BERKELEY, Calif. (Interstat) — Clemson leaned on a productive rushing attack and a timely punt return to defeat California 24-10 on Friday at California Memorial Stadium. The Tigers improved to 3-1, while the Golden Bears fell to 2-2. Clemson scored 10 points in the first quarter, seven in the second and seven in the third. California scored seven in the first and three in the second. The visiting Tigers controlled the line of scrimmage for much of the game and made enough chunk plays to keep the Golden Bears from mounting a comeback.

Gideon Davidson powered Clemson on the ground, finishing with 22 carries for 159 yards and two touchdowns. The 6-foot, 200-pound running back from Lynchburg, Virginia, also caught one pass for 2 yards. His 75-yard touchdown run highlighted the Tigers’ ability to break through California’s defense. Tait Reynolds managed the offense with 13 completions in 21 attempts for 108 yards, and he added 11 rushing attempts for 28 yards. Jarvis Green contributed 7 carries for 31 yards, while Chris Johnson Jr. had 5 carries for 16 yards, one reception for 2 yards and three kickoff returns for 67 yards. Tyler Brown added a 27-yard run and three receptions for 29 yards.

Clemson spread the ball among its receiving options. T.J. Moore caught three passes for 24 yards. Olsen Patt-Henry had one reception for 22 yards. Bryant Wesco Jr. recorded three receptions for 22 yards, returned two punts for 72 yards and scored on a punt return. Christian Bentancur added one catch for 7 yards. The Tigers also got production from their specialists. Nolan Hauser handled kicking duties, while Jack Smith punted three times for 101 yards. Clemson’s defense helped set the tone, and the team’s special teams delivered one of the game’s biggest plays.

California’s offense was led by quarterback Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele, a 6-foot-3, 225-pound passer from Ewa Beach, Hawaii, who completed 16 of 29 passes for 119 yards. Adam Mohammed rushed 13 times for 51 yards and caught three passes for 30 yards. Ashten Emory added 7 carries for 31 yards and two receptions for 11 yards. Ian Strong caught three passes for 44 yards, and Chase Hendricks had four receptions for 37 yards. Dorian Thomas added one catch for 7 yards, and Jordan King had one reception for 2 yards. Mason Mini completed his only pass for 26 yards, rushed twice for 4 yards and caught three passes for 14 yards. Dominic Ingrassia rushed twice for 7 yards. Angus Davies punted three times for 124 yards, and California recorded one punt for 66 yards.

Defensively, Clemson received a balanced effort. Corey Myrick, a 6-foot-1, 182-pound safety from Cincinnati, Ohio, made eight tackles, as did Jerome Carter III and Sammy Brown. Ronan Hanafin added six tackles and one quarterback hurry. London Merritt recorded five tackles and one sack, while Jeremiah Alexander had five tackles and half a sack. Ashton Hampton, Amare Adams and Jahiem Lawson each finished with three tackles. Donovan Starr and Will Heldt added two tackles apiece. Champ Thompson had two tackles and half a sack, and Darien Mayo and Andy Burburija each made one tackle. Elliot Washington II intercepted two passes, helping Clemson protect its lead.

California’s defense got a game-high tying effort from Kingston Lopa and Isaiah Crosby, who each made 11 tackles. Crosby also intercepted a pass. Tristan Jernigan recorded seven tackles, and Kamar Mothudi had six. Jericho Johnson added five tackles. AJ Tuitele made four tackles and one sack, while Solomon Williams and JD McKinley each had four tackles. McKinley also recorded one quarterback hurry. Justin Beadles made four tackles. Niles Davis returned one kickoff for 12 yards. The Golden Bears limited some of Clemson’s possessions but could not consistently slow the Tigers’ running game.

The game unfolded with Clemson building a lead through steady scoring. The Tigers scored 10 points in the first quarter, then added seven in the second and seven in the third. California scored seven in the first and three in the second. Clemson’s special teams delivered a key moment when Bryant Wesco Jr. returned a punt 65 yards for a touchdown after an Angus Davies punt. Gideon Davidson’s 1-yard touchdown run and Nolan Hauser’s extra point added to the Tigers’ advantage. Hauser made a 30-yard field goal and later missed from 48 yards. California’s Chase Meyer made a 30-yard field goal and missed from 51 yards. The Golden Bears moved the ball at times but were held without a second-half touchdown.

Special teams and turnovers shaped the outcome. Wesco’s 65-yard punt return for a touchdown gave Clemson a cushion, and Washington’s two interceptions helped the Tigers keep California from finding a rhythm. Crosby’s interception was one of the few bright spots for the Golden Bears’ defense. Neither team generated much through the air, as Sagapolutele and Reynolds combined for 227 passing yards. Clemson instead leaned on Davidson and a rushing attack that produced 159 yards from its lead back. Green and Johnson added complementary carries, and Brown’s 27-yard run gave Clemson another chunk play on the ground. California’s Mohammed and Emory combined for 82 rushing yards, but the Golden Bears could not finish drives with touchdowns.

Clemson entered the game with a 2-1 record after wins over North Carolina and Georgia Southern and a loss at LSU. California entered at 2-1 after victories over Wagner and Syracuse and a loss to UCLA. The result gave the Tigers a road victory in nonconference play and dropped the Golden Bears back to .500. Clemson is scheduled to host Miami next, while California is set to visit UNLV.

Interstat’s game simulator had projected a final score of Clemson 29, California 24. Interstat’s ELO system had projected Clemson with a 77.7 percent probability to win. California had been installed as a pregame favorite with a spread of minus 2.5. The total score of 34 went over the over/under line of 51.5.