TTU38Alum's Dynasty Blog
No. 9 Cal holds off Stanford in the Big Game 45-35 on Senior Day
Posted on July 9, 2016 at 06:44 PM.
BERKELEY - Senior running back Khalfani Muhammad saved his best game for last in California Memorial Stadium to help No. 9 California hold off Stanford 45-35 on senior day and snap a six-game losing streak in the Big Game rivalry.
Muhammad scored the first touchdown of the game on a 3-yard pass from Davis Webb early in the first quarter to go up 7-0. Moments later, Webb found Kanawai Noa to extend the lead to 14-0.
Stanford All-American running back Christian McCaffrey responded with a 14-yard touchdown run for the Cardinal to cut the lead to 14-7 late in the first.
Following the extra point, Muhammad returned the ensuing kickoff 98 yards for a Golden Bear touchdown to lead 21-7 after one quarter of play.
Muhammad bursts down the sideline for a 98-yard kickoff return touchdown.
Midway through the second quarter, Muhammad scored his third touchdown of the day on a 3-yard run to extend the lead to 28-7.
Muhammad finished the day with 264 total yards and three touchdowns, racking up 86 on 15 carries on the ground, adding 42 more on eight catches, plus 136 yards on kickoff returns.
Stanford would respond as Keller Chryst found Devon Cajuste on a 17-yard touchdown strike to go into halftime trailing 28-14.
At halftime, Cal seniors were presented with their families and honored in front of the fans for their last game in Memorial Stadium.
Heisman hopeful running back McCaffrey wasn't ready to let the game slip away and found the end zone again from eight yards out to cut the lead to 28-21 mid-way through the third quarter.
When Davis Webb finally got the ball back in his hands, he found Chris Hansen on a 15-yard touchdown strike to make it a two score game again 35-21. The two teams would go into the fourth quarter with that same score.
Noah Beito booted an 18-yard field goal to open the fourth quarter to extend the lead the 38-21, but two plays later McCaffrey would score again on a 22-yard strike from Chryst to cut the lead to 38-28.
Webb wasn't ready to slow down and found Noa in the endzone for the second time from 20 yards out to push the lead to 45-28 and put the game out of reach.
Stanford would score again as Chryst found Francis Owusu for a 6-yard score, but the Cardinal would fall 45-35 at the hands of the Golden Bears.
Golden Bears fans celebrated winning the Big Game.
Webb finished the day 34-of-45 for 402 yards, four touchdowns to three interceptions and added eight carries for 40 yards. Noa led Cal receivers with five catches for 93 yards.
Chryst completed 28 of 40 passes for 350 yards, three touchdowns and two interceptions and added 33 yards on the ground on two attempts. McCaffrey carried 17 times for 90 yards and two scores and caught five passes for 34 yards and another score.
Cajuste led all receivers with eight catches for 146 yards and one touchdown.
With the win, No. 9 Cal (11-1, 8-1) advances to the Pac-12 Championship Game on Dec. 14 to take on No. 22 UCLA (9-3, 6-3) in a rematch. The Bruins are the Golden Bears only loss of the year. Stanford remains bowl eligible at 6-6 (4-5 in Pac-12).
| Stanford Cardinal at California Golden Bears | |||||
| Nov 26, 2016 | 1ST | 2ND | 3RD | 4TH | SCORE |
| Stanford Cardinal (6-5 (4-5)) | 7 | 7 | 7 | 14 | 35 |
| #9 California Golden Bears (11-1 (8-1)) | 21 | 7 | 7 | 10 | 45 |
| Scoring Summary | |||
| FIRST QUARTER SCORING | STAN | CAL | |
| 4:24 | (CAL) K. Muhammad, 3-yard pass from D. Webb (N. Beito kick) | 0 | 7 |
| 2:26 | (CAL) K. Noa, 27-yard pass from D. Webb (N. Beito kick) | 0 | 14 |
| 1:18 | (STAN) C. McCaffrey, 14-yard run (C. Ukropina kick) | 7 | 14 |
| 1:05 | (CAL) K. Muhammad, 98-yard kickoff return (N. Beito kick) | 7 | 21 |
| SECOND QUARTER SCORING | STAN | CAL | |
| 1:14 | (CAL) K. Muhammad, 3-yard run (N. Beito kick) | 7 | 28 |
| 0:39 | (STAN) D. Cajuste, 17-yard pass from K. Chryst (C. Ukropina kick) | 14 | 28 |
| THIRD QUARTER SCORING | STAN | CAL | |
| 5:18 | (STAN) C. McCaffrey, 8-yard run (C. Ukropina kick) | 21 | 28 |
| 3:16 | (CAL) C. Hansen, 15-yard pass from D. Webb (N. Beito kick) | 21 | 35 |
| FOURTH QUARTER SCORING | STAN | CAL | |
| 6:04 | (CAL) N. Beito, 18-yard field goal | 21 | 38 |
| 0:07 | (STAN) C. McCaffrey, 22-yard pass from K. Chryst (C. Ukropina kick) | 28 | 38 |
| 2:00 | (CAL) K. Noa, 20-yard pass from D. Webb (N. Beito kick) | 28 | 45 |
| 0:38 | (STAN) F. Owusu, 6-yard pass from K. Chryst (C. Ukropina kick) | 35 | 45 |
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