Berkeley, Calif. — Fernando Mendoza threw for 299 yards and three touchdowns, including the game-winning strike to Jonathan Brady, as California rallied to beat Stanford 24-21 in Saturday’s Big Game, marking their first meeting as members of the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC).
Facing a 3rd-and-11 with under three minutes remaining, Mendoza found Brady streaking downfield for a 22-yard touchdown. A successful two-point conversion gave Cal (6-5, 2-5 ACC) the lead, capping an 11-play, 98-yard drive that sealed the Bears’ fourth consecutive victory in the rivalry.
“That was a heck of a play,” Cal head coach Justin Wilcox said.
The win secured bowl eligibility for Cal, which will make back-to-back postseason appearances for the first time since 2018 and 2019.
“In my professional life, I don’t know if there’s a better feeling I’ve had than witnessing a Big Game victory,” Wilcox added.
Memorial Stadium erupted in celebration as many of the 52,428 fans stormed the field. Brady, a third-year transfer from New Mexico State, described the moment as “crazy” and led team celebrations in the locker room.
“You have rivalry games, but nothing like this,” Brady said. “I’ve never been on a field where the fans stormed it in such excitement.”
The Bears mounted their comeback after trailing 21-7 in the second half. Brady’s first touchdown came early in the fourth quarter on a 30-yard catch that cut the deficit to 21-16. Cal’s defense then forced a Stanford punt, setting up Mendoza’s game-winning drive.
“When the lights turned bright, we all turned brighter,” Mendoza said.
The second-year quarterback delivered an inspiring pep talk before the decisive drive, reminding his teammates of their hard work in practice, film study, and walkthroughs.
“As a kid, you watch Aaron Rodgers, Jared Goff, Tom Brady lead game-winning drives. That’s exactly what I thought of,” Mendoza said. “This is what you play for, and to come out victorious—it was very emotional.”
Rodgers, a Cal alum and future Hall of Famer, was honored during the game alongside the 2004 team. He also met with the team Friday, delivering a speech about the significance of The Big Game.
Wilcox praised his team’s resilience during a season defined by close losses. “There’s been frustration, but never hopelessness. Making a bowl game was one of our goals, and I’m proud of how we’ve persevered.”
Stanford (3-8, 2-6 ACC) dominated early, taking a 14-0 first-quarter lead on two short touchdown runs by backup quarterback Justin Lamson, who set a program record with seven rushing touchdowns by a quarterback this season.
Mendoza got Cal on the board in the second quarter with a 16-yard touchdown pass to Trond Grizzell, following a 50-yard run earlier in the drive. Stanford extended its lead to 21-7 in the third quarter with a trick play: running back Micah Ford took a pitch and threw a two-yard touchdown pass to Emmett Mosley V on fourth-and-goal.
Despite the loss, Stanford head coach Troy Taylor commended his team. “I’m proud of how our guys played. We came up a play short, but we did a lot of good things. It just wasn’t quite enough.”
Stanford starting quarterback Ashton Daniels completed 14 of 26 passes for 139 yards and added 63 rushing yards on 21 carries. However, Cal’s late heroics overshadowed his efforts, ensuring the Bears retained bragging rights in this storied rivalry.
