Fernando Mendoza throws for career-high 364 yards as Cal routs Oregon State 44-7

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BERKELEY, Calif. (AP) Fernando Mendoza passed for two touchdowns and a career-high 364 yards, and California beat Oregon State 44-7 on Saturday to snap a four-game losing skid.

Cal (4-4) led 31-0 at halftime and also saw star running back Jaydn Ott return after missing the previous two games with an ankle injury. The Bears, who entered the game having dropped their last four games by a combined nine points, left little doubt about Saturday’s victory.

Cal head coach Justin Wilcox spoke to his team last night about building confidence, given how demoralizing four straight close losses can be psychologically.

“I’m proud of the way the guys responded,” Wilcox said. “I think after four tough losses like that, there’s people out there that would crumble and wouldn’t be able to bounce back. So I’m really, really proud and pleased in the guys for battling back and believing in themselves and their teammates.”

The Bears scored on their first drive when Mendoza caught an alert lateral from Jaivian Thomas as his running back was being tackled after a dump-off pass, and ran for a 9-yard touchdown - though he received credit for a touchdown pass. After an Oregon State three-and-out, Mendoza led the Bears back down the field in three plays, finding Nyziah Hunter for a 20-yard touchdown.

“It was just four close games, and we were playing so much good football,” Mendoza said. “It was so frustrating. However, now that we’re able to finally, instead of just talk the talk, walk the walk, we’re going to have great momentum into the bye week and our last four games.”

Thomas’ 2-yard touchdown scamper in the second quarter and a 2-point conversion put Cal in front by four scores. Placekicker Derek Morris, who missed a potential game-winning 24-yard field goal last week against North Carolina State, made all five of his field goal attempts to tie a school record.

“It’s not like this game, everybody played out of their minds and is making one handed grabs and it’s just superhuman effort,” Wilcox said. “It’s just playing really good football, and that’s what we want to do at a really high rate. And we did it much better today.”

Mendoza was one yard shy of a 300-yard passing first half, and finished with a career-high passer rating of 178.3. Cal's 31-point halftime lead was its largest since 2015.

Ott, who led the Pac-12 last year with 1,305 rushing yards, had 10 carries for 11 yards. He had a dynamic 22-yard touchdown in which he eluded several potential tacklers called back in the third quarter after replay determined he was down by contact.

Oregon State (4-4) cycled through three different quarterbacks as starter Gevani McCoy struggled. The Beavers have lost three straight after a 4-1 start to the season, and were held in the first half to 82 yards of offense and just four first downs. Backup quarterback Ben Gulbranson, who replaced McCoy, was 11 of 20 for 131 yards and a touchdown.

Beavers coach Trent Bray said the team didn't coach or play well, and called the loss unacceptable.

“We lost two close ones that we could have had, and then came out and didn’t play well tonight,” Bray said. “So it’s frustrating because we’re better than our record, and we need to play to that standard.”

The two former Pac-12 foes played a non-conference game for the first time since 1960, with Cal moving to the ACC.

Oregon State: The Beavers dropped each of their last two games by one possession, but were not competitive on Saturday. McCoy, a transfer from Idaho, was benched in favor of Gulbranson after a 2-of-5 start and an interception, signaling a possible quarterback change moving forward. Third string quarterback Gabarri Johnson also appeared in a couple of plays.

California: The Bears, who have also played better than their record indicates, were finally able to sustain a 60-minute effort in a convincing win after four straight crushing losses.

Oregon State: Is off next week before hosting San Jose State on Nov. 9.

California: Is off next week before playing at Wake Forest on Nov. 8.

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AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-football.