Cal Has Chance To Play Spoiler For In-State Rivals Stanford, UCLA And USC
Rivalries are what make college football great, and the state of California has some fun ones. While most may focus on the rivalry between USC and UCLA down in southern California, the Cal Bears are a part of another storied rivalry as well. And thanks to the Pac-12 schedule makers, Cal fans gets a chance to see the Bears take on every Pac-12 school in the state, every single season. Cal may even have a chance to play the upset card against all three of its instate rivals this fall.
Stanford
Series Record: Stanford leads 59-46-11
When it comes to rivalries at Cal, Stanford is the first and most important. The rivalry has served up many memorable moments in what is dubbed the Big Game, and the Stanford Axe is up for grabs. One of college football's most bizarre moments occurred during the Big Game in 1982, when four Cal football players successfully lateraled a kickoff return downfield for a game-winning touchdown. Kevin Moen started the return and finished it off by running over a Stanford trombone player in the end zone as fans were storming the field thinking the Cardinal had won. A Stanford win would have sent John Elway to his first bowl game and may have resulted in a Heisman Trophy victory. Instead, Cal's kickoff return has been nicknamed The Play and lives on in college football history.
The Big Game is the oldest college football rivalry in the west and was first played in 1892. The series was given the Big Game moniker in 1900, when the two schools met on Thanksgiving in San Francisco. The winner retains ownership of the Stanford Axe, which was first awarded in 1933. Over the years it has been the target of theft from both sides. How much weight does the Big Game hold? Cal and Stanford managed to thwart the NFL's intentions of trademarking "The Big Game" in reference to the Super Bowl.
This season, Cal will look to snap a five-game losing streak against the Cardinal. Prior to 2010, Cal had won seven of the previous eight meetings from 2002 through 2009. Stanford should be a tough out for the Bears, as the Cardinals are once again expected to be competing for the top spot in the Pac-12 North with Oregon.
The Bears are visiting Stanford this year on Nov. 21, their second to last game of the 2015 regular season.
UCLA
Series Record: UCLA leads 51-32-1
Although they do not reside in the same division, Cal fans still get fired up to see the Bears take on UCLA and USC. The series dates back to 1933 and has been protected as the Pac-12 has expanded. When the conference expanded and divided into divisions, an arrangement was made so that all of the schools in California could continue playing each other despite being in different divisions. The roots of the rivalry extend decades past when the two schools would designate one week on the calendar to play each other in football and other sports. As time has passed, that tradition has died off, but the in-state rivalry is still worth watching.
UCLA has held the upper hand in three of the last four meetings, but the series has been pretty even since the turn of the century with Cal owning a 9-7 edge since 1999. Cal will visit UCLA on Thursday, Oct. 22 this season. The Bears will get a bye week to prepare for the game, and the Bruins will be coming off a Thursday night road game against Stanford.
The Bears are visiting the Bruins on Oct. 22 for a Thursday night showdown this season.
USC
Series Record: USC leads 67-30-5
Cal has not defeated the Trojans of USC since the 2003 season. In fact, victories against the Men of Troy have been relatively difficult to come by for Cal over the years. Just three times since that 2003 victory have the Bears even come as close as single-digits of USC on the scoreboard, including last year's 38-30 setback in the Los Angeles Coliseum. Given the history, it might be easy to suggest there is a rivalry with USC in name only, but it is another in-state series fans get worked up for. Everybody wants a piece of USC, and having any in-state bragging rights can be even more fun when the wins are separated by so many years. USC was picked as the preseason favorite in the Pac-12 this season, which means a win would carry even more to be proud of if Cal can score the victory at home.
This year, Cal will host the Trojans on Halloween (Oct. 31). Will it be trick or treat for the Bears this season?
Kevin McGuire is a Philadelphia area sports writer covering the Philadelphia Eagles and college football. McGuire is a member of the FWAA and National Football Foundation. Follow McGuire on Twitter @KevinOnCFB. His work can be found on Examiner.com.
