SANTA ROSA – The 2024 City College of San Francisco football season got off to a rough start as the Rams suffered a 34-21 loss at Santa Rosa Junior College in both teams' season opener on Saturday.

CCSF is 0-1 to start the year for the first time since the 2017 season. The Rams had dominated Santa Rosa in recent years, winning the past eight meetings including the 2023 opening game by a final score of 58-14.

Saturday's match up started well for the Rams. After a scoreless opening quarter, CCSF landed on the scoreboard first. Eric Waugh's 27-yard touchdown pass to Aden Jackson at the 12:43 mark in the second capped an 11-play, 89-yard drive for the Rams to give them the 7-0 lead.

Santa Rosa responded with consecutive touchdowns to jump out in front 14-7 and looked to add three final points just before halftime.

But a 46-yard field goal attempt by Santa Rosa was blocked by the Rams' Jack Buckley. Jalen Camp scooped up the ball at the CCSF 20-yard line and ran it all the way back 80 yards for the touchdown with no time left on the clock. San Francisco went into the break with the score all tied up at 14-14.

The momentum carried over into the third quarter as the Rams' defense forced SRJC to punt after three plays in its opening drive. A Santa Rosa personal foul penalty on the punt return gave the Rams good field position at the SRJC 49-yard line.

Three plays later, CCSF's Daytuawn Pearson broke free for a 23-yard touchdown run to give the Rams the 21-14 advantage with 12:05 to go in the third.

From that point, the San Francisco defense had a difficult time containing Santa Rosa. The Bear Cubs put together long scoring drives of 73, 67, and 80 yards during the remainder of the contest that all resulted in touchdowns.

CCSF had to punt on its next two drives and was denied a touchdown on a fourth-and-goal from the SRJC one-yard line on its final scoring chance of the game.

Pearson had a solid game on the ground for the Rams, running 17 times for 107 yards and touchdown. Waugh, in his CCSF debut, completed 13 of 30 passes for 139 yards and a TD. Jacksom led San Francisco receivers with 4 catches for 55 yards and a touchdown.

On the defensive side, Camp had a huge game with 15 total tackles and the blocked field goal return for a touchdown. Leo Gallegos had 8 tackles and a forced fumble while Brayden Ellis totaled 5 tackles and a sack.

CCSF will look to earn its first win next Saturday (Sep. 14) when the Rams host College of the Sequoias in a 1 p.m. non-conference game at George M. Rush Stadium.