BERKELEY – Senior running back Patrick Laird rushed for 116 yards and linebacker Evan Weaver recorded a game-high 15 tackles but the Cal football team fell to Stanford 23-13 in the 121^st version of the Big Game on Saturday afternoon at California Memorial Stadium.

The Bears' stingy defense kept the Cardinal in check for much of the game but Stanford sealed the outcome with a touchdown with 2:27 to play. Cal added a late score on an 11-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Chase Garbers to wide receiver Jordan Duncan with 10 seconds remaining, and the Cardinal ran out the clock.

"I respect our team and how hard they played and how hard they prepared," Cal head coach Justin Wilcox said. "They are an unbelievably coachable group and I love them for that. They bring it every single week."

The Cardinal got off to a fast start with 10 unanswered points on its first two possessions but Cal's defense stabled things from there. The Bears chipped away with field goals by Greg Thomas on back-to-back drives in the second quarter, and Stanford added a field goal of its own with one second left in the second quarter to lead 13-6 at halftime.

The teams traded defensive stops for much of the second half until the Cardinal put the game out of reach with a field goal and touchdown with three minutes remaining.

After Stanford's first two drives, Cal forced Stanford to punt on six of its next seven possessions. It also produced a turnover when Jordan Kunaszyk forced Cardinal star running back Bryce Love into a fumble that was recovered by the Bears' Siulagisipai Fuimaono.

"Stanford has a really good offense," Wilcox said. "The guys kind of settled down and started getting some wins on first and second down. I think it was just about settling down and playing better."

Cal outgained Stanford 352-329 but failed to maximize its chances in Stanford territory. The Bears had four possessions that ended on the Cardinal's half of the field without scoring any points.

"It hurts really bad and it hurts because we had our chances and they know it," Wilcox said. "We had opportunities and that stings, but we've grown this year as a team on and off the field and that's important."

The Bears finished the regular season with an overall record of 7-5, 4-5 in the Pac-12. Cal, which became eligible for a bowl game with its victory over USC on Nov. 10, will find out which postseason game it will play in on Sunday.

"The mindset is we have yet to play our best football," Laird said. "I'm really proud of this team. We didn't accomplish everything we wanted to this season, but I love playing with the guys in that locker room. The team is going to figure who we are playing and we hope to play our best game in a couple weeks."

Laird added four receptions to give him 50 for the year, a new single-season record for a Cal running back. He also became the first Golden Bear running back to rush for 100 yards in back-to-back Big Games since Marshawn Lynch in 2005-06.