SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. - Justin Bethel (Blythewood, S.C.) offered several highlights for the Blue Hose, giving them their only scores of the game with a blocked punt for a touchdown and an interception return for another, as the Presbyterian College football team fell to the California Bears, 63-12, in action in front of 33,952 fans this afternoon at AT&T Park in San Francisco, Calif.
The 63-12 loss was the largest for PC since a 66-12 setback at Elon Sept. 13, 2008.
The Blue Hose, 1-2 overall, next travel to Furman Saturday, Sept. 24 for a 1 p.m. (EST) game in Greenville, S.C. California, which improves to 3-0, heads to Washington for a 12:30 p.m. (PT) contest.
After both teams' first drives resulted in punts PC started its second at its own six-yard line. The Blue Hose offense went backwards and were forced to punt, giving the Bears the ball at the 50-yard line. California capitalized on solid field position and scored four plays later, off a nine yard run by C.J. Anderson, to give the Bears the 7-0 lead with 5:56 remaining in the first.
A Blue Hose interception ended PC's next drive and responded with its second touchdown, this one coming off a one-yard rush by Isi Sofele with 4:23 on the clock in the first.
Cal scored on its next two possessions to take a 28-0 lead with 12:29 in the second, before PC preserved its 54-game non-shutout streak with a blocked punt. Justin Bethel blocked his first punt of the season and seventh of his career and ran it back for PC's first score. The extra point was unsuccessful as PC trailed 28-6.
Bethel proved to be the impact player of the first half after he snagged his sixth career interception, ending a Cal drive at its own 29-yard line. He ran it back for a touchdown, his second of the game, giving the Blue Hose 12 points. The Blue Hose failed to convert a two-point conversion as Cal led 35-12 with 3:03 on the clock.
The Bears answered right back, scoring its sixth touchdown of the game, this on off a 21-yard pass to Keenan Allen, to give Cal, after the extra point was good, the 42-12 lead with 12:08 before intermission. That is how the first half would come to a close, with California leading 42-12.
California opened the second half with an 88-yard kickoff return by Brendan Bigelow to take the early 49-12 lead. The Bears made it 56-12 roughly seven minutes later off a six-yard rush by Covaughn DeBoskie-Johnson and a good PAT at the 7:50 mark.
The third quarter saw the Bears score on every possession, the last coming with 39 ticks left on the clock off a seven-yard rush by Dasart Yarnway, to give the Bears the 63-12 lead heading into the final stanza.
The fourth quarter was a little bit slower as neither team scored to make the final 63-12 in favor of California.
Demarcus Rouse (North Augusta, S.C.) led the Blue Hose on the ground, posting 23 yards off seven carries. Receiving it was Jeremiah McKie (Simpsonville, S.C.) who had one catch for 10 yards. Cedric Byrd and Bethel each recorded eight tackles on the afternoon, while CeeJay Harris (Long Beach, Calif.) added seven.
Bethel moved to fifth in the Big South in blocks and is now tied for first in the league in interceptions this season with his third this afternoon.
Sofele led California with 105 yards on the ground with two touchdowns, while Marvin Jones had 123 in the air with a TD as well. California QB Zach Maynard went 15-for-25 with one interception, while PC's Ryan Singer (Dunedin, Fla.) was four-for-14 with two picks.
PC had three first downs, compared to 27 for the Bears. The Blue Hose totaled 20 yards on the ground while Cal had 285. In the air it was PC with 28 and California with 296. In all, the Bears racked up 581 yards of offense, while the Blue Hose were held to 48.
