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Big Game (football)
Encyclopedia
| Big Game | |
|---|---|
 |
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| History | |
| Number of meetings | 114 |
| First | March 19, 1892 |
| Most Recent | November 19, 2011 |
| Next | 2012 |
| All-time series | Stanford Stanford Cardinal The Stanford Cardinal is the nickname of the athletic teams at Stanford University.-Nickname and mascot history:Following its win over Cal in the first-ever Big Game in 1892, the color cardinal was picked as the primary color of Stanford's athletic teams... : 57–46–11 |
| At Berkeley | Stanford leads 24–21–6 |
| At Stanford | Stanford leads 28–21–1 |
| At San Francisco | Stanford leads 5–4–4 |
| Home Team Vs. Visitor | 53–50–11 |
| Current streak | |
| Stanford | Won 2 |
| Home | Won 1 |
| Longest win streaks | |
| Stanford | 7 (1995–2001) |
| California | 5 (1919–23, 2002–06) |
| Home Team | 5 (1954–58, 1969–73) |
| Visitor | 6 (1939–47) |
| Trophy | Stanford Axe |
The Big Game is an American college football
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
rivalry
College rivalry
Pairs of schools, colleges and universities, especially when they are close to each other either geographically or in their areas of specialization, often establish a college rivalry with each other over the years. This rivalry can extend to both academics and athletics, the latter being typically...
game played by the California Golden Bears football
California Golden Bears football
The California Golden Bears football team is the college football team of the University of California. The team plays its home games at California Memorial Stadium, however the team played at San Francisco's AT&T Park in 2011 while Memorial Stadium was being renovated, the team will return to...
team of the University of California, Berkeley
University of California, Berkeley
The University of California, Berkeley , is a teaching and research university established in 1868 and located in Berkeley, California, USA...
and the Stanford Cardinal football
Stanford Cardinal football
The Stanford Cardinal football program represents Stanford University in college football at the NCAA Division I FBS level and is a member of the Pac-12 Conference's North Division. Stanford, the top-ranked academic institution with an FBS program, has a highly successful football tradition. The...
team of Stanford University
Stanford University
The Leland Stanford Junior University, commonly referred to as Stanford University or Stanford, is a private research university on an campus located near Palo Alto, California. It is situated in the northwestern Santa Clara Valley on the San Francisco Peninsula, approximately northwest of San...
. It is typically played in late November or early December. The first Big Game was held on March 19, 1892 on San Francisco
San Francisco, California
San Francisco , officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the financial, cultural, and transportation center of the San Francisco Bay Area, a region of 7.15 million people which includes San Jose and Oakland...
's Haight Street grounds
Haight Street Grounds
Haight Street Grounds was one of San Francisco's earliest baseball parks. It was built for use by the California League and was located on the east side of Golden Gate Park, bounded by Stanyan, Waller, Shrader, and Frederick streets. The opening game on April 3, 1887 between the Haverlys and the...
when Stanford beat Cal 14–10. It is the tenth longest rivalry
Sports rivalry
A sports rivalry is intense competition between athletic teams or athletes. This pressure of competition is felt by players, coaches, and management, but is perhaps felt strongest by the fans. The intensity of the rivalry varies from a friendly competition on one end to serious violence on the...
in NCAA Division I FBS football. Stanford leads the series record at 57–46–11 (wins–losses–ties). Stanford won the most recent Big Game on November 19, 2011 by a score of 31–28. Stanford has won three of the last five Big Games, following a five-game winning streak by Cal, which itself followed a seven-game winning streak by Stanford. The location of the Big Game alternates between the two universities every year. In even-numbered years, the game is played at Berkeley, while in odd-numbered years, it is played at Stanford.
In the week before the game, both schools celebrate the occasion with rallies, reunions, and luncheons. Cal students hold a traditional pep rally and bonfire at the Greek Theatre
Hearst Greek Theatre
The William Randolph Hearst Greek Theatre, known locally as simply the Greek Theatre, is an 8,500-seat amphitheater owned and operated by the University of California, Berkeley in Berkeley, California, USA....
on the eve of the game, while Stanford students stage the Gaieties, a theatrical production that both celebrates and pokes fun at the rivalry. The week also includes various other athletic events including "The Big Splash" (water polo
Water polo
Water polo is a team water sport. The playing team consists of six field players and one goalkeeper. The winner of the game is the team that scores more goals. Game play involves swimming, treading water , players passing the ball while being defended by opponents, and scoring by throwing into a...
), "The Big Spike" (volleyball
Volleyball
Volleyball is a team sport in which two teams of six players are separated by a net. Each team tries to score points by grounding a ball on the other team's court under organized rules.The complete rules are extensive...
), "The Big Freeze" (ice hockey
Ice hockey
Ice hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take...
), and the Ink Bowl, a touch football game between the members of the two schools' newspapers. In addition, the two schools compete in a blood drive called "Rivals for Life."
Series history
The Big Game is the biggest college football event in the Bay AreaSan Francisco Bay Area
The San Francisco Bay Area, commonly known as the Bay Area, is a populated region that surrounds the San Francisco and San Pablo estuaries in Northern California. The region encompasses metropolitan areas of San Francisco, Oakland, and San Jose, along with smaller urban and rural areas...
and has a rich history. Future U.S. President Herbert Hoover
Herbert Hoover
Herbert Clark Hoover was the 31st President of the United States . Hoover was originally a professional mining engineer and author. As the United States Secretary of Commerce in the 1920s under Presidents Warren Harding and Calvin Coolidge, he promoted partnerships between government and business...
was the Stanford team manager for the first Big Game, held in 1892. The term "Big Game" was first used in 1900, when it was played on Thanksgiving Day in San Francisco. During that game, a large group of spectators observing from the roof of the nearby S.F. and Pacific Glass Works fell into the fiery interior of the building when the roof collapsed, resulting in 13 people dying and 78 people injured.
In 1906, citing concerns about the violence in football, both schools dropped football in favor of rugby, which was played for the Big Games of 1906 to 1914. The first incidence of card stunts was performed by Cal fans at the halftime of the 1910 Big Game.
California resumed playing football in 1915, but Stanford did not field a team until after World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
in 1919. From 1915–1917, California's "Big Game" was their game against Washington
Washington Huskies football
College football has a long history at the University of Washington. The Washington Huskies have won 15 Pacific-10 Conference championships, seven Rose Bowl titles, and three national championships. Washington's all-time record of 653-398-50 ranks 20th by all-time winning percentage and 21st by...
, while Stanford played Santa Clara
Santa Clara Broncos
The Broncos are various sports teams of Santa Clara University. The athletic program currently has 19 varsity sports, 9 men's sports and 10 women's. Additionally there are 18 club sports teams that compete intercollegiately. The school colors are red and white...
as their rugby "Big Game". The 1918 game, in which Cal prevailed 67–0, is not considered an official game because Stanford's team was composed of volunteers from the Student Army Training Corps stationed at Stanford, some of whom were not Stanford students. The game resumed as football in 1919, and has been played as such every year since, except from 1943 to 1945, when neither school fielded a team due to World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
.
Scenes for the Harold Lloyd
Harold Lloyd
Harold Clayton Lloyd, Sr. was an American film actor and producer, most famous for his silent comedies....
silent classic The Freshman
The Freshman (1925 film)
The Freshman is a 1925 comedy film that tells the story of a college freshman trying to become popular by joining the school football team. It stars Harold Lloyd, Jobyna Ralston, Brooks Benedict and James Anderson. It remains one of Lloyd's most successful and enduring films.The movie was written...
were filmed at California Memorial Stadium
California Memorial Stadium
California Memorial Stadium is an outdoor football stadium on the campus of the University of California in Berkeley. Commonly known as Memorial Stadium, it is the home field for the University of California Golden Bears of the Pacific-12 Conference...
during halftime of the 1924 Big Game.
Since 1933, the victor of the game has been awarded possession of the Stanford Axe. If a game ended in a tie, the Axe stayed on the side that already possessed it; this rule became obsolete in 1996 when the NCAA instituted overtime. The Axe is a key part of the rivalry's history, having been stolen on several occasions by both sides, starting in 1899, when the Axe was introduced when Stanford yell leader Billy Erb used it at a baseball game between the two schools.
In March 2007, the National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
announced that it intended to trademark the phrase "The Big Game" in reference to the Super Bowl
Super Bowl
The Super Bowl is the championship game of the National Football League , the highest level of professional American football in the United States, culminating a season that begins in the late summer of the previous calendar year. The Super Bowl uses Roman numerals to identify each game, rather...
, but soon dropped the plan after being faced with opposition from Cal and Stanford.
Notable games
1924: Both teams came into the game unbeaten with a berth in the 1925 Rose Bowl1925 Rose Bowl
The 1925 Rose Bowl was a college football bowl game. It was the 11th Rose Bowl Game. The Notre Dame Fighting Irish defeated Stanford University, 27-10. The game featured two legendary coaches, Knute Rockne of Notre Dame, and Glenn "Pop" Warner in his first year at Stanford. The game also featured...
on the line. With its star Ernie Nevers sidelined due to injuries, Stanford trailed 20–6 with under 5 minutes to go, but rallied to score twice to force a 20–20 tie and earn the Rose Bowl bid.
1947: In the 50th Big Game, winless Stanford led the 8-1 Bears with less than three minutes left in the game, but Cal scored on an 80-yard touchdown pass to clinch a 21–18 victory.
1959: Stanford quarterback Dick Norman
Dick Norman (football)
Richard Michael "Dick" Norman is a former American football quarterback.-College career:Norman played high school football at Lynwood High School in Lynwood, California and attended Stanford University where he was Stanford's starting quarterback from 1958 to 1960.Norman's tenure came at a low...
threw for 401 yards (then an NCAA record, and still a Big Game record), but it was not enough to hold off the Bears, who won 20–17.
1972: Cal drove 62 yards in the final 1:13, culminating in a Vince Ferragamo
Vince Ferragamo
Vince Anthony Ferragamo is a former professional football player, a quarterback in the National Football League and Canadian Football League.-College career:...
touchdown pass to Steve Sweeney for a last-second 24–22 Cal victory.
1974: Mike Langford nailed a 50-yard field goal on the final play for a 22–20 Stanford triumph over the 19th-ranked Bears.
1982: See below and The Play
The Play
The Play refers to a last-second kickoff return during a college football game between the and the Stanford University Cardinal on Saturday, November 20, 1982...
.
1988: Stanford's Tuan Van Le blocked a 21-yard Cal field goal
Field goal (football)
A field goal in American football and Canadian football is a goal that may be scored during general play . Field goals may be scored by a placekick or the now practically extinct drop kick.The drop kick fell out of favor in 1934 when the shape of the ball was changed...
attempt on the game's final play to preserve a 19–19 tie.
1990: In a game that echoed "The Play" eight years earlier, Stanford trailed 25–18 late. Quarterback Jason Palumbis
Jason Palumbis
-Football career:Palumbis was a highly-recruited quarterback from Lakeridge High School in Lake Oswego, Oregon who played college football at Stanford University. The 6' 3", 200 lb. Palumbis was Stanford's primary starting quarterback from 1988 to 1990...
threw a 19-yard touchdown pass to Ed McCaffrey
Ed McCaffrey
Edward Thomas McCaffrey is a former American football wide receiver who played for the New York Giants , San Francisco 49ers and the Denver Broncos of the National Football League...
to make the score 25-24, but the team failed to convert the a two-point conversion
Two-point conversion
In American and Canadian football, a two-point conversion is a play a team attempts instead of kicking a one-point convert immediately after it scores a touchdown...
. Thinking the game to be all but over, Cal fans rushed the field, resulting in a 15-yard delay of game penalty. Stanford's Dan Byers then recovered the ensuing onside kick
Onside kick
In American and Canadian football, an onside kick is a type of kick used at a kickoff or other free kick, or scrimmage kick or other kick during play, in which the ball is kicked favorably for the kicking team to avoid giving away the ball...
at the Cal 37. Palumbis's pass to McCaffrey to set up a field goal fell short, but a Cal defender was called for roughing Palumbis. Stanford kicker John Hopkins
John Hopkins (football)
John Hopkins is a former college football placekicker who played for Stanford University from 1987 to 1990.Hopkins' biggest game at Stanford was also his last: the 93rd Big Game, played on November 17, 1990. In the game, Stanford scored with twelve seconds left but still trailed Cal 25-24. Hopkins...
then connected on a 39-yard field goal as time expired, giving Stanford a 27-25 victory.
2000: Stanford's Casey Moore
Casey Moore
Casey Moore the running backs coach for the Nevada Wolf Pack football team. He is a former American football player. Moore played college football at Stanford and was drafted by the Carolina Panthers. He was later picked up by the Arizona Cardinals.Moore was an assistant coach at Stanford for two...
caught the winning touchdown on the final play of the first-ever Big Game to go into overtime
Overtime (sports)
Overtime or extra time is an additional period of play specified under the rules of a sport to bring a game to a decision and avoid declaring the match a tie or draw. In most sports, this extra period is only played if the game is required to have a clear winner, as in single-elimination...
.
2009: Cal's Michael Mohamed intercepted a pass at the Cal 3-yard line with 1:36 left to preserve a Cal win over #14 Stanford, 34–28.
2010: #6 Stanford ties a 1975 Cal record for most points scored in a 48-14 victory.
The Play
The conclusion of the 85th Big Game on November 20, 1982 would go down as perhaps the most remarkable play in college football history. Cal held a lead late in the game, but Stanford, led by John ElwayJohn Elway
John Albert Elway, Jr. is a former American football quarterback and currently is the executive vice president of football operations for the Denver Broncos of the National Football League . He played college football at Stanford and his entire professional career with the Denver Broncos...
, drove down the field to retake the lead and seemingly elevate Elway to the first bowl game
Bowl game
In North America, a bowl game is commonly considered to refer to one of a number of post-season college football games. Prior to 2002, bowl game statistics were not included in players' career totals and the games were mostly considered to be exhibition games involving a payout to participating...
of his college career since Stanford, with a victory, would have been invited to the Hall of Fame Bowl. More importantly, Elway, with a victory, might well have won the Heisman Trophy. In what is now known simply as "The Play
The Play
The Play refers to a last-second kickoff return during a college football game between the and the Stanford University Cardinal on Saturday, November 20, 1982...
," four Cal players lateraled the ball five times on a kickoff return with four seconds left on the clock. Kevin Moen, who was also the initial ball carrier, ran for a touchdown while knocking down the final Stanford "defender," trombone player Gary Tyrrell, who had run onto the field with the rest of the band to celebrate prematurely.
The Play is often recounted with KGO radio announcer Joe Starkey
Joe Starkey
Joe Starkey is an American sportscaster who has served as the radio play-by-play announcer of California Golden Bears football since 1975...
's emotional call of The Play, which he hailed as "the most amazing, sensational, dramatic, heartrending, exciting, thrilling finish in the history of college football!" The legitimacy of The Play has remained controversial among some Stanford fans. To this day, the final score in the official record shows Cal winning by a score of 25–20, whereas in many Stanford publications it is recorded as Stanford 20, Cal 19 due to Stanford's contention that a Cal ball carrier had his knee down and the last lateral was actually an illegal forward pass, either of which would have resulted in the end of the play.
Game results
| █ Blue: California victories (46) █ Red: Stanford victories (57) █ Gray: Tied games (11) |
 |
 |
Bold font: Winning team Italic font: Losing team Plain font: Tied games |
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Visiting team Home team Notes |
1892 California: 10 Stanford: 14 |
1892 Stanford: 10 California: 10 |
1893 California: 6 Stanford: 6 |
1894 Stanford: 6 California: 0 |
1895 California: 6 Stanford: 6 |
1896 Stanford: 20 California: 0 |
1897 California: 0 Stanford: 28 |
1898 Stanford: 0 California: 22 |
1899 California: 30 Stanford: 0 |
|
V H N |
1900 Stanford: 5 California: 0 |
1901 California: 2 Stanford: 0 |
1902 Stanford: 0 California: 16 |
1903 California: 6 Stanford: 6 |
1904 Stanford: 18 California: 0 |
1905 California: 5 Stanford: 12 |
1906 Stanford:6 California: 3 Rugby Rugby union Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand... |
1907 California: 11 Stanford: 21 Rugby |
1908 Stanford: 12 California: 3 Rugby |
1909 California: 19 Stanford: 13 Rugby |
V H N |
1910 Stanford: 6 California: 25 Rugby |
1911 California :21 Stanford: 3 Rugby |
1912 Stanford: 3 California: 3 Rugby |
1913 California: 8 Stanford: 13 Rugby |
1914 Stanford: 36 California: 8 Rugby |
1915–1917 No games California resumes football, Stanford still playing rugby. |
1918 No game |
1919 California :14 Stanford: 10 |
||
V H N |
1920 Stanford: 0 California: 38 |
1921 California: 42 Stanford: 7 |
1922 California: 28 Stanford: 0 |
1923 Stanford: 0 California: 9 |
1924 Stanford: 20 California: 20 |
1925 California: 14 Stanford: 27 |
1926 Stanford: 41 California: 6 |
1927 California: 6 Stanford: 13 |
1928 Stanford: 13 California: 13 |
1929 California: 6 Stanford: 21 |
V H N |
1930 Stanford: 41 California: 0 |
1931 California: 6 Stanford: 0 |
1932 Stanford: 0 California: 0 |
1933 California: 3 Stanford: 7 |
1934 Stanford: 9 California: 7 |
1935 California: 0 Stanford: 13 |
1936 Stanford: 0 California: 20 |
1937 California: 13 Stanford: 0 |
1938 Stanford: 0 California: 6 |
1939 California: 32 Stanford: 14 |
V H N |
1940 Stanford: 13 California: 7 |
1941 California: 16 Stanford: 0 |
1942 Stanford: 26 California: 7 |
1943–1945 No games No games due to World War II World War II World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis... . |
1946 Stanford: 25 California: 6 |
1947 California: 21 Stanford: 18 |
1948 Stanford: 6 California: 7 |
1949 California: 33 Stanford: 14 |
||
V H N |
1950 Stanford: 7 California: 7 |
1951 California: 20 Stanford: 7 |
1952 Stanford: 0 California: 26 |
1953 California: 21 Stanford: 21 |
1954 Stanford: 20 California: 28 |
1955 California: 0 Stanford: 19 |
1956 Stanford: 18 California: 20 |
1957 California: 12 Stanford: 14 |
1958 Stanford: 15 California: 16 |
1959 California: 20 Stanford: 17 |
V H N |
1960 Stanford: 10 California: 21 |
1961 California: 7 Stanford: 20 |
1962 Stanford: 30 California: 13 |
1963 California: 17 Stanford: 28 |
1964 Stanford: 21 California: 3 |
1965 California: 7 Stanford: 9 |
1966 Stanford: 13 California: 7 |
1967 California: 26 Stanford: 3 |
1968 Stanford: 20 California: 0 |
1969 California: 28 Stanford: 29 |
V H N |
1970 Stanford: 14 California: 22 |
1971 California: 0 Stanford: 14 |
1972 Stanford: 22 California: 24 |
1973 California: 17 Stanford: 26 |
1974 Stanford: 22 California: 20 |
1975 California: 48 Stanford: 15 |
1976 Stanford: 27 California: 24 |
1977 California: 3 Stanford: 21 |
1978 Stanford: 30 California: 10 |
1979 California: 21 Stanford: 14 |
V H N |
1980 Stanford: 23 California: 28 |
1981 California: 21 Stanford: 42 |
1982 Stanford: 20 California: 25 See The Play The Play The Play refers to a last-second kickoff return during a college football game between the and the Stanford University Cardinal on Saturday, November 20, 1982... |
1983 California: 27 Stanford: 18 |
1984 Stanford: 27 California: 10 |
1985 California: 22 Stanford: 24 |
1986 Stanford: 11 California: 17 |
1987 California: 7 Stanford: 31 |
1988 Stanford: 19 California: 19 |
1989 California: 14 Stanford: 24 |
V H N |
1990 Stanford: 27 California: 25 |
1991 California: 21 Stanford: 38 |
1992 Stanford: 41 California: 21 |
1993 California: 46 Stanford: 17 |
1994 Stanford: 23 California: 24 |
1995 California: 24 Stanford: 29 |
1996 Stanford: 42 California: 21 |
1997 California: 20 Stanford: 21 |
1998 Stanford: 10 California: 3 |
1999 California: 13 Stanford: 31 |
V H N |
2000 Stanford: 36 California: 30 Overtime |
2001 California: 28 Stanford: 35 |
2002 Stanford: 7 California: 30 |
2003 California: 28 Stanford: 16 |
2004 Stanford: 6 California: 41 |
2005 California: 27 Stanford: 3 |
2006 Stanford: 17 California: 26 |
2007 California: 13 Stanford: 20 |
2008 Stanford: 16 California: 37 |
2009 California: 34 Stanford: 28 |
V H N |
2010 Stanford: 48 California: 14 |
2011 California: 28 Stanford: 31 |
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Rivalry in other sports
In other sports, matchups between Cal and Stanford are not as important to the students and the fanbase, but are still hyped and many feature their own nicknames based on the word "big." Examples include:- VolleyballVolleyballVolleyball is a team sport in which two teams of six players are separated by a net. Each team tries to score points by grounding a ball on the other team's court under organized rules.The complete rules are extensive...
- The "Big Spike" - Water PoloWater poloWater polo is a team water sport. The playing team consists of six field players and one goalkeeper. The winner of the game is the team that scores more goals. Game play involves swimming, treading water , players passing the ball while being defended by opponents, and scoring by throwing into a...
- The "Big Splash" - Ice HockeyIce hockeyIce hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take...
- The "Big Freeze"
In addition, in rugby, the two schools have a trophy of their own called the "Scrum Axe". In men's basketball the biannual matchups are sometimes labeled the "Big Game" but it is not official. In women's basketball, the meetings are simply called the "Battle of the Bay."
Big Game Bonfire Rallies
The Big Game Bonfire Rally is a pep and bonfire rally that takes place at University of California, Berkeley in Hearst Greek TheatreHearst Greek Theatre
The William Randolph Hearst Greek Theatre, known locally as simply the Greek Theatre, is an 8,500-seat amphitheater owned and operated by the University of California, Berkeley in Berkeley, California, USA....
on the eve of the Big Game. More than 10,000 students gather to hear the history about The Stanford Axe
The Stanford Axe
The Stanford Axe is a trophy awarded to the winner of the annual Big Game, a college football match-up between the University of California Golden Bears and the Stanford University Cardinal. The trophy consists of an axe-head mounted on a large wooden plaque, along with the scores of past Big Games...
and the Big Game. The University of California Rally Committee is in charge of the planning and setting up the bonfire, as well as refueling it during the rally. Specifically, freshman members of the UC Rally Committee, as well as freshman band members are sent out with pallets to the chanting of "freshmen, more wood." Several alumni show up to perform traditional rituals. A tradition unique to Cal is the performance of the Haka, a traditional Maori war dance/chant. Traditionally performed by an alumni Yell Leader, the Haka performed was written in the 1960s by a Cal rugby player of Maori descent. The traditional Axe Yell is also made and visits from the UC Men's Octet
University of California Men's Octet
The UC Men’s Octet, sometimes termed the Cal Men’s Octet or the UC Berkeley Men’s Octet, is an eight-member male a cappella group at the University of California, Berkeley. Founded in 1948, the group’s broad repertoire features several genres of music including barbershop, doo-wop, pop and...
and Golden Overtones
California Golden Overtones
Founded in the '70s as the Decibelles, the California Golden Overtones , sometimes called the Golden Overtones or the Tones, is a six- to ten-member female a cappella group at the University of California, Berkeley. The group’s prolific repertoire spans many genres of music and grows each year with...
are always expected. The University of California Marching Band is also present, playing traditional Cal songs throughout the duration of the Rally. The highlight of the Rally is the lighting of Big Game Bonfire itself, with the fire reaching over eight stories high at its zenith.
The Big Game Bonfire Rally always ends with the reciting of a speech known as the "Andy Smith Eulogy" or "The Spirit of California". Written in remembrance of the fabled Cal football coach, who led the Bears to five straight undefeated seasons starting in 1920s before tragically dying of pneumonia in 1925, the speech closes the Rally annually. During the speech, candles are passed out among the attendants and are lit for the singing of the campus alma mater, "Hail to California
Hail to California
Hail to California is an alma mater song used throughout the University of California system. Hail to California is traditionally played before every Cal basketball home game, is a common song at California Golden Bears football games, and is sung at convocations and matriculations at UCSB and UC...
."
For decades, Stanford also held a bonfire on the dry lakebed of Lake Lagunita
Lake Lagunita
Lake Lagunita is an artificial dry lake in Stanford University, California, located on the western side of the Stanford campus near the Lagunita residences.-Source:...
, but this was discontinued in the 1990s
1990s
File:1990s decade montage.png|From left, clockwise: The Hubble Space Telescope floats in space after it was taken up in 1990; American F-16s and F-15s fly over burning oil fields and the USA Lexie in Operation Desert Storm, also known as the 1991 Gulf War; The signing of the Oslo Accords on...
due to the lake being a habitat for the vulnerable
Vulnerable species
On 30 January 2010, the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species identified 9694 Vulnerable species, subspecies and varieties, stocks and sub-populations.-References:...
California Tiger Salamander
California Tiger Salamander
The California tiger salamander is a vulnerable amphibian native to Northern California. Previously considered to be a Tiger Salamander subspecies, the California tiger salamander was recently designated a separate species again...
. Stanford now holds a laser light show commonly known as the "Non-Fire," as well as the annual student produced play, "Gaieties," during the week leading up to Big Game in place of a Bonfire Rally.