Bryant Wesco Jr. returned a punt for a touchdown and Gideon Davidson rushed for a career-high 159 yards and two scores to help Clemson produce a 24-10 victory over Cal on Friday night in Atlantic Coast Conference play at Berkeley, Calif.
Wesco’s 65-yard return in the third quarter broke a 10-10 tie as the Tigers (3-1, 2-0 ACC) won their third straight game. It marked the first time Clemson scored on a punt return since Amari Rodgers took one back 58 yards against Boston College on Nov. 10, 2018.
Davidson’s second touchdown was a 75-yard dash to give the Tigers a 24-10 advantage with 2:58 remaining in the game. Tait Reynolds completed 13 of 21 passes for 108 yards and one interception in his second career start for the Tigers. Clemson’s Elliot Washington II had two interceptions.
Kamar Mothudi scored on a fumble return for the Golden Bears (2-2, 1-1), which had a two-game winning streak snapped. Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele connected on 16 of 29 passes for 119 yards and two interceptions.
Cal standout running back Adam Mohammed had 81 scrimmage yards (51 rushing, 30 receiving) before exiting on the first drive of the second half. He was later seen with a brace on his left knee while testing it on the sideline before being officially ruled out in the fourth quarter.
Wesco was running forward in the third quarter as he fielded a 39-yard punt from Cal’s Angus Davies at the Clemson 35. He veered to his left and soon had lots of room down the sideline. Teammate Ashton Hampton blocked Davies at the Golden Bears’ 33-yard line, and Wesco finished off the 65-yard return to give the Tigers a 17-10 lead with 3:57 left in the period.
Cal later punted the ball and Davies pinned Clemson back at its own 2 with 5:30 remaining in the contest. Davidson had a 17-yard run on second down to get the Tigers out of the hole. Then on third-and-8 from the 25, Davidson took the ball on a draw play and was quickly in the clear by the 35. He finished off the jaunt to give Clemson a 14-point lead with 2:59 remaining.
The Golden Bears struck on the defensive end in the opening quarter when Reynolds scrambled to his right and lost the ball while being sacked by Aiden Manutai. Mothudi scooped it up and raced 35 yards for a touchdown with 5:15 left in the period.
Clemson’s Nolan Hauser kicked a 30-yard field goal on the first play of the second quarter. Later in the period, Davidson scored from the 1 on a direct snap for a 10-7 lead with 5:37 left.
The Golden Bears tied the score on Chase Meyer’s 30-yard field goal with 9:23 left in the third quarter.
