Stanford fades in fourth quarter, loses Big Game to Cal in heartbreaking fashion

BERKELEY – A dream start gave Stanford the opportunity to win its first Big Game in four years, have its first winning streak under second-year coach Troy Taylor and even keep its rival from clinching bowl eligibility.

Instead, it all unraveled in crushing fashion.

Stanford ran out of steam in the 127th Big Game, giving up the final 17 points in a 24-21 loss to California.

With a chance to go up by three scores with five minutes left in the third quarter, the Cardinal (3-8, 2-6 ACC) botched the operation on a 36-yard field goal attempt. The Cardinal got only one first down the rest of the game and allowed the Golden Bears to score on their final three possessions before running out the clock, including a 98-yard touchdown drive in the final minutes.

“It’s painful because you’re so close, so those hurt sometimes even more, but our guys will respond,” said Taylor, a former starting QB at Cal.

Ashton Daniels completed his first nine passes for 87 yards, Justin Lamsom had two short touchdown runs and Stanford held Cal to one first down in the first quarter as the Cardinal took a 14-0 lead, quieting the home crowd at a sold-out Memorial Stadium.

But the Golden Bears (6-5, 2-5) switched from a soft zone to tighter man coverage with a more aggressive front, and Stanford couldn’t respond.

Daniels completed just 5 of 17 passes for 52 yards in the final three quarters. And even his only completion out of seven attempts in the fourth quarter came at a cost, when top receiver Elic Ayomanor made the catch but needed to be helped off the field.

“We didn’t do a good job of protecting (Daniels) or creating space in the run game,” Taylor said.

The Stanford defense that had given up at least 24 points to every FBS opponent it faced held Cal to 10 points through three quarters, but the inexperienced secondary couldn’t close the deal.

Cal QB Fernando Mendoza completed 9 of his last 10 passes, including TD throws of 22 and 30 yards in the final 10 minutes against a secondary that featured three Stanford freshmen.

“Trial by fire,” Taylor said. “Young guys competing their butts off, and maybe a little more seasoning would have been in their best interest, but they knew they had to step up and I’m really proud of how they played and their mental toughness and focus. Going from high school to a Power 4 game is a big deal and I’m proud of their effort and preparation.”

A trick play gave Stanford a 21-7 lead in the third quarter when freshman running back Micah Ford threw a halfback option pass to receiver Emmett Mosley V on fourth-and-goal from the 2. Ford is the first Cardinal non-QB to have two passing touchdowns in the same season since Christian McCaffrey in 2015.

Cal fumbled the ensuing kickoff, but the Cardinal blew a golden opportunity to go up by three possessions when Stanford couldn’t get the hold down on the field goal attempt.

It was an opportunity for the Cardinal to sustain the momentum from last week, when it beat a ranked opponent for the first time since 2021 by scoring the final 17 points in a 38-35 win over No. 22 Louisville. But this time it was Stanford’s opponent who staged the comeback.

After playing down to the wire as a two-touchdown underdog, Taylor remained positive in the postgame rather than dwell on the disappointment of a missed opportunity to reclaim The Axe.

“Obviously got a strong start, able to get a lead and came up a play short,” Taylor said. “Really proud of our guys and how hard they worked.”

As customary after losses, Stanford did not make players available.

Now the Cardinal must win its season finale Friday at San Jose State to improve on the 3-9 record it posted in 2023 in Taylor’s first season.