Cal Boat-Raced by Stanford in 128th Big Game, 31-10

Lots of penalties and very few first downs drag Cal down in a tough loss

image courtesy of @StanfordFBall

Cal (6-5, 3-4 ACC) began their first drive of the 128th Big Game deep in their own territory, and quickly found themselves punting to a Stanford (4-7, 3-5 ACC) team that found themselves similarly confounded on offense on their first drive. Following this inauspicious start, Cal managed to matriculate the ball downfield with a bit of patience, with QB Jaron Keawe Sagapolutele narrowly avoiding an interception, remaining calm, and finding a first down to make room for a trick play the got them in field goal position, regardless of the sack he would take just a few downs later. Cal Kicker Abram Murray completed a field goal from 40 yards out to put the Bears on the scoreboard midway through the first quarter.

The Golden Bears stymied Stanford at midfield to start the second quarter, but quickly lost the ball running a trick play through Jacob De Jesus, who fumbled. Stanford Safety Jay Green recovered for a scoop and score. Cal answered on the next drive, slowly but surely making their way downfield despite numerous penalties and reviews, before Jaron Keawe Sagapolutele ran in the touchdown from eight yards out.

Stanford’s final drive leading into halftime saw them break open their largest pass of the game, with QB Elijah Brown finding TE Benji Blackburn for 26 yards. From Cal’s territory they hammered Cal’s front seven with RB Micah Ford, before drawing a DPI on Brent “Paco” Austin. Cal maintained a strong front, forcing a field goal attempt that was blocked, then recovered by LB Cade Uluave. Despite the good fortune, RB Kendrick Raphael had the ball punched out by Safety Jay Green, who scored once more, giving Stanford a 14-10 lead going into the half, where Cal led Stanford in possession 20:33 to 8:29, but Cal committed nine penalties for a loss of 88 yards to Stanford’s three penalties that cost them 15.

Stanford received to open the half, and Cal once again committed themselves to accruing penalties, finding themselves having to stand tall in their red zone once more, holding Stanford to a kick that went wide right. Cal’s offense continued to take penalties on offense as well, starting their next series with a false start that led into a series where nothing materialized. Stanford found themselves in the same position with three minutes left in the third quarter, once again gummed up in Cal’s red area, opting for a field goal attempt, which Emmet Kenney then made, bringing their lead to seven.

With just under two minutes remaining in the third quarter, Jaron Keawe Sagapolutele dropped a snap, which was recovered by Stanford, who finished off a successful drive with a four yard scoring run by Micah Ford to bring the score to 24-10 in Stanford’s favor. Cal’s next drive was reminiscent of the unsuccessful ones that came before it. The next Stanford possession, Elijah Brown found CJ Williams deep to pile on the score at 31 -10, making this Stanford’s highest scoring outing of the year.