Big Games

Cal and Stanford played the first Big Game in 1892 on a field in San Francisco. That field may or may not be, I believe that it is, the current site of Kezar Stadium. But. I could be wrong. That field was at close to the current site of Kezar Stadium. Anyway. Cal and Stanford get together to play today for the 117th time in a real nice stadium in Berkeley. They play for the Stanford Axe and a whole lot of pride. Stanford has kept that axe for the past four years. That's about four years too long. for the Cardinal. The axe belongs at Cal since they stole it for the first time in 1899.

Stanford leads the series 59-46-11

It just kills me that it will take Cal 13 years to even the rivalry.

Both teams enter this game at 5-5. Both teams traditionally end their seasons with this game. Cal has followed that tradition far more faithfully than Stanford. This year neither team ends their season with this game. Cal hosts BYU next week. Very strange. Stanford visits UCLA. Not so strange for Stanford. That's a strange game for UCLA as well seeing as the play their rival USC today. But, that's another story.

The Big Game is tied for ninth among the most played FBS rivalry games.
1. Minnesota-Wisconsin (123)
2. Missouri-Kansas (120)*
3. Texas-Texas A&M (118)*
3. Miami(OH)-Cincinnati (118)
3. North Carolina-Virginia( (118)
6. Nebraska-Kansas (117)*
6. Oregon-Oregon St. (117)
6. Auburn-Georgia (117)
9. Cal-Stanford (116)
9. Purdue-Indiana (116)
*-tradition and history thrashed due to conference realignment.

The Cal-Stanford rivalry hasn't been a continuous football rivalry since that first meeting in 1892. The two schools switched to rugby from 1906-14 due to a nationwide concern over the violence in football. Cal resumed playing football in 1915 but Stanford was too scared. No games were player from 1915-17. No games were played from 1943-45 due to World War II. Outside of that, Cal and Stanford have been playing 116 football/rugby games over 122 years. Beautiful. Except for those 59 Stanford wins. The 11 ties kinda suck too.

Cal kicker James Langford is related to Ty Cobb and Harry S. Truman.

Cal defensive tackle David Davis is the grandson of Green Bay Packers Hall of Fame defensive end Willie Davis.

The 117th Big Game is today. Go Bears!