Seniors yearn for Big Game win before graduating

“I will remember for the rest of my life if I went all four years without seeing a Big Game win,” senior Jacob Rubenstein said. 

For Stanford seniors, the 128th Big Game isn’t just another matchup. It’s a final shot at rewriting a four-year story of heartbreak.

“We have not been great, unfortunately,” senior Graham Johnstone said. “Always support the boys, but it’s just been brutal, especially losing to a rival every year in pretty theatrical fashion at that. Last year was saddening.”

In last year’s Big Game, Stanford (3-7, 2-5 ACC) led 21-10 entering the fourth quarter before Cal (6-4, 3-3 ACC) stormed back for a 24-21 win. For many seniors, that collapse still stings.

“I feel like that always happens,” senior Liza Mikacich said. “It’s a tragic upset. So I really hope this year we’re the ones doing the tragic upsetting.”

But even after three straight heartbreaks, optimism still hums across campus.

“I feel like it’s definitely on the rise,” said Mikacich, a longtime Stanford football fan. “At least this past season with Andrew Luck and the $50 million donation we just got, I feel like our football program is back to hopefully getting better and getting to something that we experienced in the 2010s.”

However, for many seniors, Big Game isn’t just about the final score. It’s about the traditions and memories that define their time at Stanford.

“I really liked freshman year when we went to Berkeley,” Rubenstein said. “Every time you saw someone in a Stanford shirt, you would give them a hug, even if you didn’t know who they were.”

“I like how they dye all the fountains red for the game,” Mikacich said. “When I was little, I thought that was really fun. And then sometimes Cal comes and tries to dye it back, and then it’s some discolored nonsense. I really like that.”

Even if gameday ends in disappointment, the days leading up to the showdown always bring amazing memories.

“I love Gaieties every year,” Johnstone said. “Pre-gaming with some of my friends for the Friday show, going and sitting down, just having a great time. It’s always genuinely good shows, too. It’s kind of fascinating how Stanford students can just put on something like that.”

As Saturday approaches, excitement is building not just for football, but for the spirit that unites campus.

“It’s the day of the year when Stanford students show the most school spirit,” Rubenstein said. “I’m looking forward to seeing all the Berkeley students come to campus, and I’m looking forward to seeing them be sad when they lose.”

Whether they leave Saturday night with the Axe or not, the class of 2026 will leave Stanford with one shared wish: to end their college years with a Big Game worth remembering.

When asked what he would tell both sides, Johnstone kept it simple.

“I hope you guys lose. You know, you guys suck,” he said to Cal, before turning his attention to Stanford. “Boys, put your lives on the line. Play like there’s no tomorrow. Wear the Cardinal ‘S’ on your sleeve like a badge of honor. Let’s get the win.”

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