Can Jaydn Ott Become the Most Prolific Cal Back in the Big Game?

His 263 rushing yards in two games vs. Stanford position him to rack up the biggest Big Game career total in at least 50 years

Jaydn Ott turns the corner against Stanford last season. / Robert Edwards-Imagn Images

Jaydn Ott may well be playing in his final Big Game on Saturday at Memorial Stadium.

He has been terrific in two previous matchups in the ancient rivalry game and he has a chance — even in this difficult season — to accomplish  something special in his third outing against Stanford.

Ott, whose junior season has been largely derailed by an ankle injury he suffered in the season opener, has rushed for 263 yards in two Big Games. He had 97 yards as a freshman in 2022 and 166 a year ago. Cal won both games and is aiming for its fourth straight win over the Cardinal.

Ott had his most productive game of the season last Saturday against Syracuse, rushing for 78 yards. He had, of course, had many games far better than that one during his first two seasons, topped by a 274-yard performance against Arizona.

With 106 rushing yards against Stanford on Saturday, Ott would have 369 yards in three games — the highest career rushing total by a Cal player in the Big Game in at least 50 years.

Joe Igber has the “record,” having compiled 368 yards against Stanford from 1999 through 2002. Most of that came in a 226-yard effort as a senior. 

Russell White, the Bears’ career rushing leader in all games, is second on the Big Game rushing list with 349 yards. He posted 177 of those as a sophomore in 1990.

Chuck Muncie, who held the Cal career standard for all games prior to White, was equally dynamite in the Big Game. Thanks to a welcome contribution from the folks at California Gridiron, we filled in a blank in Muncie’s Big Game resume and know he ranks third on this list with 345 yards.

Muncie had perhaps the greatest Big Game performance of all time as a senior in 1975, when he rushed for 169 yards and three touchdowns, caught a TD and threw one in Cal’s 48-15 victory.

Marshawn Lynch and Shane Vereen share the No. 4 spot, each with 312 career Big Game yards. Ott sits at No. 7, just behind Patrick Laird.

Missing from our rankings is complee information on one of Cal’s greatest backs because, sadly, our access to game-by-game records back in the day comes up short. 

Post-WWII star Jackie Jensen rushed for 224 yardsagainst Stanford in his final two seasons, including 170 as a senior in 1948. Unavailable is what he might have done as a sophomore in 1946, the year before Pappy Waldorf arrived as coach.

So Ott’s pursuit of Igber’s career total cannot unequivocally make him No. 1 all-time among Cal backs in the Big Game — but pretty close. 

By the way, the most career rushing yards by a Stanford player in the Big Game is 495 yards by Christian McCaffrey in three outings, most of them coming in 2015 (192 yards) and 2016 (284 yards).

Here are Cal’s 10 most productive running backs in the Big Game:

1. JOE IGBER

1999: 13-53 yards

2000: 16-89

2001: DNP

2002: 26-226

Totals: 55-368 yards

2. RUSSELL WHITE

1990: 18-177 

1991: 20-89

1992: 19-83

Totals: 57-349 yards

3. CHUCK MUNCIE 

1973: 22-129

1974: 15-47

1975: 30-169

Totals: 67-345 yards

4 tie. MARSHAWN LYNCH 

2004: 9-122

2005: 24-123

2006: 15-67

Totals: 48-312 yards

4 tie. SHANE VEREEN 

2008: 12-56

2009: 42-193

2010: 15-63

Totals: 72-312 yards

6. PATRICK LAIRD

2016: 0-0

2017: 20-153

2018: 19-116

Totals: 39-269 yards

7. JAYDN OTT

2022: 18-97

2023: 36-166

2024: TBD

Totals: 54-263 yards

8. JACKIE JENSEN (incomplete)

1946: N/A

1947: 10-54

1948: 19-170

Totals: 29-224 yards

9 tie. J.J. ARRINGTON

2003: 14-32

2004: 27-169

Totals: 41-201 yards

9 tie. JAHVID BEST

2007: DNP

2008: 19-201

2009: DNP

Totals: 19-201 yards