On Nov. 22, 2014, California and Stanford will play the 117th Big Game to continue one of the greatest rivalries in college football. The series, which dates back to 1892 is tied for the ninth longest running series between Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) teams and has featured some of the most memorable finishes in the history of the sport.
Cal enters this year’s matchup at Kabam Field at California Memorial Stadium trailing the all-time series, 59-46-11, and have dropped the last four consecutive contests.
The Cal-Stanford series has been a remarkably close rivalry, with the Big Game having been determined by a touchdown or less 52 times.
The status of the rivalry as one of the truly great sporting spectacles across the country was undoubtedly established in the very first game, when Stanford upset Cal, 14-10, on March 19, 1892, in a contest played on a field at the corner of Haight and Stanyan streets in San Francisco. Stanford manager Herbert C. Hoover, later to become the 31st president of the United States, and his Cal counterpart counted the gate receipts and reported a then-staggering sum of $30,000.
The game continued to grow in popularity with capacity crowds becoming the norm. In 1923, Cal opened Memorial Stadium with a 9-0 win to cap an undefeated season. Stanford and Cal also opened Stanford Stadium in 1921 with the Bears winning, 42-7, en route to the Rose Bowl.
Cal achieved great success in the series under Pappy Waldorf, who retired with a 7-1-2 record vs. Stanford from 1947-56. The 1949 game was highlighted by Jim Monachino’s 84-yard run – still the longest rush by a Cal player in Big Game history.
Five Big Games have been won on the final play, starting with the 1972 meeting in Berkeley. Cal faced fourth down from the Stanford seven-yardline with three seconds to go. But Vince Ferragamo completed a touchdown pass to a diving Steve Sweeney, giving the Bears a 24-21 win.
Two years later, Stanford’s Mike Langford booted a 50-yard field goal as time expired to lift the Cardinal to a 22-20 decision over the Bears.
In 1982, Cal won on a five-lateral, 57-yard kickoff return that will forever be remembered as “The Play.” Trailing 20-19, the Bears received Stanford’s kick with just four seconds left. Cal proceeded to travel the length of the field and march through the Stanford Band to produce an improbable 25-20 victory.
The Cardinal prevailed in 1990 by scoring nine points in the final 12 seconds. John Hopkins connected on a 37-yard field goal as time ran out for a 27-25 win.
For the 100th renewal of the series, the teams donned uniforms representative of the ones they wore more than a half-century earlier. On the night prior to the Nov. 21, 1997 contest, a gala event dubbed the “Big Auction” raised more than $1 million in scholarship funds for each school.
Finally, in 2000, Cal and Stanford played the first overtime game in the history of the series, with the Cardinal emerging 36-30 winners.
In last year's Big Game at Stanford Stadium, Stanford was a 63-13 winner, increasing its winning streak in the series to four for the first time since enjoying a seven-game win streak from 1995-2001.
Cal won seven of eight meetings from 2002-09.
THE AXE
The Stanford Axe, the trophy awarded to the winner of the Big Game every year, actually made its debut on the eve of a baseball game between the rival universities on April 13, 1899. On that afternoon at a pre-game rally, a group of Stanford students introduced the instrument to decapitate a straw man adorned in California blue and gold, much to the delight of the Indian faithful who chanted “Give ‘em the axe” while the proceedings continued.
The next day, Stanford rooters taunted their Cal counterparts by cutting pieces of blue and gold ribbon with The Axe and by using it to chop at a designated piece of wood whenever the Indians made a good play.
Cal rallied for an upset over Stanford and the Golden Bear fans were so overcome with emotion that a group of Cal men wrestled The Axe away from the Stanford students and smuggled it across the bay via ferry. The Axe was placed in a safe at a Berkeley bank, to be removed once a year for the Axe Rally.
By 1933, both sides decided that The Axe would make an ideal Big Game trophy. It was mounted on a plaque that lists the scores of each game since 1933.
BIG GAME RECORDS 
RUSHING
Cal: 390, Nov. 19, 1949
Stanford: 322, Nov. 19, 1984
Both Teams: 565, Nov. 24, 1956 (Cal 181, Stanford 284)
Cal Individual: 226, Joe Igber, Nov. 23, 2002 (26 attempts)
Stanford Individual: 209, Lou Valli, Nov. 24, 1956
Cal Longest Rush: 84, Jim Monachino, Nov. 19, 1949
Stanford Longest Rush: 94, Casey Moore, Nov. 20, 1999
PASSING
Cal: 377, Nov. 18, 1989
Stanford: 417, Nov. 23, 2013
Cal Individual: 377, Troy Taylor, Nov. 18, 1989
Stanford Individual: 401, Dick Norman, Nov. 21, 1959
Cal Longest Pass: 80, Jackie Jensen to Paul Keckley, Nov. 22, 1947
Stanford Longest Pass: 82, Brian Johnson to Walter Batson, Nov. 21, 1987
RECEIVING
Cal Individual (Yards): 245, Geoff McArthur, Nov. 22, 2003 (16 receptions)
Stanford Individual (Yards): 160, Ty Montgomery, Nov. 23, 2013 (5 receptions)
Cal Individual (Receptions): 16, Geoff McArthur, Nov. 22, 2003
Stanford Individual (Receptions): 12, Chris Burford, Nov. 21, 1959
TOTAL OFFENSE
Cal: 560, Nov. 20, 1993
Stanford: 603, Nov. 23, 2013
Both Teams: 1,027, Nov. 22, 1969 (Stanford 563, Cal 464)
Cal Individual: 414, Aaron Rodgers, Nov. 22, 2003
Stanford Individual: 409, Jim Plunkett, Nov. 22, 1969
SCORING
Cal: 48, Nov. 22, 1975 (48-15)
Stanford: 63, Nov. 23, 2013 (63-13)
Cal Individual: 24, Chuck Muncie, Nov. 22, 1975;
24, Lindsey Chapman, Nov. 20, 1993
Stanford Individual: 24, Toby Gerhart, Nov. 21, 2009; 24, Ty Montgomery, Nov. 13, 2013
MISCELLANEOUS
Longest Cal Punt: 76, Bryan Anger, Nov. 22, 2008
Longest Stanford Punt: 75, Dave Lewis, Nov. 21, 1964; 75, Stan Anderson, Nov. 19, 1932
Longest Cal Field Goal: 55, Tom Schneider, Dec. 2, 2006
Longest Stanford Field Goal: 50, Mike Langford, Nov. 23, 1974
Longest Cal Kickoff Return: 100, Deltha O’Neal, Nov. 20, 1999
Longest Stanford Kickoff Return: 95, Kevin Scott, Nov, 19, 1988
Longest Cal Punt Return: 105, Bobby Sherman, Nov. 8, 1902
Longest Stanford Punt Return: 76, Glyn Milburn, Nov. 21, 1992
Longest Cal Interception Return: 75, Steve Bancroft, Nov. 24, 1928
Longest Stanford Interception Return: 71, Gordy Riegel, Nov. 18, 1972
THE LAST TIME
SCORING
Cal scored 40 points: 41, Nov. 20, 2004 (41-6)
Stanford scored 40 points: 63, Nov. 23, 2013 (63-13)
Both teams scored 60 combined points: 76, Stanford (63-13), Nov. 23, 2013
Cal shutout Stanford: Nov. 22, 1952 (26-0)
Stanford shutout Cal: Nov. 20, 1971 (14-0)
RUSHING
Cal rushed for 200 yards: 242, Nov. 21, 2009
Stanford rushed for 200 yards: 252, Oct. 20, 2012
Cal rushed for 300 yards: 307, Nov. 20, 2004
Stanford rushed for 300 yards: 322, Nov. 17, 1984
Both teams rushed for 500 combined yards: 565, Nov. 24, 1956 (Stanford 284, Cal 281)
Cal player rushed for 100 yards: 193, Shane Vereen, Nov. 21, 2009
Stanford player rushed for 100 yards: 189, Stephan Taylor, Oct. 20, 2012
Cal player had a rush of 50 yards: 60, Jahvid Best, Nov. 22, 2008
Stanford player had a rush of 50 yards: 58, Tyler Gaffney, Nov. 23, 2013
RECEIVING
Cal player caught 10 passes: 16, Geoff McArthur, Nov. 22, 2003
Stanford player caught 10 passes: 10, Gene Washington, Nov. 18, 1967
Cal player caught passes for 100 yards: 125, Richard Rodgers, Nov. 23, 2013
Stanford player caught passes for 100 yards: 160, Ty Montgomery, Nov. 23, 2013
Cal player caught passes for 150 yards: 245, Geoff McArthur, Nov. 22, 2003
Stanford player caught passes for 150 yards: 160, Ty Montgomery, Nov. 23, 2013
PASSING
Cal passed for 300 yards: 310, Nov. 23, 2013
Stanford passed for 300 yards: 417, Nov. 23, 2013
Both teams 600 yards passing: 727, Nov. 23, 2013 (Stanford 417, Cal 310)
Cal player passed for 300 yards: 359, Aaron Rodgers, Nov. 22, 2003
Stanford player passed for 300 yards: 329, Kevin Hogan, Nov. 23, 2013
Cal player completed a pass of 50 yards: 62, Jared Goff to Richard Rodgers, Nov. 23, 2013
Stanford player completed a pass of 50 yards: 72 Kevin Hogan to Ty Montgomery, Nov. 23, 2013
Cal player completed a pass of 75 yards: 80, Jackie Jensen to Paul Keckley, Nov. 22, 1947
Stanford player completed a pass of 75 yards: 75, Randy Fasani to Luke Powell, Nov. 18, 2000
TOTAL OFFENSE
Cal had 400 yards: 477, Nov. 21, 2009
Stanford had 400 yards: 603, Nov. 23, 2013
Cal had 500 yards: 533, Nov. 22, 2003
Stanford had 500 yards: 603, Nov. 23, 2013
Both teams had 800 combined yards: 986, Nov. 23, 2013 (Stanford 603, Cal 383)
Both teams had 900 combined yards: 986, Nov. 23, 2013 (Stanford 603, Cal 383)
Cal player had 300 yards: 414, Aaron Rodgers, Nov. 22, 2003
Stanford player had 300 yards: 328, Kevin Hogan, Nov. 23, 2013
MISCELLANEOUS
Cal player punted the ball 60 yards: 71, Bryan Anger, Nov. 20, 2010
Stanford player punted the ball 60 yards: 60, Ken Naber, Nov. 17, 1979
Cal player kicked a 50-yard field goal: 55, Tom Schneider, Dec. 2, 2006
Stanford player kicked a 50-yard field goal: 50, Mike Langford, Nov. 23, 1974
