Bears Pull Out Gutsy Victory Over Virginia Tech

Saturday, October 10

Berkeley, Calif.

12:30 PM

California

3-3 , 2-1

Virginia Tech

4-2 , 1-2

Team	1st	2nd	3rd	4th	Final F
Virginia Tech	0	14	0	6	20
California	0	10	3	12	25

Carson Perry-Smith caught a 3-yard touchdown pass late in the fourth quarter.

Photo by: Brianna Ali/Cal Athletics

10/10/2026 5:27 PM | Football

Box Score Postgame Notes

Emory's Late TD, Sydney's Pass Break-Up Lifts Cal

By: Cal Athletics

BERKELEY – Ashten Emory scored on a 2-yard touchdown run with 18 seconds remaining and safety Cam Sydney broke up a pass on the game's final play, helping the California football team polish off a gutsy 25-20 victory over visiting Virginia Tech on Saturday afternoon at Databricks Field at California Memorial Stadium.

Emory's rough-and-tumble scoring run to give the Golden Bears (3-3, 2-1 ACC) the lead for good capped an efficient 57-second drive engineered by backup quarterback Jackson Brousseau, who helped Cal cover 75 yards on six plays. The Hokies, who were a last-second missed field goal away last week from entering Saturday's game undefeated, quickly drove down field to the Bears' 7-yard line, but Sydney broke up a pass intended for tight end Luke Reynolds in the end zone as time expired.

Brousseau, playing in place of injured starter Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele, was an efficient 29-for-43 for 321 yards and a touchdown with no interceptions while Emory, who saw an increased workload Saturday while starting running back Adam Mohammed missed his second straight game due to injury, registered 76 total yards and two touchdowns.

Wide receivers Chase Hendricks (7-94) and Ian Strong (5-97) each went over 90 yards receiving in the victory.

The Bears' defense, who was also missing key players, recorded nine tackles for loss.

Emory also scored on a 5-yard touchdown run in the second quarter and Towns McGough converted on a pair of field goals and the Hokies led 14-13 at the end of the third quarter. Carson Perry-Smith put Cal in front with an acrobatic touchdown catch on a pivotal third-down play from the Virginia Tech 3 with 4:12 remaining before the Hokies went back in front 20-19.

The Bears are back at Databricks Field at California Memorial Stadium next Saturday when they host Wake Forest in another ACC showdown at 7:30 p.m. The game will air on either ESPN or ESPN 2.