California vs StanfordStanford Axe: The Big Game Trophy
An axe stolen after an 1899 baseball game, stolen back in 1930, and played for in the Big Game ever since.
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Start a pick'em contestHow the Stanford Axe came to be
Stanford's yell leaders brought out a woodsman's axe at a campus rally on April 13, 1899, using it to chop up a straw figure decked in Cal's blue and gold while leading the 'Give 'em the axe' yell.
Two days later, on April 15, 1899, they waved it at a Cal-Stanford baseball game at 16th and Folsom streets in San Francisco. After Cal won, Cal students grabbed the axe, passed it from hand to hand through a street chase, and student Clint Miller smuggled the head under his overcoat onto a ferry at the Ferry Building while police searched passengers.
Cal kept the axe as a prize of conquest for about 31 years, locked in a vault and brought out only for rallies. In April 1930, 21 Stanford students (Stanford's 'Immortal 21', Cal's 'Immoral 21') ambushed its guards after a Cal rally, using camera flashes and a smoke or tear-gas bomb, and escaped with it in getaway cars.
After three years of negotiation, the schools agreed in 1933 to make the axe the prize for the Big Game winner, with the current holder keeping it after a tie.
The trophy itself. An axe head mounted on a large wooden plaque that lists the results of past Big Games. The axe started out as an ordinary lumberman's axe that Stanford yell leaders carried in 1899.
Stanford Axe history
- 1899
The axe debuts at a Stanford rally on April 13, and Cal students carry it off after a baseball game in San Francisco on April 15.
- 1930
The 'Immortal 21' Stanford students seize the axe in Berkeley in April after a Cal rally.
- 1933
Both schools agree to make the axe the Big Game trophy.
- 1982
'The Play': Cal wins 25-20 on a five-lateral kickoff return through the Stanford Band on the final play, a result Stanford still disputes.
- 2018
Stanford wins its ninth straight Big Game (2010-2018), the longest winning streak in the series.
- 2019
Cal wins 24-20 and reclaims the axe, ending Stanford's nine-game streak.
- 2025
Stanford beats Cal 31-10 in the 128th Big Game on November 22, returning two fumbles for touchdowns and ending Cal's four-game hold on the axe.
Recent results
| Season | Result | Where |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Stanford Cardinal 31, California Golden Bears 10 | Stanford Stadium |
| 2024 | California Golden Bears 24, Stanford Cardinal 21 | California Memorial Stadium |
| 2023 | California Golden Bears 27, Stanford Cardinal 15 | Stanford Stadium |
| 2022 | California Golden Bears 27, Stanford Cardinal 20 | California Memorial Stadium |
| 2021 | California Golden Bears 41, Stanford Cardinal 11 | Stanford Stadium |
Stanford Axe facts worth knowing
The trophy's plaque shows a different 1982 score depending on who holds it: Stanford changes it to a 20-19 Stanford win, and Cal changes it back to the official 25-20.
The axe was a rally prop before it was a trophy. Cal students took it after a baseball game, not a football game, in 1899.
Cal held the axe for roughly three decades before a single play was contested for it, because it took Stanford until 1930 to steal it back.
Stanford's 1930 recovery group is called the 'Immortal 21' at Stanford and the 'Immoral 21' at Cal.
The 2026 game is the 129th Big Game, and both schools have first-year head coaches: Tavita Pritchard at Stanford and Tosh Lupoi at Cal.
Frequently asked questions
What is the Stanford Axe?+
The Stanford Axe is the trophy California and Stanford play for in college football, first awarded in 1933. An axe head mounted on a large wooden plaque that lists the results of past Big Games. The axe started out as an ordinary lumberman's axe that Stanford yell leaders carried in 1899.
How did the Stanford Axe come to be?+
Stanford's yell leaders brought out a woodsman's axe at a campus rally on April 13, 1899, using it to chop up a straw figure decked in Cal's blue and gold while leading the 'Give 'em the axe' yell.
Who has the Stanford Axe right now?+
Stanford holds the Stanford Axe after winning the 2025 game, Stanford 31, California 10. The live block on this page updates as soon as the next meeting is played.
Who leads the California-Stanford series?+
Stanford leads the all-time series 66-51-11 as of the end of the 2025 season. In games played for the Stanford Axe since 1933, Stanford leads 48-38-3.
When is the next Stanford Axe game?+
Stanford Cardinal play at California Golden Bears on Saturday, Nov 21, 2026 at California Memorial Stadium. Odds and the community lean post on the matchup page as the game approaches.
Where can I bet on the Stanford Axe game?+
You can bet California vs Stanford on BettorEdge, a peer-to-peer marketplace where you trade with other bettors rather than a sportsbook, so the price carries no built-in house vig. You can also run a free pick'em contest for the game with your group.
More college football
Records and the current holder are as of the end of the 2025 season; the next-game block and recent results update from ESPN.Sources: en.wikipedia.org, en.wikipedia.org, newsarchive.berkeley.edu, alumni.berkeley.edu.
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