The
Big Game is the annual
footballAmerican football, known in the United States and Canada simply as football, and often as Gridiron or Tackle football outside North America, is a competitive team sport known for combining strategy with physical play. The objective of the game is to score points by advancing the ball into the...
game between
University of California, BerkeleyThe University of California, Berkeley is a public research university located in Berkeley, California, United States. The oldest of the ten major campuses affiliated with the University of California, Berkeley offers some 300 undergraduate and graduate degree programs in a wide range of disciplines...
(known simply as "Cal" or "Berkeley") and
Stanford UniversityThe Leland Stanford Junior University, commonly referred to as Stanford University or Stanford, is a private research university located in Stanford, California, United States...
, which is held in late November or early December. The first Big Game was held in March 19 1892 on
San Francisco'sSan Francisco is the fourth most populous city in California and the 12th most populous city in the United States, with a 2008 estimated population of 808,976. It is the eighth most densely populated city in the U.S. and is the financial, cultural, and transportation center of the larger San...
Haight Street groundsHaight Street Grounds was one of San Francisco's earliest baseball parks. It was built for use by the California League and was located on the east side of Golden Gate Park, bounded by Stanyan, Waller, Shrader, and Frederick streets. The opening game on April 3, 1887 between the Haverlys and the...
when Stanford beat Cal 14-10. It is the tenth longest
rivalryA sports rivalry is intense competition between athletic teams or athletes. This pressure of competition is felt by players, coaches, and management, but is perhaps felt strongest by the fans. The intensity of the rivalry varies from a friendly competition on one end to serious violence on the...
in NCAA Division 1 FBS football. Stanford leads the series record at 55-45-11 (wins-losses-ties).
| The Big Game |
| |
|
| History |
| 1st Meeting |
March 19, 1892 |
| Most Recent Meeting |
November 22, 2008 |
| Number of Meetings |
111 |
| All-Time Series |
StanfordThe Stanford Cardinal is the nickname of the athletic teams at Stanford University.-Nickname and mascot history:Following its win over Cal in the first-ever Big Game in 1892, the color cardinal was picked as the primary color of Stanford's athletic teams...
: 55-45-11 |
| Current Streak |
CaliforniaThe California Golden Bears is the nickname used for 27 varsity athletic programs of the University of California, Berkeley. Referred to in athletic competition as California or Cal, the university competes in the NCAA's Division I primarily as a member of the Pacific-10 Conference, and for a...
: Won 1 |
| Longest California Win Streak |
5 (1919-23, 2002-06) |
| Longest Stanford Win Streak |
7 (1995-2001) |
| At Berkeley |
Stanford leads 23-21-6 |
| At Palo Alto |
Stanford leads 27-20-1 |
| At San Francisco |
Stanford leads 5-4-4 |
| Trophy |
Stanford Axe |
The
Big Game is the annual
footballAmerican football, known in the United States and Canada simply as football, and often as Gridiron or Tackle football outside North America, is a competitive team sport known for combining strategy with physical play. The objective of the game is to score points by advancing the ball into the...
game between
University of California, BerkeleyThe University of California, Berkeley is a public research university located in Berkeley, California, United States. The oldest of the ten major campuses affiliated with the University of California, Berkeley offers some 300 undergraduate and graduate degree programs in a wide range of disciplines...
(known simply as "Cal" or "Berkeley") and
Stanford UniversityThe Leland Stanford Junior University, commonly referred to as Stanford University or Stanford, is a private research university located in Stanford, California, United States...
, which is held in late November or early December. The first Big Game was held in March 19 1892 on
San Francisco'sSan Francisco is the fourth most populous city in California and the 12th most populous city in the United States, with a 2008 estimated population of 808,976. It is the eighth most densely populated city in the U.S. and is the financial, cultural, and transportation center of the larger San...
Haight Street groundsHaight Street Grounds was one of San Francisco's earliest baseball parks. It was built for use by the California League and was located on the east side of Golden Gate Park, bounded by Stanyan, Waller, Shrader, and Frederick streets. The opening game on April 3, 1887 between the Haverlys and the...
when Stanford beat Cal 14-10. It is the tenth longest
rivalryA sports rivalry is intense competition between athletic teams or athletes. This pressure of competition is felt by players, coaches, and management, but is perhaps felt strongest by the fans. The intensity of the rivalry varies from a friendly competition on one end to serious violence on the...
in NCAA Division 1 FBS football. Stanford leads the series record at 55-45-11 (wins-losses-ties). Cal won the most recent Big Game on November 22, 2008 by a score of 37-16. Cal has won 6 of the last 7 Big Games. The location of the Big Game alternates between the two universities every year. In even numbered years, the game is played at Berkeley; in odd numbered years, at Stanford.
In the week before the game, both schools celebrate the occasion with rallies, reunions and luncheons. Cal students hold a traditional pep rally and bonfire at the
Greek TheatreThe William Randolph Hearst Greek Theatre, known locally as simply the Greek Theatre, is an 8,500-seat amphitheater owned and operated by the University of California, Berkeley in Berkeley, California, USA....
on the eve of the game, while Stanford students stage the Gaieties, a theatrical production that both celebrates and pokes fun at the rivalry. The week also includes various other athletic events including
The Big Splash (
water poloWater polo is a team water sport. It is the oldest continuous Olympic team sport. The playing team consists of six field players and one goalkeeper with a maximum of six substitutes. The winner of the game is the team that scores more goals. Gameplay involves swimming, players passing the ball...
) and
The Big Freeze (
ice hockeyIce Hockey is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use sticks to direct a puck into the opposing team's goal. It is a fast-paced and physical sport...
). The overall athletic rivalry between the schools has been solidified into
The Lexus Gauntlet, an annual award given to the school winning the most rivalries and championships under a point system.
History
The Big Game is the biggest college football event in the
Bay AreaThe San Francisco Bay Area, commonly known as the Bay Area, or the Yay Area, is a metropolitan region that surrounds the San Francisco and San Pablo estuaries in Northern California. The region encompasses large cities such as San Francisco, Oakland, and San Jose, along with smaller urban and...
, and has a rich history. Future U.S. President
Herbert HooverHerbert Clark Hoover was the 31st President of the United States . Hoover was a professional mining engineer and author. As the United States Secretary of Commerce in the 1920s under Presidents Warren Harding and Calvin Coolidge, he promoted government intervention under the rubric "economic...
was the Stanford team manager for the first Big Game, held in 1892. The term "Big Game" was first used in 1900, which also saw the most tragic event to happen at a Big Game. The match that year was played on Thanksgiving Day in San Francisco. A large group of spectators observing from the roof of the nearby S.F. and Pacific Glass Works fell into the fiery interior of the building when the roof collapsed. Thirteen died and 78 were injured
http://daily.stanford.edu/article/2004/11/19/beatingTheBearsSince1892AHistoryOfBigGame. The first-ever card stunts were performed at the halftime of the 1910 Big Game. Since 1933, the victor of the game has been granted possession of
the Stanford AxeThe Stanford Axe is a trophy awarded to the winner of the annual Big Game, a college football match-up between the University of California, Berkeley Golden Bears and the Stanford University Cardinal. The trophy consists of an axe-head mounted on a large wooden plaque, along with the scores of past...
. If the game ended in a tie, the Axe stayed on the side that already possessed it; this rule was discarded in 1996 after the NCAA instituted overtime. The Axe is a key part of the history, having been stolen on several occasions by both sides, starting at the very first Big Game.
The Big Game has produced several
cliffhangerA cliffhanger or cliffhanger ending is a plot device in fiction which features a main character in a precarious or difficult dilemma, or confronted with a shocking revelation...
s, where the outcome of the game was decided on the final play. In 1972, a
Vince FerragamoVince Anthony Ferragamo was an American football quarterback in the National Football League and Canadian Football League.-College career:...
touchdown pass to Steve Sweeney resulted in a last second Cal victory, while Mike Langford nailed a 50 yard field goal on the final play for a 22-20 Stanford triumph in 1974. Stanford's Tuan Van Le blocked a 21 yard Cal
field goalA field goal in U.S. football and Canadian football is a goal that may be scored during general play .A field goal may be scored by a placekick or the now very rare drop kick...
attempt to preserve a 19-19 tie in 1988. In 1990, Stanford snatched victory in the final 12 seconds by scoring a touchdown, recovering an onside kick, and, aided by a controversial roughing-the-passer penalty, kicking a field goal. In 2000, Stanford's Casey Moore caught the winning touchdown on the final play of the first-ever Big Game to go into
overtimeOvertime is an additional period of play specified under the rules of a sport to bring the game to a decision and avoid declaring the contest a tie or draw...
.
Scenes for the
Harold LloydHarold Clayton Lloyd, Sr. was an American film actor and producer, most famous for his silent comedies....
silent classic
The FreshmanThe Freshman is a comedy film that tells the story of a college freshman trying to become popular by joining the school football team. It stars Harold Lloyd, Jobyna Ralston, Brooks Benedict and James Anderson. It remains one of Lloyd's most successful and enduring films.The movie was written by...
were filmed at
California Memorial StadiumCalifornia Memorial Stadium is an outdoor football stadium on the campus of the University of California in Berkeley. Commonly known as Memorial Stadium,it is the home field for the University of California Golden Bears of the Pacific Ten Conference...
during halftime of the 1924 Big Game.
The Play
The conclusion of the 85th Big Game on November 20 1982 would go down as perhaps the greatest play in college football history. Cal held a lead late in the game, but Stanford, led by
John ElwayJohn Albert Elway, Jr. is a retired American football quarterback. He played his college football at Stanford and his entire professional career for the Denver Broncos of the National Football League ....
, drove down the field to retake the lead and seemingly elevating Elway to the first
bowl gameIn the United States, a bowl game is commonly considered to refer to one of a number of post-season college football games. Prior to 2002, bowl game statistics were not included in players' career totals and the games were mostly considered to be exhibition games involving a payout to participating...
of his college career (as Stanford, with a victory, would likely been invited to the Hall of Fame Bowl). More importantly, Elway, with a victory, might well have won the Heisman Trophy. In what is now known simply as "
The PlayThe Play refers to a last-second kickoff return during a college football game between the University of California Golden Bears and the Stanford University Cardinal on November 20, 1982...
," four Cal players lateraled the ball five times on a kickoff return with four seconds left on the clock. The final ball carrier, Kevin Moen, who was also the initial ball carrier, ran for a touchdown through the
Stanford BandThe Leland Stanford Junior University Marching Band is the student marching band of Stanford University. Billing itself as "The World's Largest Rock and Roll Band", the Stanford Band performs at sporting events, student activities, and other functions...
, which had run onto the field to celebrate prematurely (although the game clock had run out of time, in football the play already in progress is allowed to be completed), knocking down the final Stanford "defender", trombone player Gary Tyrrell.
The Play is often recounted with KGO radio announcer
Joe StarkeyJoe Starkey was the sports director of KGO radio for many years in San Francisco, California. Starkey is best known for serving as the play-by-play announcer for the San Francisco 49ers and the University of California, Berkeley Golden Bears college football games since 1975...
's emotional call of The Play, which he hailed as "the most amazing, sensational, dramatic, heartrending, exciting, thrilling finish in the history of college football!" The legitimacy of The Play has remained controversial among some Stanford fans. To this day, the final score in the official record shows Cal winning by a score of 25-20, whereas in many Stanford publications it is recorded as Stanford 20, Cal 19 due to Stanford's contention that a Cal ball carrier may have had his knee down and the last lateral was actually an illegal forward pass, either of which would have resulted in the end of the play.
Naming rights
In March 2007, the San Francisco Chronicle reported that the NFL intended to trademark the phrase "The Big Game" in reference to the
Super BowlThe Super Bowl is the championship game of the National Football League, the premier association of professional American football. In most years, the Super Bowl is the most-watched American television broadcast. Many popular singers and musicians have performed during the event’s pre-game and...
.
In May 2007, the NFL gave up trying to trademark the phrase, after being faced with opposition from Cal and Stanford.
Big Game results
Winning Team In Bold
| Year | Away Team | Score | Home Team | Score | Notes |
|---|
| 2008 |
Stanford |
16 |
California |
37 |
| 2007 |
California |
13 |
Stanford |
20 |
| 2006 |
Stanford |
17 |
California |
26 |
| 2005 |
California |
27 |
Stanford |
3 |
| 2004 |
Stanford |
6 |
California |
41 |
| 2003 |
California |
28 |
Stanford |
16 |
| 2002 |
Stanford |
7 |
California |
30 |
| 2001 |
California |
28 |
Stanford |
35 |
| 2000 |
Stanford |
36 |
California |
30 |
Overtime |
| 1999 |
California |
13 |
Stanford |
31 |
| 1998 |
Stanford |
10 |
California |
3 |
| 1997 |
California |
20 |
Stanford |
21 |
| 1996 |
Stanford |
42 |
California |
21 |
| 1995 |
California |
24 |
Stanford |
29 |
| 1994 |
Stanford |
23 |
California |
24 |
| 1993 |
California |
46 |
Stanford |
17 |
| 1992 |
Stanford |
41 |
California |
21 |
| 1991 |
California |
21 |
Stanford |
38 |
| 1990 |
Stanford |
27 |
California |
25 |
| 1989 |
California |
14 |
Stanford |
24 |
| 1988 |
Stanford |
19 |
California |
19 |
| 1987 |
California |
7 |
Stanford |
31 |
| 1986 |
Stanford |
11 |
California |
17 |
| 1985 |
California |
22 |
Stanford |
24 |
| 1984 |
Stanford |
27 |
California |
10 |
| 1983 |
California |
27 |
Stanford |
18 |
| 1982 |
Stanford |
20 |
California |
25 |
See The PlayThe Play refers to a last-second kickoff return during a college football game between the University of California Golden Bears and the Stanford University Cardinal on November 20, 1982...
|
| 1981 |
California |
21 |
Stanford |
42 |
| 1980 |
Stanford |
23 |
California |
28 |
| 1979 |
California |
21 |
Stanford |
14 |
| 1978 |
Stanford |
30 |
California |
10 |
| 1977 |
California |
3 |
Stanford |
21 |
| 1976 |
Stanford |
27 |
California |
24 |
| 1975 |
California |
48 |
Stanford |
15 |
| 1974 |
Stanford |
22 |
California |
20 |
| 1973 |
California |
17 |
Stanford |
26 |
| 1972 |
Stanford |
21 |
California |
24 |
| 1971 |
California |
0 |
Stanford |
14 |
| 1970 |
Stanford |
14 |
California |
22 |
| 1969 |
California |
28 |
Stanford |
29 |
| 1968 |
Stanford |
20 |
California |
0 |
| 1967 |
California |
26 |
Stanford |
3 |
| 1966 |
Stanford |
13 |
California |
7 |
| 1965 |
California |
7 |
Stanford |
9 |
| 1964 |
Stanford |
21 |
California |
3 |
| 1963 |
California |
17 |
Stanford |
28 |
| 1962 |
Stanford |
30 |
California |
13 |
| 1961 |
California |
7 |
Stanford |
20 |
| 1960 |
Stanford |
10 |
California |
21 |
| 1959 |
California |
20 |
Stanford |
17 |
| 1958 |
Stanford |
15 |
California |
16 |
| 1957 |
California |
12 |
Stanford |
14 |
| 1956 |
Stanford |
18 |
California |
20 |
| 1955 |
California |
0 |
Stanford |
19 |
| 1954 |
Stanford |
20 |
California |
28 |
| 1953 |
California |
21 |
Stanford |
21 |
| 1952 |
Stanford |
0 |
California |
26 |
| 1951 |
California |
20 |
Stanford |
7 |
| 1950 |
Stanford |
7 |
California |
7 |
| 1949 |
California |
33 |
Stanford |
14 |
| 1948 |
Stanford |
6 |
California |
7 |
| 1947 |
California |
21 |
Stanford |
18 |
| 1946 |
Stanford |
25 |
California |
6 |
| 1945 |
No Game -- World War II |
| 1944 |
No Game -- World War II |
| 1943 |
No Game -- World War II |
| 1942 |
Stanford |
26 |
California |
7 |
| 1941 |
California |
16 |
Stanford |
0 |
| 1940 |
Stanford |
13 |
California |
7 |
| 1939 |
California |
32 |
Stanford |
14 |
| 1938 |
Stanford |
0 |
California |
6 |
| 1937 |
California |
13 |
Stanford |
0 |
| 1936 |
Stanford |
0 |
California |
20 |
| 1935 |
California |
0 |
Stanford |
13 |
| 1934 |
Stanford |
9 |
California |
7 |
| 1933 |
California |
3 |
Stanford |
7 |
| 1932 |
Stanford |
0 |
California |
0 |
| 1931 |
California |
6 |
Stanford |
0 |
| 1930 |
Stanford |
41 |
California |
0 |
| 1929 |
California |
6 |
Stanford |
21 |
| 1928 |
Stanford |
13 |
California |
13 |
| 1927 |
California |
6 |
Stanford |
13 |
| 1926 |
Stanford |
41 |
California |
6 |
| 1925 |
California |
14 |
Stanford |
27 |
| 1924 |
Stanford |
20 |
California |
20 |
| 1923 |
Stanford |
0 |
California |
9 |
| 1922 |
California |
28 |
Stanford |
0 |
| 1921 |
California |
42 |
Stanford |
7 |
| 1920 |
Stanford |
7 |
California |
38 |
| 1919 |
California |
14 |
Stanford |
10 |
| 1918 |
Stanford |
0 |
California |
67 |
Unofficial Student Army Training Corps (SATC) game; not included in series record |
| 1917 |
No Game -- World War I |
| 1916 |
No Game -- World War I |
| 1915 |
No Game -- World War I |
| 1914 |
Stanford |
26 |
California |
8 |
Rugby |
| 1913 |
California |
8 |
Stanford |
13 |
Rugby |
| 1912 |
Stanford |
3 |
California |
3 |
Rugby |
| 1911 |
California |
21 |
Stanford |
3 |
Rugby |
| 1910 |
Stanford |
6 |
California |
25 |
Rugby |
| 1909 |
California |
19 |
Stanford |
13 |
Rugby |
| 1908 |
Stanford |
12 |
California |
3 |
Rugby |
| 1907 |
California |
11 |
Stanford |
21 |
Rugby |
| 1906 |
Stanford |
6 |
California |
3 |
Rugby |
| 1905 |
California |
5 |
Stanford |
12 |
| 1904 |
Stanford |
18 |
California |
0 |
| 1903 |
California |
6 |
Stanford |
6 |
At San Francisco |
| 1902 |
Stanford |
0 |
California |
16 |
At San Francisco |
| 1901 |
California |
2 |
Stanford |
0 |
At San Francisco |
| 1900 |
Stanford |
5 |
California |
0 |
At San Francisco |
| 1899 |
California |
30 |
Stanford |
0 |
At San Francisco |
| 1898 |
Stanford |
0 |
California |
22 |
At San Francisco |
| 1897 |
California |
0 |
Stanford |
28 |
At San Francisco |
| 1896 |
Stanford |
20 |
California |
0 |
At San Francisco |
| 1895 |
California |
6 |
Stanford |
6 |
At San Francisco |
| 1894 |
Stanford |
6 |
California |
0 |
At San Francisco |
| 1893 |
California |
6 |
Stanford |
6 |
At San Francisco |
| 1892 |
Stanford |
10 |
California |
10 |
At San Francisco |
| 1892 |
California |
10 |
Stanford |
15 |
At San Francisco |
Bonfire rallies
The Cal Bonfire Rally is a pep and bonfire rally that takes place at University of California in
Hearst Greek TheatreThe William Randolph Hearst Greek Theatre, known locally as simply the Greek Theatre, is an 8,500-seat amphitheater owned and operated by the University of California, Berkeley in Berkeley, California, USA....
on the eve of the Big Game. More than 10,000 students gather to hear the history about the
The Stanford AxeThe Stanford Axe is a trophy awarded to the winner of the annual Big Game, a college football match-up between the University of California, Berkeley Golden Bears and the Stanford University Cardinal. The trophy consists of an axe-head mounted on a large wooden plaque, along with the scores of past...
and the Big Game. The Rally Committee is in charge of setting up the bonfire, and refueling it during the rally. Specifically, freshman Rally Comm members, as well as freshman band members are sent out with pallets to the chanting of "Freshmen more wood". Several alumni show up to perform traditional rituals. One of those rituals is unique to any college in the US. A Cal alum comes onto the stage and does a Maori "Haka" or a war dance/chant that was originally used by the Maori warriors against their foes. The Haka performed is a Haka written in the 1960s by a Cal rugby player of Maori descent. The traditional Axe Yell is also made, and visits from the Cal Men's Octet and Golden Overtones are always expected. The University of California Marching Band is also present, playing traditional Cal music from time to time. Throughout, a big bonfire lights up the theater setting temperatures sky high. The Big Game Rally always ends with a speech only known as the Andy Smith Eulogy, a rememberance of the fabled Cal football coach who lead the Bears to 5 straight undefeated seasons starting in 1920, and tragically died of pneumonia in 1925. As the speech is given, candles are passed out among the attendants, and are lit for the singing of "Hail to California."
For decades Stanford also had a bonfire on the dry lakebed of
Lake LagunitaLake Lagunita is an artificial lake in Stanford University, California. Located on the western side of the Stanford campus near the Lagunita residences, the lake dries up during the summer...
, but this was discontinued in the
1990sThe 1990s was the decade that ran from January 1, 1990, to December 31, 1999, the last decade of the 20th century. It was the first decade following the effective end of the Cold War...
due to the lake being a habitat for the
vulnerableA vulnerable species is a species which is likely to become endangered unless the circumstances threatening its survival and reproduction improve...
California Tiger SalamanderThe California tiger salamander is an endangered amphibian native to Northern California. Previously considered to be a Tiger Salamander subspecies, the California tiger salamander was recently designated a separate species again....
.
External links