Cal Hosts Stanford In 127th Big Game
The California football team wraps up its home slate with a 12:30 p.m. PT kickoff against Stanford in the Big Game. The Golden Bears (5-5,1-5 ACC) and Cardinal (3-7, 2-5 ACC) will meet for the 127th time in history.
SATURDAY LINEUP
Venue: California Memorial Stadium (Berkeley, California)
Time: 12:30 p.m. PT
Television (ACC Network): Jorge Sedano (play-by-play), Orlando Franklin (analyst), Morgan Uber (sideline)
Cal Bears Sports Network Powered By Northern California Toyota Dealers: 810 AM
Justin Allegri (play-by-play), Mike Pawlawski (analyst), Kevin Danna (sideline); SiriusXM Ch. 371 SXM App 371, The Varsity App
THE BIG GAME …
– Was first played on a field on the corner of Haight and Stanyan Streets in San Francisco on March 19, 1892, was played twice that year (also Dec. 17), and has been played every year since other than 1915-17 (World War I) and 1943-45 (World War II).
– Was the first game played in both Stanford Stadium (Nov. 19, 1921) and California Memorial Stadium (Nov. 24, 1923) with the Golden Bears winning both contests (42-7, 9-0).
– Is the sixth-longest active running series between two Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) teams and the second-longest in the West with Stanford holding a 65-50-1 series advantage.
– Has been won by Cal each of the last three seasons and four of the last five.
– Has been decided on the final play five times including The Play - Cal's five-lateral, 57-yard kickoff return for a touchdown in 1982 to give the Bears a 25-20 victory that is arguably the most iconic moment in college football history.
SENIOR DAY
– Cal is slated to honor 30 seniors in a pregame ceremony Saturday before their final game at California Memorial Stadium with the list including Mavin Anderson, Jake Arguello, Hunter Barth, Teddye Buchanan, Kadarius Calloway, Xavier Carlton, Ryan Coe, Ricky Correia, Collin Gamble, Trond Grizzell, Marcus Harris, Lu-Magia Hearns III, Dylan Jemtegaard, Liam Johnson, Jeffrey Johnson, Matthew Littlejohn, Will McDonald, David Reese, Rush Reimer, Chandler Rogers, Nate Rutchena, T.J. Session, Victor Stoffel, Josh Stovall, Derek Wilkins, Miles Williams, Myles Williams, Nohl Williams, Lachlan Wilson and Craig Woodson.
2004 TEAM 20-YEAR REUNION
– Cal's 2004 team led by head coach Jeff Tedford will celebrate its 20-year reunion and be honored at the 2024 Big Game. The 2004 squad was one of the best in school history, finishing with a 10-2 record to equal a school record in victories and ranking ninth in the final national polls.
CAL …
– Will become bowl eligible with its next victory in 2024 to mark the first time Cal has been bowl eligible in back-to-back seasons since 2018 and 2019.
– Despite its .500 record Cal has outscored opponents 283-207, with its five wins coming by an average of 20.6 points per game and its five losses by an average of 3.4 points per contest.
– Features the ACC's top scoring defense (20.7 ppg) that is allowing 12.1 points per game fewer than the 32.8 it allowed in 2023.
– Shares the national lead with 17 interceptions and is among the country's top 15 in a total of five team categories related to turnovers, also including turnover margin (3rd, +14, +1.40 per game), turnovers gained (T6th, 22), fumbles lost (T7th, 2) and turnovers lost (T13th, 8).
– Is ranked in the top 40 nationally in a total of 19 team categories, including rushing defense (15th, 105.2 ypg), completion percentage (15th, 67.6), team sacks (17th, 2.90 spg), defensive touchdowns (T17th, 2), net punting (20th, 41.77 avg), blocked kicks (T20th, 2), team passing efficiency defense (21st, 112.88), punt return defense (24th, 4.46 ypr), passing offense (25th, 273.8 ypg), passes had intercepted (T29th, 6), scoring defense (33rd, 20.7 ppg), third-down conversion percentage defense (T33rd, 34.5%) and kickoff returns (T36th, 22.00).
– Is 7-1-2 in the turnover battle with its first loss of the season against Syracuse when the Bears threw two interceptions and did not force any takeaways for only the fourth time in their last 48 contests.