The Upset - 20 years later

SF Chron Caption - Cal students and players celebrate with the Stanford Axe, newly returned to Berkeley following the 1986 Big Game. Photo courtesy of Cal Media Relations.

The SF Chron has an article on the 89th Big Game - the upset in 1986 by a 1-9 Cal team over the 7-2 Gator Bowl-bound stanfoo team.

Looking for a little more motivation, [Head Coach Joe] Kapp called upon 74-year-old Natalie Cohen to lead the Axe cheer to his players right before the game. After Cohen's exhortations, Ortega recalled, "We ran out on the field together, as a team. We didn't do that every week that year."

[snip]

"Those Cal crazies got all excited," [stanfurd QB John] Paye said.

"Our fans will rally when they see anything good happen," said [Cal QB Kevin] Brown, who works in marketing and communications for Delaware Investments in San Francisco.