Cal’s Sonny Dykes lives in no-red zone, not just Big Game week

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You can check the closets, dresser drawers and even the storage at Sonny Dykes’ house, and won’t ever find one thing.

“I’m not going to lie to you: My children, my wife and myself do not have a red piece of clothing in our entire arsenal of clothes,” the Cal head coach said late Sunday. “We don’t own anything red. My daughters don’t actually let anyone who comes into our house wear anything red.”

So goes Big Game week, a rivalry so heated that even the color of the opposing team’s jersey is enough to upset the children on the other side.

Cal and Stanford will meet at 2:30 p.m. Saturday in the 119th edition of a series that started in 1892. The Big Game is the sixth-longest active series in the FBS and has featured some of the most memorable finishes in college football history.

Five games have been decided on the final play, 52 by a touchdown or less. That includes, of course, the famous 1982 meeting that ended with Cal’s five-lateral, 57-yard kickoff return through the Stanford band for a touchdown on what forever will be known as “The Play.”

“This game is so special. It’s so unique,” said Cal senior receiver Patrick Worstell, who grew up in Danville and has many memories of watching the rivalry from his couch. “It still gives me the chills thinking that I’m out on the field, playing in a game this significant, this huge, with this much tradition.

“It doesn’t get old. It’s an unbelievable rivalry.”

Of course, the Bears’ roster isn’t made up entirely of players from the Bay Area.

University of California head coach Sonny Dykes take part in a interview during the Bay Area Football Media Day on Thursday, July 28, 2016 at Levi Stadium in Santa Clara University of California head coach Sonny Dykes take part in a interview during the Bay Area Football Media Day on Thursday, July 28, 2016 at Levi Stadium in Santa Clara Photo: Michael Noble Jr., The Chronicle Photo: Michael Noble Jr., The Chronicle Image 1 of / 1 Caption Close Cal’s Sonny Dykes lives in no-red zone, not just Big Game week 1 / 1 Back to Gallery

Coming from Los Angeles, defensive tackle Marcus Manley said he didn’t fully understand the magnitude of the Big Game until he attended his first bonfire and saw the Stanford tree burning. Freshman receiver Demetris Robertson, who is from Georgia, said he got the point right away when he mistakenly wore a red shirt his first week on the Berkeley campus.

Dykes said he thinks it’s important to educate the players on the history of the rivalry. The coaches inform the players about some of the highlights of the past games, and they bring in former players to address the team.

“Big Game week is fun for me and fun for our players, and it’s always a big deal for Cal alums, supporters, former players and everybody associated with our programs,” Dykes said. “I think it’s one of the best traditions in college football.”

Goff gets nod: Dykes predicted that former Cal quarterback Jared Goff, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2016 draft, would be the Los Angeles Rams’ starter in Week 10.

He was off by only a week, as head coach Jeff Fisher announced Tuesday that Goff will get his first start Sunday.

“I certainly can’t speak for the Rams. I probably have less insight than all of you do on what’s going on with the Rams, so this is purely conjecture on my part: I think they view Jared Goff as the quarterback there for 15 years,” Dykes said. “… I think they wanted to make sure they brought him along in a fashion that was going to give him the best chance to be successful. I think that was their plan from the beginning.

“Jeff Fisher has been doing this for a long time. He knows what he’s doing.”

Rusty Simmons is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: rsimmons@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @Rusty_SFChron