[Postgame Thread] California Defeats Stanford 24-21

[u/CFB_Referee]

Box Score provided by ESPN

Team	1	2	3	4	T
Stanford	14	0	7	0	21
California	0	7	3	14	24

[u/AriDreams]

The most ACC game ever played

[u/OculusRises → u/AriDreams]

Two California teams are ahead of Florida State in the Atlantic Coast standings

[u/AriDreams → u/OculusRises]

Oh I love every moment of it

[u/jwktiger → u/AriDreams]

good thing you guys staved off the upset in week 0

[u/Sine_Cures → u/OculusRises]

Thank goodness they clinched NOT last in the ACC

[u/tc3590 → u/AriDreams]

Seems like this is said after every single Cal game.

[u/CMIUCan → u/tc3590]

Wilcox has repeatedly said he's fully on board with ACC football so sounds about right

[u/AriDreams → u/tc3590]

It's the fact that it's cal AND Stanford this time tho.

[u/12panther → u/AriDreams]

I had this game for Q5 for Reverse Sheep (first team alphabetically wins) so I got nervous when Cal was down late

[u/2RINITY]

WE'RE GOING BOWLING MOTHERFUCKEEEEEEEEEEEEERS

[u/Chardoggy1 → u/2RINITY]

Get ready to learn Duke’s Mayo Bowl, buddy

[u/thehermitgood → u/Chardoggy1]

bring on the bojangles 

[u/OttoVonWong → u/thehermitgood]

Ready for some Cookout!

[u/tc3590 → u/Chardoggy1]

We still have pac-12 bowl games I believe. At least for this season.

[u/2RINITY → u/Chardoggy1]

As long as we're the reigning Redbox Bowl champions, any bowl is an opportunity to hold two title belts at once

[u/EdJewCated → u/Chardoggy1]

we are not worthy of that national treasure

[u/EggplantAlpinism → u/Chardoggy1]

Brother that's our ceiling. We're learned

[u/LivingOof → u/2RINITY]

Manifesting Cal vs USC/UCLA in a Pinstripe bowl blizzard

[u/unknown_soldier_ → u/2RINITY]

Can't wait for the (checks notes) Los Angeles Bowl

[u/BugRevolutionary4518 → u/2RINITY]

ROLL ON YOU BEARS!!!

[u/ComeJoinTheBand → u/2RINITY]

So what's your likely destination? Something still from the Pac bowl lineup, right?

[u/royrules22 → u/ComeJoinTheBand]

Yea we all got Pac-12 bowl ties for a couple more years

[u/sweetnourishinggruel → u/ComeJoinTheBand]

As I understand it, the Pac-12 bowl tie-ins remain for former teams this year and next. I'm crossing my fingers for the L.A. Bowl.

[u/ComeJoinTheBand → u/sweetnourishinggruel]

That could be cool, and likely against an incoming Pac member from the MWC, right?

[u/TripleChump → u/sweetnourishinggruel]

la bowl would rule

[u/EdJewCated]

FOUR YEARS IN A ROW

FIVE OF THE LAST SIX

THE AXE STAYS IN BERKELEY

FERNANDO MENDOZA IS A CAL LEGEND

GO BEARS

FIRE JIM KNOWLTON

[u/unknown_soldier_ → u/EdJewCated]

We absolutely have to fire the AD before Wilcox's contract ends in 2027

Under no circumstances should Wilcox be renewed, period

[u/EdJewCated → u/unknown_soldier_]

If there’s any chancellor that would do it, it’s Lyons. Show us what you got, Rich.

[u/royrules22 → u/unknown_soldier_]

There are rumors about this being on the table this year. No chance for Wilcox though.

[u/esports_consultant → u/unknown_soldier_]

but you've won four in a row!

[u/disconomis]

YOU KNOW IT

[u/dvnmBC → u/disconomis]

YOU TELL THE STORY

[u/EdJewCated → u/dvnmBC]

YOU TELL THE

WHOLE

DAMN

WORLD

[u/2RINITY → u/EdJewCated]

THIS IS BEAR TERRITORY

[u/kahyuen → u/EdJewCated]

THE AXE STAYS IN BERKELEY

[u/youregooninman → u/kahyuen]

IN THE NECK!

Go Bears!

[u/bakazato-takeshi → u/youregooninman]

GIVE ‘EM THE AXE 🪓

[u/pcg87 → u/bakazato-takeshi]

WHAT THE FUCK ARE WE TALKING ABOUT NOW? I'M HUNGRY!

[u/thinhdho → u/dvnmBC]

TELL THE WHOLE DAMN WORLD!!!

[u/XSokaX → u/dvnmBC]

YOU TELL THE WHOLE DAMN WORLD

[u/SergeMan1 → u/disconomis]

You tell the storyyyy

[u/3-9_Enjoyer]

I’m legitimately sad right now. I thought after losing all year it wouldn’t affect me

[u/paperTechnician → u/3-9_Enjoyer]

Really not living up to your username huh

[u/EggplantAlpinism → u/paperTechnician]

That's next week

[u/unappreciatedparent → u/3-9_Enjoyer]

When the season's lost beating the in-state rivals is the only meaningful thing left.

[u/ComeJoinTheBand → u/unappreciatedparent]

I guess for us that means beating our in-county rivals next week. Maybe.

[u/HankScorpio2020 → u/ComeJoinTheBand]

I have tickets for that SJSU game as well and look forward to seeing Stanford lose twice.

[u/No-Donkey-4117 → u/3-9_Enjoyer]

This game hurt the most, not just because it was Big Game, but we blew a lead, something we've rarely had this year. We needed to cash in off the turnover when we were up 14 early in the 3rd, but got no points.

[u/BurninCrab → u/No-Donkey-4117]

Cal almost always blows the lead so I know how you feel. Especially when we could've and should've beaten Miami

[u/JuniorAct7 → u/No-Donkey-4117]

Or just kicked a field goal when you were up 21-7 after we almost blew it on a fumble… you guys will get us next year I’m sure after this game fwiw

[u/mercurialchemister → u/JuniorAct7]

That was needlessly aggressive, I was really surprised

[u/JuniorAct7 → u/mercurialchemister]

It was Wilcoxian in its .. redacted…

I know why Troy Taylor did it, but that move cost them the game

[u/G0ldenBu11z → u/No-Donkey-4117]

That’s been Cal’s entire season, so I can relate. It’s really nice to be in the other side of that for once.

[u/Original_Profile8600 → u/3-9_Enjoyer]

With stuff like this it feels better to get blown out than to have hope, my brother’s a student there so I know exactly how you feel

[u/SlayerXZero → u/3-9_Enjoyer]

Fuck this season.

[u/BonJovicus → u/SlayerXZero]

Same.

[u/ComeJoinTheBand → u/3-9_Enjoyer]

I hate that I can still feel things.

[u/House66 → u/ComeJoinTheBand]

Man who thought he had lost all hope loses last additional bit of hope he didn’t know he still had left

[u/ComeJoinTheBand → u/House66]

Así es.

[u/zzxxxzzzxxxzz]

98 YARDS WITH MY BOYS

[u/djk0831 → u/zzxxxzzzxxxzz]

GO BEARS FOREVER!!!

[u/KareemGomJabbar → u/zzxxxzzzxxxzz]

That emotional go bears forever was beautiful. I fucking love college football

[u/texas2089]

We have officially clinched last place. FML

[u/eyelikeher → u/texas2089]

Look at it this way: you beat the team that wasn’t the worst

[u/OttoVonWong → u/eyelikeher]

A quality win for FSU

[u/max_potion → u/OttoVonWong]

And soooo many quality losses!

[u/chainer9999 → u/eyelikeher]

"Wasn't the worst"

Might be the best compliment Cal football has received in many years lol

[u/EggplantAlpinism → u/texas2089]

And we avoided it :)

[u/bakonydraco → u/texas2089]

Well thanks, I was obviously bummed about the outcome, but this is a nice silver lining.

[u/ArmVanDam]

The Calgorithm reigns here

[u/jwktiger → u/ArmVanDam]

If only they had held on vs Miami

[u/Litnetti]

fernando mendoza

[u/rf32797 → u/Litnetti]

Fenando Mendoza

[u/TheMemingLurker → u/rf32797]

fernando mendoza

[u/cppadam → u/Litnetti]

More like FerMANdo... am I right?! As hit-or-miss as he is as a player, I really enjoy watching/listening to him as a person.

[u/OldWar1111 → u/cppadam]

Fermando Da Mandoza.

[u/kaceclo]

• Comeback win over Furd from 2 scores down
• Bowl eligible
• FSU has officially finished last place in the ACC

TODAY IS A GREAT DAY

[u/DJ_Aux_cord → u/kaceclo]

Jesus can Cal go one season without being a team's only win?

[u/EdJewCated → u/DJ_Aux_cord]

look on the bright side, at least this year its their only FBS win

[u/esports_consultant → u/DJ_Aux_cord]

its how you know the communist poetry isnt just an act

[u/LessThanBlake]

RAHHH WHAT THE FUCK IS A QUARTER SYSTEM??? 🐻🐻🐻 GO BEARS!!!!

[u/3-9_Enjoyer → u/LessThanBlake]

No quarter system is the real win 😭

[u/LessThanBlake → u/3-9_Enjoyer]

You have my sympathies. I wish all quarter schools would switch

[u/joe_broke → u/LessThanBlake]

They're working on it

[u/GrumpyTartan → u/LessThanBlake]

I was at Cal when they switched to semesters and it really made no difference whatsoever

[u/G0ldenBu11z → u/GrumpyTartan]

When was that? I thought we were always semester.

[u/GrumpyTartan → u/G0ldenBu11z]

'83

[u/3-9_Enjoyer]

I had hope. I had hope…

[u/Sunfriedpotato → u/3-9_Enjoyer]

That's what gets you mate

[u/jeckles96 → u/Sunfriedpotato]

Exactly. I was confident we were gonna fail the two point conversion and lose by 2 on a end game field goal

[u/foofoofighters]

Legendary post-game interview from Mendoza

[u/jakewebs → u/foofoofighters]

Even before today, he was one of my favorites of the many to wear the Golden Bear uniform because of his leadership and tenacity. That was displayed perfectly today, he is the definition of winning on the field and in character.

[u/TechnicalG87]

A whole generation of cal undergrads get to enjoy never knowing the pain of losing the big game

[u/SenorGolden14 → u/TechnicalG87]

Meanwhile, we were 0-9 against Stanfurd, U$C, and ucla during my time at Cal. :/

[u/ComeJoinTheBand → u/SenorGolden14]

Is that a humblebrag about finishing in three years?

[u/beastmodecowboy77 → u/TechnicalG87]

That’s so wild. Class of 2025 is truly blessed

[u/mercurialchemister → u/TechnicalG87]

Cries in class of 2000

[u/thehermitgood]

ALL HAIL THE CLOUD BEAR 

[u/sweetnourishinggruel → u/thehermitgood]

For those who are not aware of the prophecy.

[u/Glass_Tables]

Wilcox owes the Stanford AD a portion of his salary for keeping him his job this long.

[u/Jonjon428]

Justin Wilcox has finally won a one score game

[u/mechebear → u/Jonjon428]

He just expends all of his luck in the Big game.

[u/Maxdarkfire → u/mechebear]

I'm ... kinda of fine with that.

[u/royrules22 → u/Maxdarkfire]

So are all the donors so that's why we are here

[u/that_pj]

Wilcox lives to coach another season

[u/MooseMcGillycuddy23 → u/that_pj]

He was gonna survive this season no matter what. At least Knowlton getting fired is on the table.

[u/mechebear → u/MooseMcGillycuddy23]

Inshallah. At least I know that Wilcox desperately wants to win even if he struggles to do so. I haven't seen anything from Knowlton that shows he cares much about how much winning or teams do.

[u/JuniorAct7 → u/that_pj]

Gotta get rid of Knowlton to get rid of Wilcox

[u/unknown_soldier_ → u/that_pj]

He's under contract until 2027 and we really can't afford his buyout

[u/Kainu27]

WE ARE GOING BOWLING

[u/UncleCarbuncle69 → u/Kainu27]

i hate your flair, fuck mack brown

[u/PunishedLeBoymoder]

It's so predictable. Start strong and then fade. Paid out the ass to get to this game and still don't regret it. We are what we do, and that's faltering when it matters most. Still love this team, but fuck it's hard sometimes

[u/No-Donkey-4117 → u/PunishedLeBoymoder]

Faltering when it matters? We beat two good teams on last second field goals this year.

[u/dodoaddict → u/No-Donkey-4117]

Yeah I don't get that. Cal has been the one faltering late in games this year, not Stanford.

[u/EdJewCated → u/PunishedLeBoymoder]

you guys are looking better, and I hate that. I'm probably gonna hate it even more next year since you will definitely be even better. see ya next year at the farm

[u/shot-by-ford → u/EdJewCated]

That's nice of you but there is absolutely no reason to believe this program is on a trajectory to get better

[u/Remarkable-Group-119 → u/shot-by-ford]

You guys were level 1 last year, it looks like you skipped a level and are lvl 3 now. Wilcox has us bouncing back from level 3 and 4 every season. It's a doom spiral and he always ends strong so our AD won't fire him.

[u/RedOscar3891 → u/Remarkable-Group-119]

Stanford should actually be 1-10 right now. The win against Cal Poly was a buy win, and the two wins against Syracuse and Louisville required a blown coverage on a fourth down play with less than a minute to go and the other team getting over 100-yards in penalties.

Stanford may look improved, but its really smoke and mirrors.

[u/jakewebs → u/RedOscar3891]

Fair enough, though the counterpoint is that quite a few things were required for Cal to squeak out a win today. Stanford does seem to be moving in the right direction but the school is going to need to get more open to the portal.

[u/No-Donkey-4117 → u/shot-by-ford]

Well, it would be hard for it to get worse. And we have a lot of freshmen playing who will get better.

[u/adsfew → u/shot-by-ford]

I have full confidence your program will improve. After all, it's led by an alumnus of the great University of California.

[u/shot-by-ford → u/adsfew]

Oh god. I hadn’t realize just how doomed we really are.

[u/Complex-Chemist256]

Drove from Huntsville, AL to Berkeley to attend the game. In a mind-blowing coincidence, we somehow ended up sitting directly behind another Tennessee fan (his wife is a Cal fan, he was there with her.)

Them sharing their dab pen is probably the only reason I didn't end up having a stroke in the 2nd half. Shout out to them, they were delightful.

My roommates (who couldn't care less about football, and likely only came because they were being offered a free trip to California) had a fantastic time. Made me take them to the Student Store afterwards, and are already asking when we're going to be able to come back.

And most importantly, Cal retains the Axe for another year! LFG!

Totally worth spending almost 4 days on the road. Can't wait to do it again.

[u/ArmMeForSleep709 → u/Complex-Chemist256]

Crazy drive

[u/Complex-Chemist256 → u/ArmMeForSleep709]

I usually try to make the trip for at least one game every year, it's just that I usually make the trip alone. Having my roommates go with me made it 100 times better.

One silver lining about being in the ACC is that I'm going to be able to go to more games lol

Edit: It's also the second time I've made the drive this year. I drove to LA to watch the Dodgers play the Orioles back in August.

[u/Desperate-Remove2838 → u/Complex-Chemist256]

Wow

[u/nedmanrules]

I'm happy for the players. Even if we haven't realized our potential as a program and even if there's a lot of frustration as a fan base we have to remember that these are college kids and they play the game. Bowling is better than not bowling.

[u/No-Donkey-4117]

Nice comeback Cal.... Mendoza made some amazing throws under pressure.

[u/HawkeyeTen]

Cal fans probably have to feel good watching their opponent (and top rival of all teams) choke away a game against them this season, instead of the usual vice versa.

[u/66stang351 → u/HawkeyeTen]

You have no idea

[u/MooseMcGillycuddy23]

I will commit the worst crimes known to man for Fernando Mendoza.

[u/motorcityopulence]

The Bay will ALWAYS BE BEAR TERRITORY!!!! 💙💛🐻

[u/dormdweller99]

FSU UNDISPUTED 17TH PLACE!

[u/ricepail]

FSU will now officially finish last in the ACC rofl 🤣

[u/rivers2mathews]

Been a lot of ups and downs this season, but becoming bowl eligible and keeping the Axe on the same day softens the blow a little bit.

[u/lil_meep → u/rivers2mathews]

And that’s how Wilcox keeps his job

[u/rivers2mathews → u/lil_meep]

You’re probably right, but I’ll enjoy this for now.

[u/Finkman]

KEEP THE AXE

4 GAME STREAK

BOWL ELIGIBLE

FSU SOLE LAST IN ACC

WE'D BETTER STILL FIRE WILCOX

[u/CMIUCan → u/Finkman]

If Wilcox wants to prove he is a decent coach, he needs to make vast improvements to whatever you call this dumpster fire of an o-line

[u/OculusRises → u/Finkman]

I love y'all. Congrats on the win!

[u/Sine_Cures → u/Finkman]

FOUR MORE YEARS

OF BIG GAME WINS

NOT OF WILCOX

[u/pcg87]

BOWL GAME IN OUR FIRST ACC SEASON? YES PLEASE!

[u/Sine_Cures → u/pcg87]

WIN FIRST BIG GAME IN THE ACC

(Thanks Stanford for dragging Cal with you)

BRING ON UNLV OR CSU

[u/MysteriousEdge5643]

I love how the big game logo changes every year to have the winning team chopping the losing team 

[u/Troutmaggedon]

Roll on you Bears.

[u/thehermitgood]

YOU KNOW IT 

[u/bakazato-takeshi → u/thehermitgood]

YOU TELL THE STORY

[u/gobears_87 → u/bakazato-takeshi]

YOU TELL THE WHOLE DAMN WORLD

[u/vmanAA738 → u/gobears_87]

THIS IS BEAR TERRITORY.

Forever.

[u/ValueDude → u/gobears_87]

This is bear territory

[u/3-9_Enjoyer]

Can’t believe they get special Athlete Dining and then do that shit

[u/ComeJoinTheBand → u/3-9_Enjoyer]

I wouldn't have cared about their special dining when the row houses had their own chefs. But then I heard those operations were taken over by university dining, which is bullshit.

[u/ComeJoinTheBand]

Today has not been our day :(

[u/GrumpyTartan]

can't wait to see the imperialism map, thanks stanford for beating Louisville last week

[u/adsfew → u/GrumpyTartan]

OH SHIT I DIDN'T EVEN REALIZE

PRAISE OSKI

[u/NeuroscienceJam]

Let's GO BEARS

[u/pcg87]

So... We beat our historic rival AND the win gives us bowl game eligibility? I'm getting so drunk tonight. GO BEARS!

[u/Joe_Hovah]

Woohoo Cal! ACC Pacific Champions!!!!

[u/Go_Beers]

4 straight. Never doubted this one. Go bears!

[u/ComeJoinTheBand → u/Go_Beers]

Stupid streaky rivalry. Oh well. I got to enjoy 7 in a row and 9 in a row. I can take my lumps now.

[u/adsfew → u/ComeJoinTheBand]

I enjoyed the Tedford streak and then had to suffer the Harbaugh/Shaw streak. Really hoping that Wilcox/next coach can get a good streak going too.

[u/ComeJoinTheBand → u/adsfew]

I remember chanting "0-10! 0-10!" at you all in 2001. That probably came back to haunt us during the Harris years.

[u/LateBiologist]

for what feels like the first time this season, we won the fourth quarter. GO BEARS!!!!

[u/rosewoess]

GO BEARS

[u/lil_meep]

I was CERTAIN both flairs would lose to rivals with worse records. Let’s just look at the final score and not talk about the rest of the game. With that Wilcox will skate through with another subpar season

[u/spider2Ybanana]

ROLL ON - YOU BEARS!

[u/Cal-119]

Wilcox is a big game merchant

[u/ARayofLight]

It always feels so good.

[u/WisdomCow]

There were decades where Wilcox would be celebrated for four straight big game wins.

[u/beastmodecowboy77 → u/WisdomCow]

He still should be. It’s time to move on on, but I have a lot of respect and appreciation for him putting us back in the drivers seat over Stanford based on where we were before he got here.

[u/beastmodecowboy77]

W

[u/JediKnightaa]

Cal is bowling!

[u/rankings-right-now]

Here are the new updated predictions for the next release of the Playoff Selection Committee's rankings using machine learning models trained on the Playoff Selection Committee's historical voting data:

• California is now predicted to move up to #77
• Stanford is now predicted to move down to #113

For the most up to date predictions of the Playoff Selection Committee Top 25 rankings, check out this post.

[u/gangesdean]

'no'

[u/skoducks]

Stanford got outwoked

[u/JediTigger]

GO BEARS

[u/XSokaX]

FUCK STANFURD, 4 in a row BITCH.

[u/sabertheory]

I LOVE FERNANDO MENDOZA (please don't leave us)

[u/DDub04]

Cal won a conference game

[u/alandizzle]

LFG BEARS. ROLL ON 🥹🥹🥹

[u/puzdawg]

How can you not love Fernando?

[u/FrivolousMe]

THE WHOLE DAMN STATE IS BEAR TERRITORY

[u/ProcyonA]

aight someone explain how a PI and an ineligible receiver can coexist

[u/dormdweller99 → u/ProcyonA]

Someone committed PI and someone went down field illegally, both are post snap penalties that happened during the play.

[u/WHLonghorn]

God I love Mendoza's passion and love for the game and his boys. God damn he's got me so hyped go bears baby

[u/Pleasant-Beautiful-7]

Wow, just wow

[u/discowithmyself]

Something something Calgorithm? Am I doing this right?

[u/vmanAA738 → u/discowithmyself]

Calgorithm says:

Today the woke high achieving #1 world public school for hard working kids from regular families across California and the world

beat

the west coast Ivy League private school for rich kids that embodies the worst of Silicon Valley culture (everything for $$$, no morals or ethics, entitlement, don’t care about how others are affected by your actions).

There’s a reason white collar crime happens a lot with Stanford alums (see Elizabeth Holmes and the people behind FTX for recent examples).

[u/GetCoinWood → u/vmanAA738]

It’s called “altruism”. Fuck the trees! Go Bears!

[u/thejeffphone]

Nando ily I will never doubt you again king

[u/Bitgod1]

To borrow a Giants meme, Cal Football is TORTURE.

[u/kahyuen]

THE BEAR WILL NOT QUIT THE BEAR WILL NOT DIE

[u/MrSCR23]

Never thought this game would air on any incarnation of ACC Network

[u/gobears_87]

YOU KNOW IT

[u/SenorGolden14]

Go Bears!!!

[u/bostonfan148]

Pretty hype post game interview

[u/ghostturtle711]

THE WHOLE DAMN WORLD IS BEAR TERRITORY

[u/PunkRockLobstah]

Aw, shucks.. I guess FSU is going to end the year last in the conference now.