• Stanford and Cal battle for The Axe in the 125th Big Game on Saturday in Berkeley. Kickoff is set for 2:30 p.m. on Pac-12 Network.
• The Big Game was first played in 1892, when Cal challenged Stanford to a game. The Cardinal won, 14- 10, in a game played at Haight Street Grounds. Since that time, Stanford has won 65 of 124 matchups, with the Bears winning 48 times and the two teams playing to 11 ties.
• The first Big Game played in Berkeley was an 18-0 Stanford win in 1904. Stanford is 29-21-6 all-time in Berkeley.
• The Cardinal has won six straight games in Berkeley, dating back to 2008, including the 2020 game when Thomas Booker blocked a PAT in the final minute of the game to preserve a one-point victory.
• Cal is Stanford’s most-played opponent and the Cardinal’s 65 victories over the Bears is its most against any opponent.
• David Shaw is 9-2 in his head coaching career against Cal, while Justin Wilcox is 2-3 against the Cardinal.
• Seventeen true freshmen have debuted so far this season, including seven who have already played more than four games. Stanford’s true freshmen (games played): Fisher Anderson (6), David Bailey (9), Ernest Cooper (4), Ashton Daniels (8), Scotty Edwards (3), Arlen Harris (1), C.J. Hawkins (5), Benjamin Hudson (1), Jacob Lowe (1), Jaxson Moi (10), Mudia Reuben (10), Sam Roush (10), Tevarua Tafiti (2), Jason Thompson (4), Joshua Thompson (1), Terian Williams (2) and Collin Wright (3).
• Joshua Karty and NC State’s Christopher Dunn are the only two kickers this season with at least 14 field goal attempts and no misses. Both kickers are 10-for 10 on field goals of 40+ yards and are the only two in the nation with 10 makes from that distance. Where Karty separates himself, though, is as a kickoff specialist, where the Cardinal ranks fourth nationally (14.4 yards per return).