California Head Coach Sonny Dykes 

General comments:
"It was a heck of a football game, unfortunately, we came out on the wrong end of it. I thought, from a fan's perspective, it was a fun game to watch. Exciting, certainly indicative of some of the games we've had this year. It seems like there were a lot of ballgames that really came down to the last possession of the game. We won some and we lost some. You've become a good football team when you can win them all, that's something that we're going to strive to do. We were close this year at times to really becoming a good football team, but ultimately just couldn't. We made too many mistakes to overcome it, and that cost us tonight. We gave up too many big plays, defensively. We had a hard time stopping them at the end of the ballgame. I think it's pretty obvious what we have to improve. We've certainly got to get better on the backend of our defense. We know that. We'll work very hard to do that with our players. We'll address some of those issues with recruiting and just continue to develop the players that we have, and that's something that obviously we have to improve on. I told the guys after the game I was really proud of them. Our seniors have been through a lot. If you look at a guy like Austin Clark that has been here six years in the program, a lot of the other guys have been here  five years. To go through what they've been through, I couldn't be more proud of their character, who they are, what they stand for and the way they conducted themselves this year. I was really fortunate to have a chance to work with them for two years. It was a disappointing game, couldn't figure out a way to win it down the stretch."

On what it was like the locker room after the game:
"I think everybody associated with our program has worked incredibly hard. To come from where we came from last year to get to this point, where were playing for bowl eligibility, again, I think it's a real credit to the players, their work ethic, their perseverance and they invested a lot. I don't know if I've ever seen a group deal with more adversity then this group has, and they just kept working. The reason they're so disappointed is because of that. They've invested a lot. They love this University and they've invested a lot in this football team. It's hard to come up just a little bit short."

On possibly going for it on the fourth-and-one in Cal territory:
"Yeah, looking back obviously I wish I had, but that's one of those things that if you don't get it, you'll probably lose the ballgame. We punted it down and wanted to make them drive, and to their credit, they did, and so I wish we had. Just like anything else, if it had worked then, we would have held them and we would have been glad to do that. But it didn't work so that's on me."

On being so close to getting that sixth win:
"It's tough for me. I think getting over the hump in college football is a hard thing to do, and we had opportunities to do it this year, just didn't get it done. As a program, we just have to keep improving and getting better. We'll start working on that on Monday. Our guys will get back in the weight room and continue to get bigger and stronger and faster, which we need to do. We'll leave tomorrow and start recruiting. That'll be a primary focus for us. Again, we know we have some areas on our football team that we need to get addressed in recruiting and guys will be on the road doing that tomorrow. But, yeah the last couple weeks have been tough. We knew looking at the schedule it was a back-loaded schedule. We were going to play a lot of good football teams down the stretch, and we needed to win some ballgames and we weren't able to get it done."

Cal Players

Stefan McClure, S

On how the team feels right now:
“It's disappointing. You work so hard in the offseason. You work so hard during fall camp, spring ball, summer, fall camp. We're working hard during the season. To come up short is real disappointing. But I couldn't be more proud of my teammates – just the way they fought every single game. We fought all the way to the last play. We went out swinging. It's tough to work so hard and come up short. But I wouldn't have wanted to go through this season with any other guys.”

On how the team feels right now:
“It's silent. We had a goal at the start of the season. The first goal was to make a bowl game, and then work from there. We fell short of our No. 1 goal. That's why we put in all the hard work. It's heartbreaking, especially the way it came down to the last drive.”

On BYU's final touchdown:
“It just comes down to being disciplined and just making all our checks and everyone being on the same page. All 11 have to be on the same page, and on that play we didn't get all 11 on the same page. It happened throughout the game numerous times. It's just communicating. We didn't get that done today.”

On the defense's struggles against the pass this season:
“I'm not really discouraged. We just have to get better. It's motivating to get better. It's a challenge. We all like a challenge. That's why we came to Cal. The No. 1 university in the world – it's a challenge in the classroom and it's also a challenge on the field. I know all those games in that secondary room are taking it as a challenge. We're going to be ready to go next year.”

On the defense's struggles against the pass this season:
“I'm not really discouraged. We just have to get better. It's motivating to get better. It's a challenge. We all like a challenge. That's why we came to Cal. The No. 1 university in the world – it's a challenge in the classroom and it's also a challenge on the field. I know all those players in that secondary room are taking it as a challenge. We're going to be ready to go next year.”

Jared Goff, QB

On what was going through his mind after the game ended:
“Obviously, very disappointed. It's hard to take in right now. At that time, we were all just really disappointed.”

On Cal's last possession of the game:
“We didn't have any timeouts left, so they had a good feeling that we had to pass the ball. They played good coverage and dropped a lot of people. I was trying to find a hole in there, trying to throw it up to Kenny (Lawler) and see if he could make a play.”

On putting the season in perspective:“It's hard right now to put it in perspective. Obviously, the wins and losses increased. It was a good season for us to do a lot of things to give us some confidence. Obviously, we had so many chances to win a game and put us over the hump and put us into a bowl game. But so many players from top to bottom did so many great things that we're going to have coming back next year. That's going to give us some confidence going into the offseason.”

On playing in another close game:
“I love those games. They're fun. Every play matters. Hats off to BYU. They played a great game. They had a good defensive scheme for us. They really played well.”

On how this season will help build the program next season:
“There are just so many players that did great things. Just seeing the progression of so many guys is just so encouraging. Obviously, we're extremely disappointed and could have and probably should have had at least six wins this year. We had plenty of opportunities to do it. That's probably the most frustrating thing. With all those opportunities, we weren't able to capitalize. Honestly, moving forward that is something that may be a good thing for us. In the future, when we get in similar situations when it's down to the wire and we need a big play, we've been there before. We're going to be able to make that play.”

BYU Head Coach Bronco Mendenhall

General Comments:
“Great college football game today. Those that had a chance to witness that as the last game of November, that's what it's supposed to look like. Two teams trying as hard as they can try and fighting as hard as they can fight. We made one more play, and I'm proud of our coaches, proud of our team and so happy for the resiliency that they've shown. I'm glad to see they're rewarded for their efforts. Couldn't be happier right now for our team. I really thought Christian Stewart did a phenomenal job today as our quarterback. We thought the game might be a one-possession game and that's just about what it turned out to be. There were all kinds of good plays all over the field on both sides, and just a great game. I credit Coach Dykes and the progress he's made with his team from last year to this year, especially the offensive firepower and the execution that they have.”

On stopping Cal on final drive:
“Up until that point, their receivers had made critical catches to keep drives alive on third and sometimes fourth down. At the end of the day, our guys in the secondary made plays. We dropped eight four straight times. We got just enough pressure, the secondary held and made critical plays at the right time, and that's what I'll remember.”

On sustaining drives:
“We knew this was going to be a game that we would have to keep answering. When you're able to sustain drives and move the ball the length of the field a number of times, those things are very difficult to do. It had to happen for us to win. To our coaches and players, give them credit. They had to execute well enough for that to happen.”

On Jordan Leslie:
“It was just a matter of what the defense gave us on that particular play. They weren't necessarily Jordan Leslie feature plays, and so it was nice to see Jordan become healthier than he's been. For a long time you've seen him have kind of a slight limp out there and he looked fast tonight. He looked closer to full speed, which he's really dangerous when he's close to full speed.”

BYU Players

Christian Stewart, QB

Thoughts on winning the game
“We have learned from it and we have grown. We battled and we fought hard. We were able to do enough on the offensive end to do it”

On beating a Pac-12 team
“It means a lot, obviously, because we are an independent team which people say can they compete with some of these better conferences. I was happy we were able to come out and compete against a high-power offense that scores a lot of points, and our defense was able to really hold them. I thought they did a great job. It really shows that we can play with anybody in the country. It shows we are really clicking on all cylinders.”

On how this win changes preparation for the bowl game:
“I think this just gives us a lot of confidence. We can play anybody. We can beat anybody.”

On the tumultuous nature of the game:
“That is football and that is life. You are going to have rocky roads no matter who you are. Look at Tom Brady and Peyton Manning, they throw picks and they have fumbles. It is what you do and how you respond to those moments that really show your character. I am happy tonight that we were able to keep our character and bounce back from some really bad mistakes, some of the worst mistakes I have made thus far in my career here at BYU.”

Jordan Leslie, WR

On the two touchdowns in the fourth quarter:
 “Inside of me, I was screaming 'Stewart, throw me the ball'. He saw me and he is a great quarterback, has that vision, and was able to get it to me”

On the recovery from the goal line fumble:
“It lifts you up to know we can a mistake. It was a mistake on our offense by everybody. To come out, and our defense gets a stop. it gives us confidence. I know our defense has confidence in us and we have confidence in our defense”

On Mike Davis
“He is just as fast, maybe even faster. I don't admit that to most people”

 Michael Davis, FC

On the intensity of the game:
"It was pretty intense. Coach prepared us hard enough for it, we came out and we executed”

On finishing with a win
“The coach wanted it, the players wanted it and we came to play”