Big Game postponed due to the poor quality of the air

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BERKELEY – For the second time in history, the Big Game has been postponed.

Cal and Stanford, who were to meet for the 121st time Saturday at Memorial Stadium, will play instead on Dec. 1, while the Bay Area discusses the effects of the dangerous air quality resulting from fires in the area. Butte County. The kickoff is scheduled for noon and the game will be televised on Pac-12 networks.

"I would like to say that it was obvious. It was not the truth, "said Cal's Sports Director Jim Knowlton at a press conference on Friday afternoon. "I think it was the right call to make based on all the information we could gather.

"We can not say that (Thursday). There was enough ambiguity about what was going to happen with the air. "

The air quality index for Berkeley Friday reached 256 in the early afternoon. The Bay Area Air Quality Management District ranks anything greater than 200 in the "very unhealthy" category.

The NCAA recommends that schools cancel outdoor sporting events when the AQI exceeds 200.

Knowlton, hired in April as Cal's sports director, said a decision was not made earlier, as campus officials wanted the most accurate air quality forecast on Saturday. . They sought advice from medical and environmental experts on the campus and also consulted with Stanford and the Pac-12 conference.

"If Saturday was a sunny blue day and the AD had made the decision to cancel the Big Game, it would not be good for the new AD," Knowlton said.

The only other time the Big Game was postponed was in 1963, the day after the assassination of President John F. Kennedy. He was played a week later, with Stanford winning 28-17 on his home ground.

December 1 is actually the day after the Pac-12 championship game at Levi's Stadium, but the date does not work because neither Cal nor Stanford are looking for a spot for the game. Both schools are eligible for the cup and cup clashes must be announced on December 2nd.

Bernard Muir, Knowlton and Stanford Sports Director, said his thoughts are with the people of Paradise and Butte County who have lost loved ones or their homes.

Knowlton hopes the Bears' home game on November 24 against Colorado – which was supposed to be their regular season finale – will not be touched. But he added that Cal was already considering the unexpected, including other stadium sites, in case the air quality did not improve. He refused to share any of these potential Plan B scenarios.

Knowlton was in San Francisco for an event Thursday when the AQI reading reached 282. He then felt that "it was not going to be much better".

The decision to postpone the match belonged to Cal, as host of the game this season, but all parties agreed.

Muir said in a statement: "We are grateful to the University of California for working with us on the logistical challenges of reprogramming the Big Game, and we look forward to playing the game on December 1st."

Cal's linebacker, Evan Weaver, before the announcement, said on Twitter: "We want to play!"

Later, he said, "December 1st!

Cal's coach, Justin Wilcox, participated in the decision-making process "at every step of the way," Knowlton said. "He plays football, but he understands the situation in which we find ourselves and fully supports the decision."

All of Friday's outdoor team workouts have been transferred indoors or elsewhere, Knowlton said. The sports department monitored the qualifications before making a decision on the Cal vs. Pacfic women's basketball game scheduled for Sunday at 14:00. at Haas Lodge.

This decision was in line with the Bay Area Colleges (including Cal) and many Kindergarten to Grade 12 school districts, which canceled Friday classes, as well as sections of the Central Coast and the north coast who postponed and moved football matches to the playoffs.

A local college program plans to play Saturday. The state of San Jose has advanced its 14 hours departure time against Nevada by two hours. The conference hopes that starting the game sooner will help players avoid playing in potentially worse conditions that could occur late Saturday afternoon.

The ubiquitous smoke caused Cal to cancel a men's basketball game on the Berkeley campus Thursday night. Stanford canceled the men's home basketball game Friday night against Wofford and Sunday's women's match against Ohio State at Maples Pavilion.

In addition to the postponement of 1963, there was no Big Game played from 1916 to 1917 during the First World War, and from 1943 to 455 during the Second World War.

Cal decided to play after natural disasters two years apart. In 1989, Cal hosted Washington as planned four days after the Loma Prieta earthquake. In 1991, Cal hosted USC as scheduled seven days after the Oakland Hills fire.

The Bears also played a game Friday night against Washington State last October, despite the poor quality of the air caused by fires in the Santa Rosa area. Campus spokesman Dan Mogulof said the weather and air quality a year ago were very different from those in this case.

Editor Gary Peterson contributed to this report.