 against Texas A&M on Nov. 26, 2009.

Senior wide receiver Daje Johnson set a new career high for receiving yards with five catches for 145 yards, while sophomore running back D'Onta Foreman (47 yards rushing, TD) and senior running back Johnathan Gray (46 yards rushing, two TD's) combined for three rushing scores. Gray also managed a career-high 71 yards receiving on four catches.

The two teams combined for 1,198 total yards with the Longhorns out-gaining the Golden Bears by a 650-548 total. UT's offensive output, on 286 yards rushing and 364 yards passing, proved good enough to rate eighth all-time in program history.

In the wild contest, it was Cal's offense that got on the board first with 8:49 left in the first quarter as quarterback Jared Goff scrambled out of the pocket to his left and hit wide receiver Maurice Harris for a six-yard touchdown and a 7-0 advantage. The Bears helped their own cause during the 11-play, 64-yard drive with a pair of lengthy third-down conversions on a 12-yard Goff rush on third-and-10 and a 22-yard pass to Stephen Anderson on third-and-7.

The Longhorns answered right back on their next drive as Heard led UT 76 yards in eight plays, finishing things off with his legs by diving inside the right pylon from two yards out. The redshirt freshman QB made two key plays during the drive with a conversion of a third-and-20 situation on a 45-yard pass to Johnson and a 26-yard toss to Gray to the two-yard line.

With the Bears again threatening inside the 10 late in the opening quarter, Cal's Khalfani Muhammad found a hole over the right side. Texas safety Kevin Vaccaro met the running back violently at the three-yard line, forcing a drive-killing fumble that was recovered in the end zone by UT sophomore cornerback Antwuan Davis.

Heard and Johnson soon hooked up on another big third down play as the latter pulled down a long pass and wove his way through defenders for 54 yards to the Cal 23. From there, Texas moved down to the Bears' seven-yard line before the drive stalled, calling on Nick Rose for a 27-yard field goal to push the Longhorns to a 10-7 advantage with 12:52 remaining in the first half.

The lead changed hands again just 2:52 later as Cal's Goff concluded an eight-play, 75-yard drive on a 17-yard, fourth-and-three scoring toss to Kenny Lawler.

With the Longhorns facing a 14-10 deficit and backed up to their own five-yard line following the kickoff, Heard's running ability again helped the Longhorns out of a hole as the Denton, Texas, native scrambled 34 yards on second-and-13. From there, a 15-yard Gray jaunt, a 43-yard pass down the right sideline to freshman receiver John Burt and a four-yard Gray TD rush combined to push Texas back in front, 17-14.

Another Golden Bear fumble, this one forced by Texas senior defensive end Shiro Davis on a sack at the Cal 13, was picked up by senior defensive tackle Desmond Jackson and returned to the six. With 1:32 remaining on the first half clock, Gray made it two rushing scores, strolling untouched up the middle on the first play following the turnover for a 24-14 lead.

Cal made the most of the final 92 seconds of the first half, however, utilizing a one-yard Vic Enwere scoring run and a 34-yard Matt Anderson field goal to send the teams to the break knotted at 24-all.

The two offenses combined to gain 654 yards over the opening 30 minutes of action with Texas managing 317 yards on 222 passing & 95 rushing.

Out of the locker room, a Texas fumble on the Longhorns' opening drive handed the Golden Bears momentum and solid field position at the UT 42. It took eight plays for Cal to locate the end zone with Enwere scoring on a one-yard rush at 11:08.

The Golden Bears soon extended their lead to 45-24 with 1:16 left in the third quarter by virtue of a three-yard scoring toss from Goff to Lawler and a 74-yard Muhammad TD run.

The Longhorns refused to fold, however, cutting their deficit to a pair of scores with 13:24 left in the game as Heard finished off a six-play, 75-yard drive with an impressive 13-yard TD scamper.

The Burnt Orange rally continued as a 27-yard TD run from sophomore running back D'Onta Foreman with three minutes remaining completed an impressive 11-play, 92-yard drive as UT clawed with seven.

Another stop by Texas' defense granted the Horns the chance they needed for a final drive with 1:51 on the clock.

Consecutive completions to Gray and sophomore wide receiver Armanti Foreman set Texas up just into Cal territory. That's when Heard launched the Burnt Orange crowd into hysterics, breaking free for a 45-yard TD run to bring the Longhorns within one point. Unfortunately, the extra-point attempt went awry and Cal recovered a subsequent onside kick to seal a 45-44 victory

Texas completes its season-long, three-game home stand on Sat., Sept. 26, by hosting Oklahoma State at DKR – Texas Memorial Stadium in the Big 12 Conference opener for both teams. Kickoff is set for 2:30 p.m. Central, and the game will be televised nationally by ESPN.