Entering yet another Big Game as an underdog, few believed this Stanford Cardinal team would be the one to break Cal's Big Game streak. Those few who believed were vindicated on Saturday as Stanford routed Cal 31-10 in a Big Game that will be remembered for many years to come.
“I’ll remember a lot of things about this year, but these last two weeks and this game tonight will certainly stick with me for a long time,” said interim Stanford head coach Frank Reich.
The 128th Big Game began with what would set the tone for the rest of the game—costly California mistakes. On the opening kickoff, Bears wide receiver Jayden Dixon-Veal committed a holding penalty to push back a 16-yard return to the 8-yard line.
California would go on to commit a season-high 13 penalties for 123 yards and three fumbles.
“I would not have seen that coming. It wasn’t part of the plan,” said Justin Wilcox, the nine-year California head coach. “It’s extremely painful, difficult, especially when the game goes like it went. There were plenty of opportunities to move the ball and score touchdowns and keep them off the field and we just shot ourselves in the foot way too many times.”
In the first quarter, an anemic Stanford offense could only manage seven yards while California scored a field goal to take an early lead at 3-0.
In California’s first offensive series of the second quarter, defensive lineman Omar Staples stripped California wide receiver Jacob De Jesus at California’s own 49-yard line. Safety Jay Green returned the fumble for a touchdown to the excitement of Andrew Luck and Stanford stadium.
“Shoutout to my teammate O [Omar Staples] because I mean, I get all the praise for scooping and scoring, but he’s the one who caused that play,” Green said.
However, the 7-3 Stanford lead would not last long.
California responded by marching down the field for a score. California quarterback Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele rushed into the endzone to retake the lead at 10-7.
With the ball back, the Stanford offense responded with a 70-yard drive that was ultimately foiled, with California defensive back Dru Polidore Jr. blocking Emmet Kenney’s 23-yard field goal attempt.
Fortunately for the Cardinal, history would soon repeat itself. When California got the ball at their own 11-yard line with 1:06 left in the first half, Stanford linebacker Jahsiah Galvan forced a fumble from Cal running back Kendrick Raphael. Safety Darrius Davis returned the fumble for another Stanford defensive touchdown.
Despite producing only 71 yards of offense, Stanford ended the first half ahead at 14-10.
“We were struggling on offense so it’s one thing for the defense to keep you in the game while you’re struggling,” Reich said. “It’s another thing for them to score two touchdowns for you and go in with a lead and you feel like you haven’t even made a first down."
Stanford started the second half with the ball, but failed to capitalize on momentum thanks to a missed 35-yard field goal attempt. After trading punts, the Cardinal would finally drive down the field to score their first offensive points of the game on a 36-yard field goal after nearly 43 minutes of game time.
California would not score again in the second half thanks to the dominant Stanford defense. The Cardinal recorded a season-high five sacks, preventing California’s talented but statuesque quarterback from finding a rhythm. The Cardinal run defense shut down the Bears running game to 47 yards on 15 carries. Linebacker Matt Rose led the energetic defensive effort with 14 tackles, a sack, and a forced fumble.
Late in the third quarter, California would fumble the ball on their side of the field for the third time. Rose recovered the ball at the California 20-yard line.
Four plays later, the Stanford offensive line opened up a huge hole in the Bears defensive line. Running back Micah Ford strode into the endzone untouched, extending the Stanford lead to 24-10.
Ford rushed for 150 yards on 29 carries for his second 150-yard game of the season. Ford joins Stanford legends Christian McCaffrey and Stepfan Taylor as the only Cardinal running backs to rush for at least 150 yards in the past forty Big Games.
Despite questions coming into the game, the Tunnel Workers Union performed well. The offensive line allowed only one sack—a hopeful sign for a rebuilding Stanford program. Inspired by the most successful Stanford teams of the past, General Manager Andrew Luck’s blueprint for the future centers on strong offensive lines as a foundation.
“[Luck]’s vision does include really dominant play up front,” Reich said. “He understands how important that is to winning football games and how important that has been in Stanford’s winning tradition. That when we’ve been at our best, that’s what we do.”
On the next Stanford offensive drive, a pinpoint 34-yard touchdown strike from quarterback Elijah Brown to wide receiver CJ Williams put the game away 31-10 late in the fourth quarter.
The freshman signal caller completed 10 passes on 20 attempts for 123 yards and one touchdown. CJ Williams caught half of the completions for 76 yards and the sole touchdown.
After three scoreless drives between the Bay Area rivals, the game ended with the Axe returning home to Stanford after four years imprisoned at Berkeley.
“I’m really glad we won, for our seniors, they haven’t gotten that win.” Brown said. “So that means the world to me.”
Having ended their arch-rival’s Big Game dominance, jubilant Stanford fans rushed the field in a sea of cardinal and white after the clock wound down.
“True euphoria,” Galvan said of the joyous on-field celebrations. “This game, with so much history and so much tradition, to go out and get a dub and bring The Axe back to Stanford, it means the world to everyone that’s a part of the program and who has been a part of the program.
Stanford will finish the season at home on Saturday, November 29 at 7:30pm against No. 9 Notre Dame.
--Sam made me make a signature.