2012 bowl game projections: Stanford currently set for Sun Bowl against Miami

The Stanford Cardinal are heading toward the Sun Bowl to play an ACC opponent if everything plays out the way CBS Sports sees it.

College Footbal Injuries: Cal LB Chris McCain nursing ankle ailment

Starting linebacker Chris McCain left Saturday's game against Stanford with an ankle injury and did not return.

2012 BCS Rankings, Week 9: Stanford climbs to No. 18 with rebound win

Stanford got back on track Saturday against Cal and the computers rewarded the team by moving the Cardinal up three spots.

College football rankings, week 9: Stanford moves up to No. 19 in AP Poll

Stanford is one of four Pac-12 teams in the AP Top 25 Poll, sitting at No. 19.

Stanford vs. Cal 2012: The Golden Bears mourn the loss of the axe for another year

The 115th Big Game went to the Stanford Cardinal for the third year in a row, and this time, it wasn't even close. California Golden Blogs went beyond just the 21-3 score to show just how much the Cardinal dominated the Golden Bears in Saturday's contest. It was pretty ugly.

The Bears were out-gained (475 yards to 215), including an embarrassing 252 rushing yards to just three for Cal. Those rushing totals equated to a 5.5 yards per carry for Stanford to 0.1 yards per carry for the Golden Bears. Stanford made 23 first downs to Cal's 12 and had 11 tackles for loss to Cal's four.

And that's with some number disparities left out.

Stanford's defensive capabilities and Cal's offensive struggles became the name of the game as the Cardinal completely smothered Cal's offensive attack.

This loss, especially against a rival, won't help extinguish the growing fire under head coach Jeff Tedford's hotseat. As California Golden Blogs notes:

After losing the Big Game for the third straight year and being reminded how wide a gap there is between Cal and its rival on the gridiron, the future of Jeff Tedford is the big golden bear in the room that cannot be ignored.

That's one heavy golden bear.

Stanford vs. Cal final: Cardinal win 21-3

A dominant Stanford Cardinal defense wrote the story of the 2012 Big Game, as they shut down the California Golden Bears en route to a 21-3 win. Stanford's pass rush spent much of the day in Cal's backfield, knocking Zach Maynard around and generally disrupting the Cal offense. Cal converted only a single third down, and ended the day with only three net rushing yards on 28 attempts.

Stanford's offense did most of their work in the first half, but it was more than enough to take the win. Stepfan Taylor was running downhill all day, and his hard-nosed runs helped the Cardinal run out the clock in the fourth quarter. Josh Nunes was capable if unspectacular for most of the day, going 16-for-31 for 214 yards with one touchdown and one interception.

Officially, only Shayne Skov and Chase Thomas picked up sacks, but the entire Cardinal defense refused to let Cal gain any ground. Maynard was 19-for-31 for 214 yards with no touchdowns and one interception. The Cal rushing attack, ordinarily the team's strong point, was completely shut out. Isi Sofele had 13 yards on 10 carries, C.J. Anderson added another five, but three other backs combined for negative-15 to leave the squad with a net total of three.

Cal's Marc Anthony intercepted Nunes midway through the fourth quarter, but the Cardinal defense ended a long Golden Bears drive with an interception of their own, shutting the door on any chance of a comeback. Stanford was then able to run out the clock, and they head back to Palo Alto still in possession of the Stanford Axe.

Box Score Hero: Taylor carried the Cardinal offense, picking up 189 yards on 28 carries with one touchdown. Zach Ertz led the team in receiving, pulling in six catches for 134 yards and a touchdown of his own.

Rankings Ramifications: Stanford, No. 20 entering the game, could easily see their dominant performance move them up in the rankings.

But Did They Cover? Favored by two points, Stanford easily covered the spread.

For More On This Game:

For more on Golden Bears football, visit Cal blog California Golden Blogs, plus Pac-12 blog Pacific Takes and SB Nation Bay Area.

For more on Cardinal football, visit Stanford blog Rule Of Tree, plus Pac-12 blog Pacific Takes and SB Nation Bay Area.

Next Week's Schedule: Cal will face the Utah Utes, while Stanford will take on the Washington State Cougars.

Follow @SBNationCFB

This story originally appeared on SB Nation.com.

Stanford vs. Cal score update: Cal leads heading into 4th, 21-3

The Stanford Cardinal took a 21-3 lead in the first half of their game against the California Golden Bears, and they showed no sign of letting that lead go in the third quarter. At the start of the fourth, Stanford still leads, 21-3.

Cal's offense has been stumbling all day. They've turned the ball over twice, and their normally strong running game has seen five backs combine for 11 yards on 22 attempts. Zach Maynard is 10-for-18, and collectively the team is 0-for-10 on third down. Stanford's defense has consistently brought pressure, and Chase Thomas and Shayne Skov have both picked up a sack.

Stanford's offense is the opposite of Cal. Josh Nunes is having a fine day, 16-for-29 for 214 yards with one touchdown through three quarters. Redshirt freshman Kevin Hogan even got in on the action, connecting with Levine Toilolo for a score in the second. Zach Ertz has six catches for 134 yards with one touchdown, Drew Terrell has added another 45 yards on two catches and Stepfan Taylor continues to run downhill, currently totaling 122 yards on 18 carries with one touchdown.

21-3 isn't officially out of reach, but Cal hasn't shown anything in the first three quarters that would suggest they're capable of a comeback in the fourth. There's still 15 minutes to play, but Stanford appears on its way to taking the 2012 Big Game and retaining possession of the Axe.

Stanford vs. Cal score update: Cardinal leads at halftime, 21-3

The Stanford Cardinal is running away from the California Golden Bears, going up 21-3 in front of Cal's home crowd. Stanford's offense has found their rhythm, while Zach Maynard and the Cal offense have failed to get settled and have turned the ball over twice.

Josh Nunes is 12-for-23 for 183 yards with one touchdown for Stanford. Kevin Hogan was also in at quarterback for one play, where he connected with Levine Toilolo for the Cardinal's second touchdown. Stepfan Taylor quieted down in the second quarter after running downhill in the first. He picked up 58 yards in the first 15 minutes, but totaled only 82 at the half. Zach Ertz is having a monster day, with three receptions for 104 yards. Stanford has left a few points on the field; Jordan Williamson is 0-for-2 on field goals.

Cal's offense has managed just 84 total yards. They're all credited to Zach Maynard (8-for-15), because Cal's usually strong running game has combined for net zero yards on 13 attempts. Isi Sofele and C.J. Anderson have positive yardage, but the rest of the team is negative, making it a draw. Stanford's pass rush has kept Maynard and the rest of the Golden Bear offense on its heels all afternoon. Chase Thomas and Trent Murphy have spent plenty of time in Cal's backfield, with Thomas picking up the game's only sack. Brendan Bigelow and Keenan Allen have both put the ball on the ground, and Stanford has been there to fall on it both times.

There's plenty of football left to play, and Cal has the ball coming out of halftime. If they haven't figured out a way to get started on offense, the 2012 Big Game might already be over.

Stanford vs. Cal score update: Cardinal leads, 7-3 after first quarter

The Stanford Cardinal lead the California Golden Bears after one quarter of action in Berkeley, 7-3. Both teams have struggled on offense, but Stepfan Taylor is running downhill for Stanford and Cal was able to capitalize on a 29 yard punt return by Keenan Allen that set up a field goal.

Josh Nunes is 4-for-10 for 46 yards under center for the Cardinal, but Taylor's efforts have made up for it. He has 58 yards on six carries. Nunes fumbled while running for a first down on Stanford's opening drive, but Cal's offense was unable to capitalize.

That's been a theme for Cal's offense, with Zach Maynard throwing 3-for-6 for 41 yards and the team as a whole rushing for negative yards. Cal is 0-for-4 on third downs, and possessed the ball for only 6:32 of the quarter. Stanford's pass rush has been a big part of that, with senior linebacker Chase Thomas picking up the first quarter's only sack.

Cal vs. Stanford 2012: Stanford offense key to Big Game in Berkeley

Cal and Stanford meet for the 115th time in the Big Game on Saturday with a lot on the line. Stanford tries to get its offense going on the road while Jeff Tedford tries to keep his job safe at Cal.

Stanford Vs. Cal 2012: Game Time, TV Schedule, Odds And More

Here's all the information you need regarding the 115th Big Game, which will be televised at noon Pacific time on FOX. The Stanford Cardinal are slight favorites over the California Golden Bears.

Cal vs. Stanford: Big Game still plenty significant

The 2012 Big Game is still plenty significant, as both Cal head coach Jeff Tedford and Stanford head coach David Shaw are playing for job security and the conference title race respectively.

Big Game 2012: Stanford, Cal betting lines & odds

The Stanford Cardinal are slight favorites over the California Golden Bears.

Big Game 2012: Stanford looks to retain Axe against Cal

The Stanford Cardinal look to retain the Axe against the California Golden Bears in the 2012 Big Game.