Big Games have brought big wins for Stanford
Ever since Mike Mohamed’s interception off Andrew Luck sealed Cal’s 34-28 win in 2009, the Big Game has belonged to Stanford.
Starting in 2010, the Axe has been under lock and key as a Farm implement.
David Shaw is 7-0 against Cal as Stanford’s head coach, and the Cardinal have an eight-game winning streak in the series going into Saturday’s 121st Big Game in Berkeley.
During the streak, Cal has led for a total of less than 20 minutes. In six of the games, it didn’t lead at all.
A look back at how those
eight Stanford wins transpired: 2010, 48-14: The predicted rain in Berkeley held off until after the game. Instead, it rained Stanford points. The Cardinal scored on their first eight possessions as Luck completed 16 of 20 passes for 235 yards and two touchdowns. He also had a 58-yard run on which Cal safety Sean Cattouse bounced off him. 2011, 31-28: Cal was a heavy underdog but took the Cardinal down to the final minute before Stanford eked out the win. Despite a slow start, Luck was 20-for-30 for 257 yards and two touchdowns. Jordan Williamson’s field goal gave Stanford a 31-21 lead with three minutes left. The Bears scored with 14 seconds left, but the Cardinal recovered the onside kick. 2012, 21-3: Stung by a heartbreaking loss at Notre Dame a week earlier, the Cardinal responded by scoring three first-half touchdowns and holding the Bears to 3 yards rushing in 28 attempts. Stepfan Taylor had 189 yards rushing for the Cardinal, and Cal went without a touchdown in the Big Game for the first time since 1998. Backup quarterback Kevin Hogan threw his first career TD pass for Stanford. 2013, 63-13: Ty Montgomery scored five touchdowns on seven touches — all in the first half. He scored on a 31-yard end-around and pass plays of 50, 12, 72 and 9 yards. The Cardinal posted the most points and the largest victory margin in series history. Hogan threw for 329 yards and five touchdowns before exiting in the third quarter. It was Cal’s 14th straight Pac-12 loss. 2014, 38-17: Despite losing Montgomery to a shoulder injury on the second series, Stanford took advantage of four interceptions and a fumble recovery and won convincingly. Tailback Remound Wright scored four touchdowns, Hogan threw for 214 yards, and linebacker Blake Martinez had two interceptions, a forced fumble and 11 tackles. 2015, 35-22: Christian McCaffrey scored on a 49-yard screen pass and a 98-yard kickoff return, both in the second quarter. He also had 192 yards rushing on 29 carries. Behind Jared Goff’s passing, the Bears stayed within striking range until Bryce Love scored on a 48yard reverse with 6:13 left. Goff was 37-for-54 for 386 yards and two touchdowns. 2016, 45-31: McCaffrey pulverized the Bears again, rushing for a Big Game-record 284 yards and three touchdowns (one was a 90-yard run). “Christian McCaffrey is a once-in-a-lifetime football player,” Cal head coach Sonny Dykes said. Davis Webb passed for 393 yards — a Big Game record for Cal — and two TDs, including a 70yarder to Chad Hansen on the Bears’ first play. 2017, 17-14: Stanford’s defense limited Cal to a touchdown and two field goals, but the Cardinal had a huge struggle to hold off the Bears. A hobbled Bryce Love, who missed much of the game, unloaded a 57-yard touchdown run in the third quarter. Backup tailback Cameron Scarlett preserved the win with 11 straight carries on a drive that lasted the final 7½ minutes.