Big Game Thread: Cal Seeking Bowl Eligibility at Rival's Expense

Cal has won the past three Big Games and No. 4 would ease pressure heading to No. 13 SMU a week from now

Fernando Mendoza / Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images

Two of the primary goals in any Cal football season are to earn bowl eligibility and win the Big Game.

The Golden Bears hope to achieve both objectives in what’s expected to be a rainy Saturday afternoon at Memorial Stadium.

Cal (5-5, 1-5 ACC) comes off a disappointing 33-25 home defeat to Syracuse, a game far more one-sided than the score suggests. Stanford (3-5, 2-5) snapped a six-game skid last week with a surprising 38-35 win over then-No. 19 Louisville.

This isn’t the Bears’ final opportunity to secure bowl eligibility this season but it’s the best chance. A week from now, they travel to Dallas to take on 13th-ranked SMU (9-1), which has won seven in a row and is fighting for a spot in the College Football Playoff. 

We hope you’ll check back for updates here all afternoon, whether you’re braving the elements in Strawberry Canyon or decided to give your umbrella the day off and watch from home.

In the meantime, some pre-game reading: 

— Our Big Game preview, touching on just about everything you need to know to be ready for today’s matchup

— Jaydn Ott can possibly become Cal's all-time career rushing leader in the Big Game

— A Stanford beat writer answers our 5 Questions about the Bears’ Big Game opponent

— Which two Cal players landed spots on ESPN’s All-Underrated Transfer Portal Team? 

— Our weekly ACC game picks, including how we view the Big Game

— One of the Bears’ top committed recruits is scheduled to take in the Big Game

— Sixth-year safety Craig Woodson sends a message to Stanford