Cal football wins opener in Australia

California Golden Bears players reach up to touch the trophy presented to them ofter defeating the Hawaii Rainbow Warriors at the end the opening game of the USA college football season at Sydney’s Olympic stadium in Sydney, Saturday, Aug. 27, 2016.

The Golden Bears came into the contest as three touchdown favorites and they didn’t disappoint the gathering “down under” as senior transfer quarterback Davis Webb showed why his an National Football League prospect with an outstanding. Cal came into the contest without their top six leading wide receivers form previous year, but appear to have found a weapon in junior Chad Hansen who made a big impact in the contest with 14 receptions for 160 yards and two touchdowns.

The Rainbow Warriors are without three players for Friday’s season opener in Sydney, Australia due to disciplinary reasons. 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 decisive period of the game came early, with Cal’s offense taking control of the game in an advantageous four minutes at the end of the second quarter. Given the second chance, the Bears moved across midfield and produced a field goal by Matt Anderson for a 20-14 lead. Right there to recover the tricky kick-off by Hawaii was a Mission Prep alum and San Luis Obispo native – Cal running back Patrick Laird.

Told he had 441 yards passing – 38 for 54, with no interceptions – Webb said dryly: “Yeah, it was OK, I’m just glad we got the victory”.

The high-octane Bears started slowly but found their groove in the second quarter and thumped lowly Hawaii 51-31 at ANZ Stadium in Sydney in the first college football game played in Australia in three decades.

With this game in the books, there’s just one week until the rest of the college football season gets underway.

The drive was cut short after Cal forced a fumble, punching the ball of the hand of Saint Juste and ending any hope that Hawaii had left. Webb played in 23 games with 14 starts at Texas Tech and had career totals of 5,557 yards and 46 touchdowns.

Rainbow Warriors quarterback Ikaika Woolsey was 17 of 34 for 234 yards passing with one TD and one interception.