Stanford football is undergoing some changes in 2025, following the dismissal of Troy Taylor and the appointing of former NFL head coach Frank Reich on an interim basis. The football program is also being led by former Cardinal QB Andrew Luck, who has done an excellent job of recruiting thus far, setting the Cardinal up for a bright future.
But this season, with an interim coach and a brand new group of wide receivers, come with some questions. Many of the experts don't think much of the roster, but in watching Stanford football often enough, you always get a sense that there is more to the roster than what shows up on paper.
This group's goal will be to improve upon four straight 3-9 campaigns, so today let's take a look at three games that we consider "must-win" while the rest of the schedule can be seen as playing with house money.
Showing a little bit of progress could be important this season, too. While the recruiting class for 2026 has plenty of highly touted names on the list, there is still time for minds to change. The program is set to make a change at head coach at the end of the year, so showing where the program is going on the field could be huge in keeping that class together.
Hawaii football
Nov 18, 2023; Laramie, Wyoming, USA; A general view of Hawaii Rainbow Warriors helmets before the game against the Wyoming Cowboys at Jonah Field at War Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Troy Babbitt-Imagn Images / Troy Babbitt-Imagn Images
In Week 0, Stanford wil be traveling to Hawaii to take on the Rainbow Warriors in what is an opportunity for the Cardinal to get a quick win to begin their season. Hawaii went 5-7 last season in the Mountain West, and while this isn't a conference matchup, total wins are what we're after here.
This could also prove to be a difficult test for Stanford, since it will be their first game of the season under Reich, and there may be some bugs to work out in all facets of the game. That said, this is a game that Stanford will need to win if they are hoping to show signs of improvement this season.
The Rainbow Warriors averaged 97.7 yards rushing and 268 yards passing per game last season, and their pass defense proved to be pretty solid, giving up just 211 yards to their opponents. That said, they allowed nearly 166 yards on the ground in 2024, which could present a chance for a Cardinal running back to announce themselves in the running game to begin the season.
With camp set to begin next week, we're not quite sure how the depth chart will shake out just yet. Which Stanford back you should keep an eye on in this one is to be determined, but expect the Cardinal to look for holes in the defense early and often.
San José State football helmet
Oct 1, 2022; Laramie, Wyoming, USA; A general view of San Jose State Spartans helmet before a game against the Wyoming Cowboys at Jonah Field at War Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Troy Babbitt-Imagn Images / Troy Babbitt-Imagn Images
In the 2024 season finale, Stanford matched up with San José State with a chance to finally eclipse the 3-9 record that has haunted them in recent years. Instead, the Cardinal dropped the game 34-31. After trailing most of the game, Stanford came back to take a 31-27 lead midway through the fourth, but with just under two minutes remaining, the Spartans took the lead, and the game.
That can't happen to Stanford again in 2025. This time they'll face off on September 27, in Stanford's fifth game of the season.
San José's star receiver Nick Nash went undrafted, but ended up signing with the Atlanta Falcons. Stanford will also be without their own star receiver in Elic Ayomanor, who went to the Tennessee Titans in the fourth round of the NFL Draft.
SJSU has lost arguably their top five players from a year ago and will have plenty of questions over who their star players will be in 2025. The same could be said for Stanford, which is what will make this an interesting game. It's not going to be an easy win on the schedule, but it's certainly one that needs to happen.
Pittsburgh Panthers quarterback Eli Holstein
Pittsburgh Panthers quarterback Eli Holstein (10) throws a pass in the fourth quarter of the College Football game between the Cincinnati Bearcats and the Pittsburgh Panthers at Nippert Stadium in Cincinnati on Saturday, Sept. 7, 2024. / Albert Cesare/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK
You're probably thinking this should be Cal, and while that's a must-win game because of the rivalry and the Big Game, we're saving them for something better.
Pitt is arguably the worst of the ACC opponents that Stanford will have in 2025 with a projected record of 6-6, while Stanford isn't projected too far back at 4.7-7.3 (5-7). If Stanford wants any chance at competing in a Bowl game this season, they'll have to win these three games against Hawaii, San José State and Pitt, along with three more.
These three games are the ones that will serve as the foundation for the season. If the Cardinal can sprinkle in a couple more wins (perhaps Boston College and Florida State), then the Big Game could be not only for bragging rights, but also Stanford's chance to reach six wins and a likely Bowl game.
Since the Cal game is the penultimate contest for 2025--with the finale against Notre Dame--the other games are deemed must win because without them, Stanford's season could be in real trouble. Not just in danger of missing a Bowl game, that's almost expected, but in just improving to 4-8 on the season.
Pitt went 7-6 last season overall, but just 3-5 in the conference. Senior Desmond Reid was a solid running back for the Panthers in 2024, totaling 966 yards on the ground (5.3 per carry) while hauling in 52 passes for an additional 579 yards. He totaled nine touchdowns on the year.
The Panthers scored an average of 32.9 points per game, which ranked No. 34 of 134 programs, while their defense gave up 28.4 per game, a feat that ranked them No. 91. Stanford's offense could be the key in this one, as the Cardinal will need to keep up with the Panther's high-powered offensive attack.
With this matchup coming on November 1, hopefully that will be enough time for Stanford to have figured out who their playmakers are and what roles everyone will have on this roster, because this could be ripe for a slight upset for them.
The 2025 season for Stanford football will either be a building block for the program's return to the national spotlight, or just another season in a series of disappointing campaigns. If they can handle the three "must win" games, then this could be a big step in the right direction.
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