Adam Mohammed’s Historic Cal Debut Marks a Half‑Century Milestone

When the California Golden Bears took the field against UCLA at Memorial Stadium on Saturday night, most fans were just hoping for a respectable showing. What they got instead was a flash of history, courtesy of junior transfer Adam Mohammed.

The Arizona native, standing 6‑feet tall and weighing about 220 pounds, bulldozed his way to 120 rushing yards on 28 carries. That single‑game total eclipses every Cal back’s debut performance since the mid‑1970s – a span of more than five decades. The previous high water mark was 111 yards, posted by Lindsey Chapman back in the 1991 season opener against Pacific.

Mohammed’s biggest burst came in the third quarter, during a 14‑play, 85‑yard drive that tied the game at 24‑all. He punched the ball in from the 1‑yard line after a series of effective runs (8, 10 and 20 yards) that kept the chains moving. Even quarterback Jaron‑Keawe Sagapolutele could barely hide his excitement, saying, “He kept the chains moving. I’m grateful to have him. I love the guy.”

He joins a very short club: only five Bears have ever cracked the 100‑yard mark in their first game. Alongside Mohammed are Lindsey Chapman (111 yards, 1991), Jaydn Ott (104 yards, 2022), Shane Vereen (101 yards, 2008) and Chris Richards (101 yards, 1986). All of them went on to leave sizable footprints in Cal’s rushing record books, and Mohammed looks poised to add his own chapter.

Before landing in Berkeley, Mohammed posted back‑to‑back 100‑yard games for Washington – 108 yards with a touchdown at UCLA and 105 yards with two scores at Oregon. If his debut is any indication, the Bears may finally have a reliable workhorse to help them turn the tide in future contests.