Bears Bumble Their Way to Defeat in 128th Big Game

STANFORD STADIUM - Two scoop and score fumbles, a fumble deep in their territory and a steady stream of penalties and mistakes doomed the Bears to a decisive 31-10 defeat in the 128th big game at Stanford Stadium Saturday evening.

The Bears came into the game with the chance to move to seven wins and a winning record in conference for the first time since 2009 against a beleaguered 3-win Stanford team but nothing seemed to go right for the Bears once the mistakes started rolling in, including 13 penalties for 138 yards on the day. 

A Stanford pass rush that has been anemic all season managed to sack Cal quarterback Jaron Keawe Sagapolutele five times and delivered 11 blows to the frosh QB overall. Despite the battering he took, the frosh QB still managed to complete 33 of 49 passes (67%) for 269 yards and no interceptions in the loss.

"It's extremely frustrating and painful," head coach Justin Wilcox said after the loss "We are all in this together – coaches and players. I think they were ready to play in terms of energy and excitement. Unfortunately, want-to doesn't equal good football"

“It’s heartbreaking,” senior defensive tackle Aidan Keanaaina of the decisive loss. “It’s the Big Game. It’s big for our team and our alumni. It's a legacy game so it's very heartbreaking. It really hurts for all of us and I think the team, of course. So no matter what side (of the ball), no matter what happens, it's on all of us. It's not just on one side, one person or coaches.”

The Bears drew first blood in a particularly pedestrian first quarter, driving to the Stanford 23 in their second possession before settling for a 40-yard Abram Murray‍ field goal on an 11-play 56-yard drive - the only points of the quarter - with 5:46 left.

Early in the second quarter, the Cardinal found their way on the scoreboard in an unconventional way. After De Jesus hauled in his seventh catch of the game on the left sideline, he reversed directions and while trying to turn the corner up the right sideline, a Stanford defender on his back kicked the ball out of his hands. The fumble was scooped up by Stanford safety Jay Green at midfield and returned for a touchdown, putting the Cardinal up 7-3 with 12:57 left in the quarter after the PAT.

On their next possession, the Bears got a break. After seemingly being stopped on a 3-and-out possession, punter Michael Kern‍ came on for a punt, however Stanford had two players in number zero on the field and the Bears were awarded a first down at their 39.

It was just the break they were looking for as the Bears drove to the Stanford 5 in nine plays before Sagapolutele hit receiver Jayden Dixon-Veal‍, who earned his first start, on a 24-yard completion. Two plays later, the frosh QB took the ball up the middle on a keeper for a 7-yard TD to put the Bears in front, 10-7 after the Chase Meyer‍ PAT with 4:38 left in the half. The 15-play drive took up over half the quarter at 8 minutes and 38 seconds - more time than the Stanford offense helf the ball the whole half.

Stanford looked like they were going to either even the score or take the halftime lead as they drove to the Cal 5 with a first and goal. But the Bears’ defense held, forcing an Emmet Kennety field goal attempt that was blocked by Cal safety Dru Polidore‍.

Attempting to extend their lead after taking over at their 11, disaster struck again as Stanford came up with their second scoop-and-score TD of the half, with linebacker Jasiah Galvan stripping Cal running back Kendrick Raphael‍ and safety Darius Davis scooping it up and returning it 17 yards for the go-ahead TD to close out the first half with the Cardinal up 14-10. 

The Bears’ defense only gave up 71 yards in the opening half but still found themselves in a 4-point hole at the break. The Bears had 196 yards of their own and dominated the time of possession, 21:33 to 8:27 but were penalized 8 times for 73 yards, with several other penalties that were declined to go along with the two turnovers allowed that went for scores.

It looked like the Cardinal would add to their lead as they took the opening kickoff of the half and drove to the Cal 12 but the Bears’ defense held, forcing a Kenney field goal attempt from 35 after a delay of game penalty but the kick missed wide right.

After the Bears went 3-and-out, Stanford drove to the Cal 42. It looked like the defense held after a 3^rd down incompletion but PI was called on corner Hezekiah Masses‍ on a ball that was 20 yards beyond the receiver, extending the drive. The Cardinal would eventually convert a 36-yard field goal to extend their lead to 17-10 with 2:19 left in the third quarter.

Disaster struck once again on the Bears’ next possession. Facing 3rd-and-10 on their 25, Sagapolutele mishandled the snap and was unable to recover the fumble as linebacker Matt Rose secured the fumble at the 20. It was the Bears’ third fumble of the day but the first that didn’t cause a touchdown. In this case, the fumble just delayed the Cardinal’s third TD as four plays later, running back Micah Ford strolled 5 yards up the middle untouched, giving Stanford an insurmountable two touchdown lead at 24-10 after the PAT.

The Bears’ pass blocking was a sieve the next possession as Sagaplutele was under pressure on each of the three plays of their short possession, with the frosh QB sacked for a 9-yard loss on third down, forcing their fifth punt of the game as the Bears’ chances for a comeback win dwindled.

Adding insult to injury, the Cardinal put together their first real drive of the game on their next possession, going 58 yards in five plays with Stanford QB Elijah Brown, who was just 10-20 for 123 yards in the game hit running back Micah Ford for a 29-yard TD to move the score to the final margin of 31-10 in the decisive defeat for the Bears.

The Bears fell to 6-5 (3-4) after the loss. They will next face SMU in Berkeley next Saturday at 5 pm in Memorial Stadium on ESPN2.