BERKELEY (Interstat) — California used a late touchdown run by Ashten Emory and a productive passing day from Jackson Brousseau to defeat Virginia Tech 25-20 on Saturday at California Memorial Stadium. The Golden Bears improved to 3-3, while the Hokies slipped to 4-2. The Bowl Division game drew an attendance of 40,170.

Virginia Tech’s first scoring opportunity ended when John Love missed a 55-yard field goal in the first quarter. The Hokies broke through in the second quarter when Ethan Grunkemeyer hit Ayden Greene for a 30-yard touchdown. California answered with a 5-yard touchdown run by Ashten Emory and a Towns McGough extra point. Virginia Tech moved back ahead on Marcellous Hawkins Jr.’s 3-yard touchdown run, and Love added the extra point. McGough pulled California closer with a 35-yard field goal before halftime. McGough connected again from 22 yards in the third quarter. In the fourth quarter, Love missed a 39-yard field goal. California then took the lead when Brousseau found Carson Perry-Smith for a 3-yard touchdown, but the two-point pass failed. Virginia Tech responded with Grunkemeyer’s 1-yard touchdown run, and the two-point pass failed. California regained the lead for good when Emory scored on a 2-yard run with 18 seconds remaining. The two-point run failed, and the Golden Bears preserved the 25-20 win.

Brousseau, a 6-foot-4, 220-pound quarterback from Lehi, Utah, completed 29 of 43 passes for 321 yards and one touchdown. Grunkemeyer, a 6-foot-2, 207-pound quarterback, completed 21 of 31 passes for 288 yards and one touchdown and ran for another score. The two passers combined for 609 passing yards. Virginia Tech’s Aycen Stevens recorded three tackles and one quarterback hurry. Curtis Jones Jr., a 6-foot-4, 226-pound linebacker, Isaiah Brown-Murray, a 5-foot-9, 192-pound defensive back, and Kaleb Spencer, a 6-foot-2, 200-pound defensive back, each had three tackles. Thomas Williams, a 5-foot-11, 177-pound cornerback, and Jaquez White, a 6-foot-1, 190-pound cornerback, added four tackles apiece. Noah Chambers, a 6-foot-2, 220-pound linebacker, made six tackles, and Keon Wylie, a 6-foot-2, 218-pound linebacker, led the Hokies with nine tackles. Davion Brown caught one pass for 29 yards. Marlion Jackson, a 6-foot-2, 200-pound receiver, had two receptions for 38 yards. Luke Reynolds, a 6-foot-4, 241-pound tight end, caught four passes for 58 yards. Ayden Greene, a 6-foot-2, 170-pound receiver, had two catches for 62 yards and a touchdown. Que’Sean Brown, a 5-foot-8, 165-pound receiver, finished with seven receptions for 63 yards, one kickoff return for 24 yards, one punt return for 6 yards and one tackle. Marcellous Hawkins Jr., a 5-foot-11, 219-pound running back, ran 12 times for 45 yards and a touchdown and caught one pass for minus 2 yards. Jeffrey Overton Jr., a 5-foot-10, 178-pound running back, ran 12 times for 73 yards and caught four passes for 40 yards.

California’s Angus Davies, a 6-foot-1, 195-pound punter, punted six times for 241 yards. Virginia Tech’s Javion Hilson, a 6-foot-4, 246-pound defensive end, made two tackles. Nathan Totten, a 6-foot-1, 211-pound kicker, punted five times for 194 yards. Ja’Ricous Hairston, a 6-foot-2, 255-pound tight end, returned one kickoff for 18 yards. Randy Adirika, a 6-foot-2, 311-pound defensive lineman, and Gerard Johnson III, a 6-foot-4, 282-pound defensive lineman, each had one tackle and one quarterback hurry. Cortez Harris, Mylachi Williams, a 6-foot-3, 252-pound defensive end, and Jordan Bass, a 6-foot-4, 215-pound linebacker, each made one tackle. Kenny Woseley Jr., a 5-foot-10, 167-pound cornerback, Quentin Reddish, a 6-foot-3, 200-pound safety, DQ Smith, a 6-foot-1, 212-pound defensive back, and Cam Chadwick Jr., a 6-foot-0, 185-pound defensive back, each had two tackles. Jason Abbey, a 6-foot-3, 211-pound defensive lineman, and Tyson Flowers, a 5-foot-11, 200-pound safety, each made three tackles. Kemari Copeland, a 6-foot-2, 235-pound defensive lineman, recorded three tackles and one sack. California’s Mason Mini had three receptions for 19 yards. Derek Wilkins, a 6-foot-5, 295-pound defensive end, made four tackles and one quarterback hurry. Jericho Johnson, a 6-foot-4, 342-pound defensive lineman, had five tackles and one sack. AJ Tuitele, a 6-foot-2, 215-pound linebacker, had six tackles and one quarterback hurry. Aiden Manutai, a 5-foot-11, 200-pound defensive back, made seven tackles. Isaiah Crosby, a 5-foot-10, 180-pound defensive back, and Daniel Harris, a 6-foot-2, 175-pound defensive back, each had eight tackles. Kyion Grayes, a 6-foot-0, 185-pound receiver, caught one pass for minus 2 yards. Taimane Purcell had three receptions for 19 yards. Solomon Williams, a 6-foot-3, 250-pound defensive lineman, recorded three tackles and one sack. Jordan King, a 6-foot-2, 210-pound receiver, had three receptions for 48 yards. Chase Hendricks, a 6-foot-0, 195-pound receiver, caught seven passes for 94 yards. Ian Strong, a 6-foot-3, 210-pound receiver, had five receptions for 97 yards. Tyree Sams, a 5-foot-8, 180-pound receiver, caught one pass for 4 yards and returned two punts for 24 yards. Carson Perry-Smith, a 5-foot-11, 195-pound receiver, ran twice for 10 yards, caught two passes for 12 yards and scored a touchdown.

California entered the game after a loss to UNLV. Virginia Tech had lost to Pittsburgh in its previous game. The Golden Bears had beaten Wagner and Syracuse and lost to Clemson and UCLA. The Hokies had beaten Boston College, Maryland, Old Dominion and Virginia Military Institute before falling to Pittsburgh. California will next host Wake Forest. Virginia Tech will next host Georgia Tech. California’s upcoming schedule also includes SMU, North Carolina State, Virginia, Stanford and Pittsburgh. Virginia Tech’s upcoming schedule also includes Clemson, SMU, Stanford, Miami and Virginia. The Golden Bears moved to 3-3 with the win, and the Hokies fell to 4-2 with the loss.

Interstat’s game simulator projected a final score of Virginia Tech 39, California 36. Interstat’s ELO system gave California a 55.4 percent probability to win. California had been installed as a pregame favorite with a spread of minus-10. The over/under line was 53.5, and the total score was 45.