California beats Colorado 59-56 in double OT

BERKELEY, Calif. – Jared Goff threw seven touchdown passes and California used a rare defensive stop and a 34-yard field goal in double overtime from James Langford to snap a 15-game Pac-12 losing streak by beating Colorado 59-56 on Saturday.

On a day that Goff and Sefo Liufau both threw seven touchdown passes and the teams combined for more than 1,200 yards offense it ended up being defense and the kicker that won the game for the Golden Bears (3-1, 1-1).

Colorado (2-3, 0-2) could not punch it in after having first-and-goal from the 2 to open the second overtime, as Cal stopped four straight running plays.

Cal failed to get a first down on its possession but Langford came on and calmly drilled the kick that gave the Bears their first conference win since beating Washington State on Oct. 13, 2012.

Goff finished 23 for 41 for 449 yards, hitting Bryce Treggs on a 25-yard score on the first possession of overtime.

Liufau was just as prolific, going 46 for 67 for 449 yards, including a 25-yard score to Nelson Spruce that tied the game after one overtime. Spruce finished with 19 catches for 176 yards and three touchdowns.

Goff and Liufau traded big plays down the stretch with each throwing a pair of touchdown passes in the final 3:23 of regulation to send the game to overtime.

Liufau started the scoring barrage with a 6-yard touchdown pass to Spruce that put Colorado up 42-35.

But that lead was short-lived as Goff hit Stephen Anderson in stride for the game-tying 75-yard score.

Jake Kearney intercepted Liufau on the next play from scrimmage for Cal. That set the stage for Goff’s 40-yard TD pass to Chris Harper with 2:29 remaining.

But a week after allowing a last-second Hail Mary in a 49-45 loss at Arizona, the Bears wilted late when Bruce Bobo hauled in a 30-yard TD catch with 21 seconds to play that tied the game at 49.