The 124th Big Game
Who: Cal (3-6, 2-4 Pac-12) at Stanford (3-7, 2-6)
When: 4 p.m. Saturday
Where: Stanford Stadium
TV/Radio: Pac-12 Network/810, 104.5, 680, 1050
Story line: Two teams whose seasons haven’t gone the way they would have liked still have a chance to end the season with a flourish. Coronavirus issues trimmed the Bears’ roster for their 10-3 loss at Arizona on Nov. 6 and forced the postponement of last Saturday’s scheduled home game against USC. For Cal to get a bowl bid, the Bears must do something they haven’t done since their last Rose Bowl season of 1958: sweep the other California schools. They play at UCLA next Saturday and host the Trojans on Dec. 4. Stanford can’t play in a bowl and owns a five-game losing streak — its longest in-season skid since a nine-gamer in 2006 — but wins over Cal and over No. 6 Notre Dame next Saturday would give the Cardinal a large boost heading into 2022.
WHEN CAL HAS THE BALL
⏩ This seems obvious, but … the Bears figure to run the ball early and late, outside and inside. Stanford ranks at the bottom of the Pac-12 in rushing yards allowed per game at 230.7. Cal running backs Damien Moore (5.2) and Christopher Brooks (4.8) average about 5 yards per carry, as does quarterback Chase Garbers (4.9), who has thrived both on designed runs and scrambles.
⏩ Garbers also is an effective passer; he leads the Pac-12 in total offense at 293 yards per game. In the past two Big Games, he has thrown for a combined 436 yards and run for 123. Stanford head coach David Shaw said Garbers “plays this game the way it’s supposed to be played, with energy and passion. … This guy’s a fierce competitor and I have the utmost respect for him.”
⏩ The Cardinal’s secondary should get boosted with the return of two players. Starting cornerback Kyu Blu Kelly missed last Saturday’s 35-14 loss at Oregon State with an undisclosed illness or injury. An injury has sidelined Jonathan McGill all season, but Stanford lists McGill or Noah Williams as the starter at free safety.
WHEN STANFORD HAS THE BALL
⏩ Stanford quarterback Tanner McKee has missed the past two games because of an apparent leg injury, but on Tuesday, Shaw listed McKee as probable. And even though McKee likely won’t be at 100%, Shaw said he’ll let McKee operate with the full playbook. “Tanner’s a great young man, very positive,” Shaw said. “If I didn’t give him the full complement, that might be the one dirty look he would ever give me.”
⏩ Because Stanford ranks last in the conference in yards per rush (3.4) and rushing yards per game (94.5), its offense likely will rise or fall on McKee’s passing. A key for Cal, then, will be for its front seven — including lineman Luc Bequette and linebackers Cameron Goode and Marqez Bimage — to put a lot of pressure on McKee.
⏩ Cornerback Josh Drayden will break the Cal record he currently shares with former corner Syd’Quan Thompson for most games played in a career. Drayden will be playing in his 53rd. Safety Elijah Hicks will be playing his 52nd, and Bequette his 51st. Bequette also played 11 games for Boston College last season.