Stanford’s loss this past weekend in Berkeley leaves the Cardinals all alone in the basement of the PAC-12 with a conference record of 1-8, one step lower than they were this time last year when they finished in the now eliminated North Division with a record of 2-7. Through three quarters it looked as though Stanford had this game in hand. I mean nothing to write home about but they were up 10-6 at the break and 17-6 after three and had held Cal scoreless in the 2nd and 3rd Quarters. Cal started closing the gap right away at the beginning of the 4th Qtr after a Stanford 52 yard punt and 22 yard return back to the Cardinal 47 where the Bears went on a 7 play 47 yard drive in under three minutes to close the score to 17-12 after a Jack Plummer TD pass to Monroe Young and a failed 2-point conversion. Stanford really shot themselves in the foot on their next possession where on the third play of the series and sitting 1st and 10 at their own 38 yard line they gifted Cal with a fumble that the Bears returned for a TD. After a Jack Plummer to Jayden Ott 2-point conversion Stanford found themselves behind for the first time all game long 20-17.
After holding the Cardinal to a three-and-out on their next possession, Cal had a chance to widen the score but instead gave the ball back on a Jack Plummer interception. But even after getting help from the other side Stanford couldn’t capitalize and sitting 4th and 7 at their own 37 yard line had to punt the ball back to Cal. Then on their next possession Tanner McKee threw up an interception from his own 28 yard line which led to another Cal TD three plays later on a 1 yard run by Jaydn Ott. Cal now up 27-17. Stanford did score one more time, a 61 yard field goal with time expiring—final score 27-20.
Cal Senior QB Jack Plummer connected on 23-of-43 for 280 yards, 1 TD to Senior WR Monroe Young, and 2 interceptions. Plummer found five receivers multiple times with Junior WR Jeremiah Hunter and Freshman WR J. Michael Sturdivant collecting more than half of those 280 yards on five receptions a piece. On the ground the Bears rushed 22 times for 113 yards, with most all of those and the only TD also supplied by Freshman RB Jaydn Ott. For Stanford QB Tanner McKee was 29-of-45 for 271 yards, 1 TD to Senior WR Elijah Higgins, and 1 pick. Sophomore Safety Mitch Leigber rushed 22 times for 83 of the Cardinal’s 129 yards and their only TD on the ground. Cal trailed in most of the statistical categories, 1st Downs, Total Yards, Rushing Yards and time of possession by almost 8 minutes. At one point it seemed as though this was Stanford’s game to lose, and by gosh they found a way to do it.
As the 9th highest paid college coach in the country and with another dismal year under his belt maybe someone should start looking at Head Coach David Shaw’s $8.925M salary-to-win ratio, but that’s just me. Up next for Stanford is a game at home against BYU while the Bears will be hosting UCLA at Cal Memorial Stadium in Berkeley.