Football
By ERIC HE
Associated Press
BERKELEY, Calif. (AP) — 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…
Click Here to Read the Full Original Article at Atlantic Coast Conference…