Mendoza throws for three touchdowns, Cal rallies over Stanford in Big Game for 24-21 win

BERKELEY, Calif. -- — Fernando Mendoza threw for 299 yards and three touchdowns, Jonathan Brady had two touchdown catches and the go-ahead score and California rallied to beat Stanford 24-21 on Saturday in the first Big Game as members of the Atlantic Coast Conference.

Mendoza was under pressure on 3rd and 11 with under three minutes to play, but found a streaking Brady for a 22-yard touchdown, and Cal (6-5, 2-5 Atlantic Coast Conference) took a 24-21 lead after a two-point conversion.

“That was a heck of a play,” Cal head coach Justin Wilcox said.

Cal became bowl eligible with the win and has won four straight games in the rivalry, which began in 1892. The Bears will play in a bowl game in back-to-back seasons 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 being a witness after a Big Game victory,” Wilcox said.

Many of the 52,428 fans stormed the field at Memorial Stadium after the game, which Brady called a “crazy” experience. The third-year transfer from New Mexico State led the team cheer in the locker room after the game.

“You have rivalry games, but nothing like this,” Brady said. “I've never been (on a) field where they're just storming it and they’re just so excited about the team winning.”

The Bears came back from a 21-7 second half deficit. Brady’s first touchdown came on a 30-yard touchdown catch early in the fourth to cut the lead to 21-16. Stanford (3-8, 2-6 ACC) stalled on its next drive, and Mendoza led the Bears on an 11-play, 98-yard drive for the lead. Stanford failed to get a first down on its final drive.

“When the lights turned bright, we all turned brighter," Mendoza said.

The second-year quarterback gave a pep talk in the huddle before the drive, explaining that this was what the team bonding, the film sessions and walk throughs were about.

“As a kid when you watch Aaron Rodgers, Jared Goff, Tom Brady, go on that field and they lead the comeback, game-winning drive — it’s exactly what I thought of there,” Mendoza said. “Our offense has worked so hard for this moment. This is the moment. It’s what you play for, and to come out victorious, it was very emotional.”

Rodgers, a Cal alum who was honored at the end of the first quarter along with the rest of the 2004 team, met with the team on Friday. Mendoza said the future Hall of Fame quarterback gave an inspirational speech about how The Big Game was the important rivalry of his life.

Wilcox said that the team accomplished one of its goals in making a bowl game during a season when their five losses have each been by one possession.

“There’s some very difficult losses in there, and there was frustration throughout — living through some of those losses, but never hopeless,” Wilcox said.

Justin Lamson – Stanford’s backup quarterback who typically enters the game in short-yardage situations – ran for two touchdowns in the first quarter, both from two yards out to give the Cardinal a 14-0 lead after one. He has seven rushing touchdowns this season, setting the Stanford record by a quarterback.

Mendoza threw a 16-yard touchdown pass to Trond Grizzell in the second quarter to cut the lead to 14-7 after he had a 50-yard run earlier in the drive. Stanford took a 21-7 lead in the third quarter when running back Micah Ford took a pitch from Lamson and threw a two-yard touchdown pass on fourth-and-goal to Emmett Mosley V.

“I'm proud of how our guys played,” Stanford head coach Troy Taylor said. “We just came up a play short. We had an opportunity to get a stop there at the end and we did a lot of good things. It was just not quite enough to win the game.”

Stanford starting quarterback Ashton Daniels was 14 of 26 for 139 yards. He also had 21 carries for 63 yards.

The Takeaway

Stanford: The Cardinal snapped a six-game losing streak with an upset of No. 19 Louisville last week, but could not hold a two-score lead in the fourth quarter against their rivals on the road.

California: Cal won despite star running back Jaydn Ott continuing to struggle. The Bears were also held without a takeaway after entering the game third in the country in turnover margin.

Up Next

Stanford: Visits San Jose State on Friday to wrap up the season.

California: Visits No. 13 SMU on Saturday.

----

Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here. AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-football