The Enduring Gridiron Rivalry: Cal Bears vs. UCLA Bruins
The rivalry between the Cal Bears and the UCLA Bruins is a storied tradition in college football, marked by memorable games and a shared history within the University of California system. Played annually since 1933, it stands as one of the longest uninterrupted series in the sport.
A Tradition Rooted in "All-University Weekend"
Traditionally, the Cal-UCLA rivalry was played on "All-University Weekend." During this week, Cal and UCLA would compete against each other in various sports in season, accompanied by festivals celebrating the achievements of the UC System. This tradition fostered a sense of unity and friendly competition between the two schools.
Uninterrupted Gridiron Battles: A Testament to Tradition
Played annually since 1933, it was the third-longest never-interrupted rivalry in college football, behind only Iowa State vs. Kansas State (uninterrupted since 1917), and Navy vs. Notre Dame (uninterrupted from 1927 until 2020). Because so many college football teams did not play in 2020 due to the Covid pandemic, the Cal-UCLA rivalry was the second-longest never-interrupted rivalry in college football and one of two never-interrupted rivalries that still exist in the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) of NCAA Division I college football. The annual clash between the Golden Bears and the Bruins has only been rivaled by Iowa State vs. Kansas State and Navy vs. Notre Dame in terms of consistent yearly matchups. This uninterrupted streak speaks volumes about the importance and tradition associated with this game.
In 2020, the rivalry was set to end its yearly streak due to the pandemic-shortened 2020 season. However, after unexpected cancellations for both Cal and UCLA on November 13, 2020, the Pac-12 scheduled the game for November 15, 2020.
Location, Location, Location: Alternating Home Field Advantage
The game alternates between the two respective schools. Except for 2020, contests in odd-numbered years are played in Pasadena and even-numbered years in Berkeley. The location of the game alternates each year, with contests in odd-numbered years taking place in Pasadena and even-numbered years in Berkeley, except for 2020. This ensures that both fan bases have the opportunity to witness the rivalry in person and creates a unique atmosphere for each game.
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Game Results and Series Standings
| No. | Date | Location | Winning Team | Losing Team |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | November 4, 1933 | Los Angeles | Tie | Tie |
| 2 | October 20, 1934 | Berkeley | California | UCLA |
| 3 | November 2, 1935 | Los Angeles | UCLA | California |
| 4 | October 17, 1936 | Berkeley | UCLA | California |
| 5 | October 30, 1937 | Los Angeles | #1 California | UCLA |
| 6 | October 15, 1938 | Berkeley | California | UCLA |
| 7 | November 4, 1939 | Los Angeles | #19 UCLA | California |
| 8 | October 19, 1940 | Berkeley | California | UCLA |
| 9 | November 1, 1941 | Los Angeles | California | UCLA |
| 10 | October 17, 1942 | Berkeley | UCLA | California |
| 11 | October 16, 1943 | Los Angeles | California | UCLA |
| 12 | November 13, 1943 | Berkeley | California | UCLA |
| 13 | September 30, 1944 | Berkeley | California | UCLA |
| 14 | November 11, 1944 | Los Angeles | UCLA | California |
| 15 | October 13, 1945 | Los Angeles | UCLA | California |
| 16 | November 24, 1945 | Berkeley | #12 California | UCLA |
| 17 | October 19, 1946 | Berkeley | #4 UCLA | California |
| 18 | November 1, 1947 | Los Angeles | #14 California | #19 UCLA |
| 19 | November 6, 1948 | Berkeley | #5 California | UCLA |
| 20 | October 29, 1949 | Los Angeles | #4 California | #20 UCLA |
| 21 | November 11, 1950 | Berkeley | #6 California | #19 UCLA |
| 22 | November 3, 1951 | Los Angeles | UCLA | #9 California |
| 23 | November 1, 1952 | Berkeley | #7 UCLA | #11 California |
| 24 | October 31, 1953 | Los Angeles | #10 UCLA | California |
| 25 | October 30, 1954 | Berkeley | #3 UCLA | California |
| 26 | October 29, 1955 | Los Angeles | #6 UCLA | California |
| 27 | October 20, 1956 | Berkeley | UCLA | California |
| 28 | November 2, 1957 | Los Angeles | UCLA | California |
| 29 | November 8, 1958 | Berkeley | California | UCLA |
| 30 | October 17, 1959 | Los Angeles | UCLA | California |
| 31 | November 5, 1960 | Berkeley | #15 UCLA | California |
| 32 | November 4, 1961 | Los Angeles | UCLA | California |
| 33 | November 3, 1962 | Berkeley | UCLA | California |
| 34 | November 2, 1963 | Los Angeles | California | UCLA |
| 35 | October 31, 1964 | Berkeley | UCLA | California |
| 36 | October 23, 1965 | Los Angeles | UCLA | California |
| 37 | October 22, 1966 | Berkeley | #3 UCLA | California |
| 38 | October 14, 1967 | Los Angeles | #4 UCLA | California |
| 39 | October 19, 1968 | Berkeley | California | UCLA |
| 40 | October 18, 1969 | Los Angeles | #8 UCLA | California |
| 41 | October 17, 1970 | Berkeley | #19 UCLA | California |
| 42 | October 23, 1971 | Los Angeles | California | UCLA |
| 43 | October 21, 1972 | Berkeley | #11 UCLA | California |
| 44 | October 27, 1973 | Los Angeles | #13 UCLA | California |
| 45 | October 26, 1974 | Berkeley | UCLA | #18 California |
| 46 | October 25, 1975 | Los Angeles | #19 UCLA | California |
| 47 | October 23, 1976 | Berkeley | #4 UCLA | California |
| 48 | October 22, 1977 | Los Angeles | #15 California | UCLA† |
| 49 | October 21, 1978 | Berkeley | #10 UCLA | California |
| 50 | October 20, 1979 | Los Angeles | UCLA | California |
| 51 | October 25, 1980 | Berkeley | #3 UCLA | California |
| 52 | October 24, 1981 | Los Angeles | UCLA | California |
| 53 | October 23, 1982 | Berkeley | #11 UCLA | California |
| 54 | October 22, 1983 | Pasadena | UCLA | California |
| 55 | October 20, 1984 | Berkeley | UCLA | California |
| 56 | October 26, 1985 | Pasadena | #17 UCLA | California |
| 57 | October 18, 1986 | Berkeley | #19 UCLA | California |
| 58 | October 24, 1987 | Pasadena | #8 UCLA | California |
| 59 | October 8, 1988 | Berkeley | #2 UCLA | California |
| 60 | September 30, 1989 | Pasadena | UCLA | California |
| 61 | October 20, 1990 | Berkeley | California | UCLA |
| 62 | October 5, 1991 | Pasadena | #18 California | #24 UCLA |
| 63 | October 31, 1992 | Berkeley | California | UCLA |
| 64 | September 4, 1993 | Pasadena | California | UCLA |
| 65 | October 8, 1994 | Berkeley | California | UCLA |
| 66 | October 28, 1995 | Pasadena | #24 UCLA | California |
| 67 | October 26, 1996 | Berkeley | UCLA | California |
| 68 | October 25, 1997 | Pasadena | #13 UCLA | California |
| 69 | October 24, 1998 | Berkeley | #2 UCLA | California |
| 70 | October 16, 1999 | Pasadena | California‡ | UCLA |
| 71 | October 14, 2000 | Berkeley | California | #13 UCLA |
| 72 | October 20, 2001 | Pasadena | #4 UCLA | California |
| 73 | October 19, 2002 | Berkeley | California | UCLA |
| 74 | October 18, 2003 | Pasadena | UCLA | California |
| 75 | October 16, 2004 | Berkeley | #8 California | UCLA |
| 76 | October 8, 2005 | Pasadena | #20 UCLA | #10 California |
| 77 | November 4, 2006 | Berkeley | #10 California | UCLA |
| 78 | October 20, 2007 | Pasadena | UCLA | #10 California |
| 79 | October 25, 2008 | Berkeley | California | UCLA |
| 80 | October 17, 2009 | Pasadena | California | UCLA |
| 81 | October 9, 2010 | Berkeley | California | UCLA |
| 82 | October 29, 2011 | Pasadena | UCLA | California |
| 83 | October 6, 2012 | Berkeley | California | #25 UCLA |
| 84 | October 12, 2013 | Pasadena | UCLA | California |
| 85 | October 18, 2014 | Berkeley | UCLA | California |
| 86 | October 22, 2015 | Pasadena | UCLA | #20 California |
| 87 | November 26, 2016 | Berkeley | California | UCLA |
| 88 | November 24, 2017 | Pasadena | UCLA | California |
| 89 | October 13, 2018 | Berkeley | UCLA | California |
| 90 | November 30, 2019 | Pasadena | California | UCLA |
| 91 | November 15, 2020 | Pasadena | UCLA | California |
| 92 | November 27, 2021 | Pasadena | UCLA | California |
| 93 | November 25, 2022 | Berkeley | #18 UCLA | California |
| 94 | November 25, 2023 | Pasadena | California | UCLA |
As of November 25, 2023, UCLA leads the series with a record of 57-35-1. This includes a UCLA forfeit. This demonstrates the Bruins' historical dominance in the rivalry.
Looking Ahead: Future Matchups
The rivalry is set to continue in the coming years, with games scheduled for:
- September 5, 2026, in Berkeley
- September 4, 2027, in Pasadena
- September 2, 2028, in Berkeley
- September 15, 2029, in Pasadena
These future matchups promise to add more chapters to the already rich history of the Cal-UCLA rivalry.
A Broader Perspective: Basketball and Beyond
The Cal-UCLA rivalry extends beyond the football field, encompassing other sports as well. For example, a recent basketball game featured the UCLA Bruins (5-1) against Cal, with UCLA favored by 8.5 points and an over/under of 142.5.
In this context, the Golden Bears are 5-1 in non-conference play. Cal scores 85.2 points while outscoring opponents by 16.0 points per game. The Bruins are also 5-1 in non-conference play. UCLA has a 4-0 record in games decided by at least 10 points. Cal averages 85.2 points, 24.9 more per game than the 60.3 UCLA allows. UCLA has shot at a 49.4% clip from the field this season, 9.5 percentage points greater than the 39.9% shooting opponents of Cal have averaged.
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Key players for Cal include Dai Dai Ames, scoring 18.8 points per game, and Chris Bell, averaging 15.7 points. Tyler Bilodeau is a key performer for the Bruins, averaging 14.8 points.
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tags: #cal #bears #vs #ucla #history
