Number 10...
10. California vs. Stanford
(Stanford leads 54-42-11)
It takes a long-running rivalry to be called The Big Game. It's the 10th most played rivalry in college football dating back to 1892 when Stanford upset Cal 14-10 on a field in San Francisco. Unbelievably, the game drew enough fans to generate over $30,000 in revenue as reported by Stanford team manager Herbert Hoover.
The two teams play for The Stanford Axe, which was used during a baseball game in 1899 by Stanford fans to rip apart a blue and gold ribbon, leading the chant of "Give 'em the axe" after big plays. Cal ended up rallying for a win, inspiring a group of fans to run over and rip the axe away from the Stanford students. They took it on a ferry across the bay to be put in a Berkeley bank for safekeeping. In 1933, the axe was brought back and used as the trophy for the winner.
Signature game
Nov. 20, 1982: California 25, Stanford 20
In the 1982 edition of the Big Game, Stanford was on its way to a hard-fought, comeback 20-19 win after Cardinal kicker Mark Harmon hit a 35-yard field goal to put away its archrival. After he hit the kick, Stanford went nuts running on the field and got nailed with a 15-yard unsportsmanlike conduct penalty. Who cares? The Cardinal were going to finish 6-5, go to the Hall of Fame Bowl, and beat Cal all in one play. Star quarterback John Elway, in his final game, threw for 330 yards, capping a very successful season. All Stanford had to do was kick it off and the game would be over.
What would follow would be the most amazing and bizarre finish in college football history. Harmon, not wanting to give up a big return, squibbed his kickoff into the hands of Kevin Moen. About to be tackled, Moen tossed the ball to Richard Rogers. Rodgers lateraled the ball to Dwight Garner. Garner was tackled but desperately got the ball away, pitching it back to Rodgers. The Bears were still around midfield. Rodgers then lateraled the ball to Mariet Ford. The ball was still alive. And unfolding in front of the college football world was the embodiment of moments played out on sandlots and playgrounds as long as kids have played football, rugby, and Kill the Quarterback games.
The band and the Stanford fans were on the field thinking the game was over, but Ford flung the ball wildly into the hands of Moen, the man who started it all, who weaved and raced his way to the end zone dodging Stanford defenders and band members before crushing a trombone player. Did they really do it? After a huddle by officials for more than five minutes, they declared the impossible play a touchdown. Stanford missed out on a winning season, a bowl game, and a win over Cal.
Lost in this final play was a great game leading up to it. Elway marched Stanford on an epic drive for what appeared to be the game-winning points, but no one ever remembers that. It's a fun trivia question: How many bowl games did Elway go to? Zip.
10. California vs. Stanford
(Stanford leads 54-42-11)
It takes a long-running rivalry to be called The Big Game. It's the 10th most played rivalry in college football dating back to 1892 when Stanford upset Cal 14-10 on a field in San Francisco. Unbelievably, the game drew enough fans to generate over $30,000 in revenue as reported by Stanford team manager Herbert Hoover.
The two teams play for The Stanford Axe, which was used during a baseball game in 1899 by Stanford fans to rip apart a blue and gold ribbon, leading the chant of "Give 'em the axe" after big plays. Cal ended up rallying for a win, inspiring a group of fans to run over and rip the axe away from the Stanford students. They took it on a ferry across the bay to be put in a Berkeley bank for safekeeping. In 1933, the axe was brought back and used as the trophy for the winner.
Signature game
Nov. 20, 1982: California 25, Stanford 20
In the 1982 edition of the Big Game, Stanford was on its way to a hard-fought, comeback 20-19 win after Cardinal kicker Mark Harmon hit a 35-yard field goal to put away its archrival. After he hit the kick, Stanford went nuts running on the field and got nailed with a 15-yard unsportsmanlike conduct penalty. Who cares? The Cardinal were going to finish 6-5, go to the Hall of Fame Bowl, and beat Cal all in one play. Star quarterback John Elway, in his final game, threw for 330 yards, capping a very successful season. All Stanford had to do was kick it off and the game would be over.
What would follow would be the most amazing and bizarre finish in college football history. Harmon, not wanting to give up a big return, squibbed his kickoff into the hands of Kevin Moen. About to be tackled, Moen tossed the ball to Richard Rogers. Rodgers lateraled the ball to Dwight Garner. Garner was tackled but desperately got the ball away, pitching it back to Rodgers. The Bears were still around midfield. Rodgers then lateraled the ball to Mariet Ford. The ball was still alive. And unfolding in front of the college football world was the embodiment of moments played out on sandlots and playgrounds as long as kids have played football, rugby, and Kill the Quarterback games.
The band and the Stanford fans were on the field thinking the game was over, but Ford flung the ball wildly into the hands of Moen, the man who started it all, who weaved and raced his way to the end zone dodging Stanford defenders and band members before crushing a trombone player. Did they really do it? After a huddle by officials for more than five minutes, they declared the impossible play a touchdown. Stanford missed out on a winning season, a bowl game, and a win over Cal.
Lost in this final play was a great game leading up to it. Elway marched Stanford on an epic drive for what appeared to be the game-winning points, but no one ever remembers that. It's a fun trivia question: How many bowl games did Elway go to? Zip.
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