The Big Game

Ah, Cal-Stanford. The Big Game. The name for a game that even the Super Bowl couldn't take away. This extremely entertaining rivalry is also one of the oldest. Since 1892 the football teams have battled. They played rugby for a few years when the safety of football was questioned a century ago. They skipped a few years when world events were more important. Other than that Cal and Stanford have played football longer and more enthusuastically than most. The winner gets an axe. Despite being an object of desire for both schools since 1899, the axe didn't become the trophy until 1933. Stanford has it now and it just doesn't feel right. The importance of any rivalry is personal. Increasing in importance as you move closer to that region. The San Francisco 49ers didn't appear on the scene until 1946. The Oakland Raiders showed fourteen years after that. Prior to the arrival of professional football in the bay area, Cal and Stanford had the attention of the entire region. Both schools had some awesome teams in those early years. Cal's Wonder Teams of the 1920s played 50 games without a loss. Stanford had national powers under game changing coaches Pop Warner and Clark Shaughnessy. More recently, football at Cal and Stanford has been in the shadows of the hack schools from down south. USC in particular, but UCLA too. From education to athletics, Cal and Stanford compete in everything. Two great schools that strive to be the best.

Its been a long time since either school has been near the best in football. Stanford is challenging that this year. Cal has had some very talented teams under coach Jeff Tedford. Even more rare is both teams being solid in the same year. On paper, many Big Games should be blowouts. It doesn't always play out that way. Records don't really matter much in this rivalry. In 1970 a mediocre Cal team faced conference champion Stanford and Heisman Trophy winning quarterback Jim Plunkett. Cal left Memorial Stadium with a 22-14 win. The 1991 Cal team was fantastic losing only to #1 Washington prior to the Big Game. Stanford won by 17.

No one can guess what happens when Cal and Stanford take the field. To confirm this look no further than The Play. Any game with a name lasts forever. Some people know of these two fine schools solely through The Play. Its often mentioned anytime a football game is in the desperation stages. Crazy plays and great plays are Big Game staples.

So, forget about Auburn-Alabama, Ohio St.-Michigan, Oklahoma-Texas. The Big Game is the big game. Stanford has something of ours. Its time to bring the axe home. GO BEARS!!!!