Sonny Dykes and Cal are 1-0 to start the season after downing Hawaii. Photo Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports
Senior quarterback Davis Webb passed for four touchdowns and rushed for one in his California debut and junior receiver Chad Hansen had the best game of his career as the Golden Bears rolled to a 51-31 nonconference victory over Hawaii in college football’s season opener at Sydney, Australia, on Saturday afternoon.
Webb, a transfer from Texas Tech, was 38-of-54 passing for 441 yards in his first game as the replacement for No. 1 overall NFL pick Jared Goff. Hansen, who caught 19 passes last season, rolled up 14 receptions for 160 yards and two touchdowns to help Cal roll up 630 offensive yards.
Senior quarterback Ikaika Woolsey passed for 234 yards and one touchdown for the Rainbow Warriors, who committed three turnovers while playing their first game under new coach and former Hawaii quarterback Nick Rolovich. Junior running back Diocemy Saint Juste rushed for 118 yards and one touchdown, while senior running back Steven Lakalaka added a rushing score and senior receiver Marcus Kemp notched a scoring reception.
The Golden Bears rolled up 347 first-half yards and scored 17 points over the final four minutes of the first half to take a 34-14 lead and essentially put the game away.
Junior kicker Matt Anderson kicked a 22-yard field goal — one of three he made — with exactly four minutes left to give Cal a six-point lead. Hawaii junior returner Keelan Ewaliko fumbled the ensuing kickoff and Golden Bears sophomore Trey Turner recovered the ball at the Rainbow Warriors’ 34-yard line.
On the next player, Webb threw a receiver screen to Hansen, who navigated his way through traffic and down the right sideline to make it 27-14 with 3:43 left. Webb added a 4-yard scoring run with seven seconds remaining to give Cal a 20-point halftime advantage.
Webb’s 14-yard touchdown pass to freshman receiver Melqui Stovall made it 41-17 with 8:18 left in the third quarter. Lakalaka scored on a 4-yard run with 2:04 left in the third quarter to get the Rainbow Warriors back within 17 but Webb’s 33-yard scoring pass to junior receiver Jordan Veasy made it 51-24 with 7:01 remaining.
The teams combined for 31 first-quarter points with senior running back Khalfani Muhammad scoring on a 34-yard run and Webb throwing a 17-yard scoring pass to Hansen for the Golden Bears. Woolsey tossed a 39-yard scoring pass to Kemp and Saint Juste scored on a 53-yard run for Hawaii.
The contest was the third major-college football game played in Australia, and the first since 1987.
