Cal expects enough returnees to play Big Game on time

Saturday’s Big Game at Stanford Stadium remains on schedule despite Cal having to postpone its game against USC that was set for last Saturday after a coronavirus outbreak swept through the Bears’ program.

On Monday, a Cal Athletics spokesperson emailed this statement to The Chronicle:

“We began our preparations for Stanford last week by practicing with a limited number of

players. This week, as more and more of our student-athletes are cleared to play, we plan to continue ramping up our practices. We are looking forward to the 124th Big Game and are fully expecting to play at Stanford on Saturday.”

Though Cal announced that 99% of its program has been vaccinated, the Bears began experiencing virus issues in the days after they beat Oregon State 39-25 on Oct. 30. Missing 24 players (not all because of virus problems) including starting quarterback Chase Garbers, the Bears lost 10-3 at previously winless Arizona on Nov. 6.

With 44 players and staff members reportedly testing positive last week, the USC matchup at Memorial Stadium was moved to Dec. 4.

To become bowl-eligible, Cal (3-6, 2-4 Pac-12) must do something it hasn’t done since its last Rose Bowl season of 1958: sweep the other California schools in the conference, at Stanford on Saturday, at UCLA on Nov. 27 and then the USC finale.

Meanwhile, Stanford (3-7, 2-6) has lost five straight games and cannot qualify for a bowl game. The Cardinal won last year’s Big Game, 24-23 in Berkeley.

In 2019, Garbers’ 16-yard TD run with just more than a minute remaining lifted the Bears to a 24-20 victory at Stanford. The Cardinal had won the previous nine meetings.