STANFORD — The nation’s leading rusher limped to the bench to get his sprained ankle re-taped early, hobbled over to the sideline a few more times throughout the game, and finally left for good early in the fourth quarter.

There was nothing easy for Stanford or its star player Saturday night in the 120th Big Game, but the results were familiar — a 100-yard rushing game for Bryce Love, and the Axe remaining on The Farm.

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Pac-12 football will be back in 2020, but the specifics remain a mystery Love finished with 101 yards on 14 carries, including a 57-yard touchdown, as the Cardinal beat Cal 17-14 at sold-out Stanford Stadium.

No. 20 Stanford (8-3, 7-2 Pac-12) scored its fewest points against the Bears in nine years, but it was enough for an eighth-straight win in the Big Game, setting a record for consecutive wins in the series.

After a 1-2 start, the Cardinal will win the Pac-12 North for the fourth time in six years if Washington beats visiting Washington State on Saturday.

“It has been a roller coaster for sure, ups and downs the whole way,” senior defensive tackle Harrison Phillips said. “But like all roller coasters, I love them. The stomach drop feeling, it’s great.”

After safety Ben Edwards intercepted a pass at the Cal 6, the Cardinal grinded out a 14-play drive without Love to run out the final 7:25 of the game.

Shaw (72-20) stayed undefeated in the Big Game to become the winningest coach in program history, breaking a tie with Pop Warner.

“Being resilient is the most important characteristic for me because life is tough,” said Shaw, who carried the game ball to the press conference. “So being left for dead after the third game of the year and winning seven out of the next eight is outstanding.”

Playing a nationally televised primetime game with a chance to boost his Heisman credentials, Love was clearly limited but still had one big moment six minutes into the second half.

With Stanford in its jumbo run package and all Cal defenders in the box, Love took the handoff, bounced outside and raced down the Bears sideline for his 10th touchdown run of 50 or more yards this season, capping his ninth 100-yard game in 10 tries.

“I thought about taking him out of the game before that long run because he was in a lot of pain,” Shaw said. “And then watching him outrun the whole defense on 1 1/2 ankles was unbelievable. … Injured or not, there’s nobody catching Bryce once he gets up to full speed. 80 percent, 90 percent, whatever he was. So much pride, so much determination. That’s why he’s one of the best college football players you’re going to see.”

With Love mostly bottled up, Stanford was able to make enough plays in the air. Junior JJ Arcega-Whiteside had a career-high seven catches for 79 yards, while redshirt freshman quarterback K.J. Costello — making his fifth career start — finished with a career-best 17 completions on 26 attempts for 185 yards, including the go-ahead 17-yard touchdown strike to tight end Kaden Smith in the second quarter.

“He threw a Nolan Ryan fastball,” Shaw said. “It was fast, it was quick, and it was extremely accurate.”

Stanford has kept the pocket clean for Costello (the Cardinal allowed only four sacks in its past eight games, and none on Saturday), and he had plenty of room to step up and throw a 17-yard strike to tight end Kaden Smith for the go-ahead touchdown midway through the second quarter to put Stanford up 10-3.

Jet Toner’s 41-yard field-goal attempt went wide right early in the fourth quarter, keeping Cal within three points at 17-14. But Edwards picked off a deep pass that floated through the air, and Stanford’s grinding offense took care of the rest.

Cameron Scarlett jumped over the pile for 2 yards on fourth-and-1 from the Cal 18 with 2:20 remaining to seal the win.