BERKELEY, Calif. — J’Mari Taylor ran for two touchdowns as No. 15 Virginia extended a winning streak to seven games for the first time since 2007 by beating California 31-21 Saturday.

Taylor scored on two of the first three drives of the game to get the Cavaliers (8-1, 5-0 Atlantic Coast Conference) off to a fast start in their first meeting with the Golden Bears (5-4, 2-3).

“It’s the month of November, right?” UVA coach Tony Elliott said. “The way we kind of outline our season, this is go time. This is where we got to be trying to to prime up and get rolling on all cylinders. It was important for them to get off to a fast start and put together some drives and score some points.”

Virginia held on from there, getting a 35-yard interception return for a touchdown by Kam Robinson with 34 seconds left in a win that lifted the Cavaliers to their first 8-1 start to a season since 1990.

“Everyone calls them the Cardiac Cavs,” Elliott said. “But really it’s a mindset. These guys believe. They’re going to find a way to win. It’s a mindset. Then because of that mindset, they’re able to go out and just find a way.”

Kendrick Raphael scored three TDs for the Bears, who have lost 14 straight games against AP Top 25 opponents since beating No. 21 Oregon in 2020.

Cal got back into the game with a trick play midway through the third quarter. Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele threw a lateral to tight end Mason Mini, who then passed to Raphael open downfield for a 42-yard score that cut Virginia’s lead to 17-14.

But Chandler Morris and the Cavaliers responded with a 75-yard drive capped by Eli Wood’s 3-yard touchdown run.

Virginia wide receiver Eli Wood reacts after catching a pass for a first down during the first half Saturday. Godofredo A. Vásquez/AP

Raphael scored again on a 1-yard run after a shanked punt gave Cal the ball at the Virginia 25, making it a three-point game early in the fourth quarter.

The Bears failed to move the ball on their next two drives, and then Sagapolutele’s late interception ended any comeback hopes.

“The ‘want-to’ and the effort was there, but we missed out on some opportunities,” Cal coach Justin Wilcox said. “On defense it was the third downs, offense we had a couple we didn’t quite connect on. Ultimately against a team like that, you have to make those, and we didn’t do that.”

The takeaway

Virginia: After two overtime victories and two more wins by a combined three points in the past four games, the Cavaliers had a slightly easier time of it against Cal. They could have won by even more if not for Will Bettridge missing a 48-yard field goal on the final play of the first half and a fake field-goal rush getting stopped on the opening possession of the third quarter.

California: After a promising 5-2 start, the Bears have lost back-to-back games for the first time this season and now need one win in the final three games — including tough matchups against No. 16 Louisville and SMU — just to get bowl-eligible.

Up next

Virginia: Hosts Wake Forest at 7 p.m. Saturday on ESPN.

California: Visits Louisville at 7 p.m. Saturday.

https://www.pilotonline.com/2025/11/01/no-15-uva-turns-back-cal-runs-winning-streak-to-7/