Cal looks to end 5-game Big Game skid vs. No. 15 Stanford

“So we need a little bit of perspective here, but it definitely stings right now”.

Beating Cal would help the Cardinal ease that pain. But Goff, coming off of a six-touchdown performance against Oregon State that tied a Cal record, is the most prolific passer in program history. Why Stanford Will Win Cal will wilt in the face of Stanford’s physicality. OR scored on big plays of 49, 75, 47, 33 and 49 yards, which could be a concern as the Cardinal prepares for an explosive Cal offense.

This year’s version is a rarity since both teams are having successful seasons. David Shaw, who had been Harbaugh’s offensive coordinator, was named the head coach of the Cardinal and he has done nothing to allow the program to take a step back. “That’s in our rearview mirror. We got one game to go to the Pac-12 championship game and that’s what we’re going to focus on”.

But that wasn’t important to Scarlett, who had experienced firsthand the ugly side of just how fleeting football careers can sometimes be – with his post-football future in mind, he just wanted to find a one-year graduate program to complement his business degree from Cal. His only motive behind transferring was that Cal didn’t offer a graduate program that fit his career interests. Harris’ absence could be significant, as he hasn’t missed a game since 2012 and produced 10 pass breakups this season. Stanford’s all-time leading rushing quarterback has rushed for 274 yards and four touchdowns this season. San Jose State RB Tyler Ervin is a distant second at 209.8. He is seventh in the nation with 1,354 rushing yards and ninth with an average of 135.4 rushing yards per game.

Wide receivers Devon Cajuste and Michael Rector agreed.

The loss was the Cardinal’s first since the season opener and ended an eight-game win streak.

In that way, Brennan Scarlett’s story becomes one not of defection, but of determination and perseverance – overcoming a rash of injuries and the notorious Stanford admissions process – which is something that, rivalry aside, has to be respected and commended. All three ranked teams in the Pac-12 losing put quite the dent in the plan, but Stanford remains in the running if it can avoid another loss.

“I want to win the Big Game every year – I want to win every game just the same”, Goff said. “It’s not necessarily bitter as much as it is, ‘We’re going to see you a lot over the course of the year, and we want to have bragging rights'”.

When working, Cal’s offense has the potential to be truly special and has many factors that can cause Stanford’s defense problems.

Martinez, who leads the team with an even 100 tackles, knows the importance of this game, as well as the tradition. I’d expect Cal to kick away from McCaffrey while Stanford’s solid kick coverage shouldn’t have much trouble with Travor Davis. The biggest question for Stanford is which running back Cal will feature.

Scouting the pass defense: The marquee matchup in the Big Game will be Cal’s passing game against Stanford’s pass defense.

This game had everything: Two top-flight teams in No. 1 Alabama and No. 4 Auburn, the SEC West title and a SEC Championship berth on the line, Nick Saban versus Gus Malzahn, AJ McCarron versus Nick Marshall. Most of those came around World War II when several players who were in Berkeley for a Navy training program played for Cal and then went to Stanford after the war.

As if the defenses won’t be challenged enough already, both enter the game with banged-up secondaries. “I haven’t made it this far for a long time and I’ve obviously never played in a Big Game so I’m really excited about it”. He now leads the Pac-12 at 28.9 yards per kickoff return. He is now projected as a second- or third-round draft pick. Maybe if schools offered more sacrifices to the football gods, college football would finally have a full-fledged playoff system.

Scarlett still remembers getting weird looks in the weight room when he made his unofficial visit to Stanford previous year, and teammate Blake Martinez remembers that it took him a while to get over the weirdness as well. Henderson broke a shoestring tackle before running into the endzone for the game-winning score. He had three against Colorado and five against Oregon.

This one features two of the league’s top QBs in Jeff Goff (3,324 yards and 30 TDs) and Kevin Hogan (a 162.1 quarterback rating). Shittu has the second most TFL on the team with seven, and Thomas is close behind with 6.5. You’re going to do the things you do each week, like look at film. The sophomore has eclipsed Glyn Milburn’s record of 2,234 yards set in 1992. Since the teams joined the Big Sky in 1963, Montana leads the series 29-22. He also had one sack.

-TE Greg Taboada caught his first two touchdown catches of the season against Oregon. He had two touchdown receptions in 2014. “When we went to Washington State in Pullman, it was pretty cold”.

-CB Ronnie Harris sustained an ankle injury in the loss to Oregon.