Some rivalries in college football don’t stay confined to just Saturdays. They go on to linger in the group chats, in locker rooms years later and sometimes even resurfaces in the most unlikely moments: like a graduation post on Instagram. Fernando Mendoza found that out this week.

The Las Vegas Raiders quarterback was recently at the University of California, Berkeley, to receive his diploma. Just like any other student, he too posted pictures from the graduation ceremony on his Instagram account. He captioned the post with a simple message that meant everything to Golden Bears fans: “Go Bears Forever.”

The post saw comments from across the footballing world. The official Heisman account commented with a GOAT emoji. His current Raiders teammate, Maxx Crosby, also sent across fire emojis. But tucked among the praise was a comment that instantly shifted the tone. “Go, Stanford.”

It came from Raiders defensive tackle Thomas Booker, a former Stanford Cardinal lineman who saw an opportunity not just to congratulate a teammate, but to revive one of the sport’s most enduring rivalries in the middle of a celebratory moment! To some, it might seem like a playful jab, but for those familiar with their dynamics, it was perfectly on brand.

The Stanford–Cal rivalry goes back to 1892 and is the oldest college football rivalry in the western United States. They meet up for the Big Game, and with it comes a prize. The Stanford Axe– a 15-inch axe head given to the winner of each game.

Seeing all that is always at stake, a prize, a lot of history, and a full year of bragging rights within the San Francisco Bay Area, Booker and Mendoza became a huge part of this rivalry during their college days. Both were usually standout performers in the Big Game.

Mendoza went 2-0 vs Stanford, never tasting defeat in the Big Game. The first of those victories came during Mendoza’s redshirt freshman season. In his first start against Stanford in 2023, he threw for 294 yards and recorded his most touchdowns for the season (3). The 27-15 victory made them bowl-eligible.

The Heisman winner then upped his game in 2024, throwing for 299 yards and three more touchdowns. The game was famous for Cal’s fourth-quarter comeback from 21-10, which was sealed by a game-winning touchdown pass from the QB to Jonathan Brady with 2:40 remaining. The game ended 24-21 in favor of the Bears. And Mendoza added the icing on the cake with an emotional post-game interview that people still remember almost two years later.

“First of all, I want to give all the glory to God,” the quarterback said, fighting back tears. “That was an amazing comeback. It’s a testament to how tough we are as a team. I love my boys. It’s amazing. I’m so proud of everyone on this team. We’re 6-6, we’re bowl-bound, and we retained the Axe. Go Bears forever. Let’s go.”

Booker was equally dominant in the annual Big Game. He played four games and had a 2-2 record. His evergreen moment came in the 2020 season, where he broke through the line and blocked what would have been an extra point for the Bears after they scored a late touchdown in the fourth quarter. The game ended with a narrow 24–23 win for Stanford.

Unfortunately, Booker and Mendoza never met in the Big Game. Booker ended his college football stint after the 2021 season and was drafted by the Houston Texans in the 2022 draft. After being waived by the team in 2023, Booker went on to win the Super Bowl (LIX) with the Eagles. Last year, the Raiders acquired him in a trade.

On the other hand, Mendoza was recruited by the Golden Bears later in 2022.

Mendoza’s graduation from Cal

Despite leaving Cal in January 2025, Mendoza graduated last month. He had to fulfill his coursework requirements remotely and only finalized them after his move to Indiana. Having completed his three-year degree at Haas School of Business, he walked the stage to receive his diploma at Cal’s MBA commencement ceremony.

“I hope you don’t mind that I invited this person to our MBA commencement. He actually had a really good excuse for missing commencement,” Haas dean Jenny Chatman said. “He used his hot skills and coursework to negotiate an excellent job and an excellent comp package, but he wasn’t able to change his start date when he needed to report to his new job. Can you please help me in welcoming Las Vegas Raider, Heisman Trophy winner, Haas graduate, and Cal Bear forever, Fernando Mendoza.”

Mendoza did not attend Cal’s undergraduate commencement because of his team activities with the Raiders. He was only available for the event because the day was free. The Raiders have their OTAs on May 18, May 20, May 21, May 26, May 28, May 29, and June 1-4.