Category: Stanford Cardinal

128th Big Game/Stanford Cardinal game wrap: Cardinal snatch axe from paws of Golden Bears 31-10, on a cool Saturday Evening on the Farm

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Stanford Cardinal players left to right defensive end Zach Buckley (98), offensive lineman Simone Pale (55), and defensive lineman Zach Rowell (97) join in the celebration of bringing the axe back to Stanford University after defeating the Cal Bears at Stanford Stadium on Sat Nov 22, 2025 (Stanford Cardinal photo)

By Michael Roberson

STANFORD, Calif. — A Big Game crowd of 50.039 experienced cross-Bay, conference (ACC) battle, with the Stanford Cardinal (4-7, 3-5 ACC) obtaining the axe from the California Golden Bears (6-5, 3-4 ACC) 31-10 inside Stanford Stadium.

Although Cal opened the game with possession of the ball, neither team scored on their opening drives. A little more than 10 minutes into the first quarter, the Golden Bears got onto the scoreboard first. Redshirt-Junior kicker Chase Meyer booted a 40-yard field goal, to put the visitors up by three, 3-0.

The first 15 minutes of gameplay ended with that same score, with either team doing much on offense, The crowd of both schools wanted and anticipated more action in the second quarter.

Quarter number two did bring more action to the masses. However, the Cardinal faithful did not see an offensive explosion, but a stellar defensive force.

A few ticks over two minutes into the second stanza, Stanford redshirt-junior safety Jay Green scooped up a Cal fumble for a49-yard touchdown. The Cardinal took a four points lead, 7-3. More than eight minutes later, Cal put up points offensively. Freshman quarterback Jason-Keawe Sagapolutele scored from 7 yards out on a keeper. The Bears regained the lead by three, 10-7..

The Cardinal marched down the field, getting inside the “Red Zone” by the two-minute timeout. After several attempts for a touchdown, they settled for a field goal attempt, with a little over a minute before recess. The kick was blocked by senior safety Dru Polidore Jr. All momentum switched to California, and Stanford’s offense and special teams could not score.

The Bears had possession of the ball in their own Bear territory, with less than a minute until halftime, and had the worst case scenario happen to the team. They coughed up the ball again, with Cardinal sophomore safety Darrius Davis grasping the gift and carrying it to paydirt for a 17 yard score. Stanford went back up by four, 14-10.

When the mid-game whistle blew, that last score stood at intermission., 14-10 Stanford.

The Cardinal had possession of the ball to start the second half, but more of the same on offense persisted. They could not get into the end zone, but did get into field goal range. Just over four minutes into the half, senior Emmett Kenney missed a 35-yard attempt, to the dismay of the home fans.

About eight minutes later he had another opportunity. This time from 36 yards from the goalposts. Kenney was successful on that particular attempt. The cardinal extended their advantage to seven, 17-10.

The Golden Bears managed to lose possession of the ball immediately upon receiving it after the Cardinal score. Stanford parlayed that golden opportunity to another score, over two quarters. They had the ball near the goal line as the third quarter ended, and continued at the beginning of the fourth.

Four seconds into the final quarter, sophomore running back Micah Ford scampered in for a 4-yard TD. The Cardinal went up by 14 points, 24-10. They were not finished.

Less than two minutes of elapsed time, the Cardinal reached the end zone again. This score was a 34 yard bomb from Elijah Brown to CJ Williams for SIX. with the subsequent extra point, the Cardinal tied their high score output of 31 points. They also led by 21 points. 31-10.

Despite Cal’s efforts to score again in the waning moments, the score remained the same after 60 minutes of regulation play, 31-10 for the Tree.

The Cardinal will next be in action back here on the Farm next Saturday, November 29, hosting the Notre Dame Fighting Irish at 7:30 PM PT on ESPN. Cal heads back across the Bay to host SMU on the same date at TBD.

Big Game/Stanford Cardinal podcast Michael Roberson: How Brown will pass against Cal’s defense pass rush

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Stanford Cardinal quarterback Elijah Brown (2) fires a pass against the UNC Tar Heels at Kenan Memorial Stadium in Chapel Hill NC on Sat Nov 8, 2025 (Stanford Cardinal photo)

Big Game/Stanford Cardinal podcast Michael Roberson:

#1 How big a role will Stanford’s QB Elijah Brown play, and can he steady the Cardinal offense under Big Game pressure?

#2 Which Stanford running back — Micah Ford or Tuna Altahir — is more likely to break through Cal’s front seven, and how will their usage affect the game flow?

#3 How much will linebacker Matt Rose’s tackling and sideline-to-sideline instincts shape Stanford’s ability to respond to Cal’s offensive drives?

#4 Stanford’s outside linebacker Tevarua Tafiti has been a key playmaker — can he disrupt Cal’s backfield, and what impact will his pressure have?

#5 In the secondary, how important will cornerback Collin Wright and safety Jay Green be in containing Cal’s passing threats, and can they force turnovers?

Michael Roberson does the Stanford Cardinal podcasts each Thursday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Stanford Cardinal podcast Daniel Dullum: Cardinal preparing to host Big Game with Cal Saturday

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The Stanford Cardinal wide receiver Caden High (0) leaps for a catch against the UNC Tar Heels defensive lineman Will Hardy (31) at Kenan Memorial Stadium Chapel Hill NC on Sat Nov 8, 2025 (Stanford Cardinal photo)

On the Stanford Cardinal podcast with Daniel:

#1 How critical will Stanford quarterback Elijah Brown’s performance be for Stanford’s chances, given his experience and passing production so far this season?

#2 Running back Micah Ford has been a key contributor in Stanford’s ground game. How effectively can Cal defend him, and what would be the impact if Ford has a big game?

#3 Wide receiver CJ Williams has been Stanford’s top receiving target. In what ways could he exploit Cal’s secondary, and how might his presence influence the game plan?

#4 On defense, Matt Rose (ILB) has led Stanford in tackles. How important is his role in stopping Cal’s offense, particularly on third downs and in open-field situations?

#5 Which of Stanford’s other playmakers — for example, Tuna Altahir (RB) or Ben Gulbranson (backup QB) — could make a decisive impact, and under what game scenarios might they be most effective?

Daniel Dullum does the Stanford Cardinal podcasts Saturdays at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Big Game/Stanford Cardinal podcast Michael Roberson: Can Brown get the drop on Cal’s defense at Stanford Sat Nov 22?

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Stanford Cardinal quarterback Elijah Brown (2) is hit from behind and forced a fumble by UNC Tar Heels linebacker Andrew Simpson (2) in the first half at Chapel Hill NC on Sat Nov 8, 2025 (Press Democrat photo)

Big Game/Stanford podcast Michael Roberson:

#1 With Elijah Brown now installed as Stanford’s starting quarterback, how will he manage the pressure of the rivalry game, and can he avoid mistakes while pushing the offense forward?

#2 How critical will the running back tandem featuring Tuna Altahir and Micah Ford be in establishing the ground game and controlling tempo against Cal’s front seven?

#3 On the receiving side, can CJ Williams step up as a reliable down-field threat for Stanford’s offense and exploit mismatches in Cal’s secondary?

#4 Defensively, with the departure of star pass rusher David Bailey, how will Stanford’s front seven adjust? Will emerging players fill the void and maintain pressure on Cal’s quarterback?

#5 Stanford has several young or less experienced players stepping into larger roles — how will that youth (especially at key positions) affect their execution in high-leverage situations (third down, red zone) against a rivalry opponent?

Michael Roberson does the Stanford Cardinal podcasts each Thursday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Stanford Cardinal podcast Daniel Dullum: Cardinal can’t get past UNC in 20-15 loss at Chapel Hill

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Stanford Cardinal running back Micah Ford (20) takes off against the UNC Tar Heels at Chapel Hill NC on Sat Nov 8, 2025 (Stanford Cardinal photo)

Stanford Cardinal podcast Daniel Dullum:

#1 The UNC Tar Heels (4-5) came up with a 20-15 win over the Stanford Cardinal (3-7) Saturday. The loss for the Cardinal was their third loss in row. This one coming at Chapel Hill in North Carolina.

#2 Stanford Cardinal quarterback Elijah Brown making his first start of the season since taking over for benched quarterback Ben Gulbranson threw 27-39, 284 yards, and one touchdown.

#3 Brown couldn’t get any offense going in the first three quarters where the Cardinal were shutout in the first and third quarters of the game.

#4 In the fourth quarter with the Tar Heels ahead 10-3 the offense opened up a little bit as Stanford scored 12 points but the difference was North Carolina was able to counter with ten points in the fourth quarter to come away with the five point win.

#5 Next up for Stanford it’s the Big Game at Stanford Stadium on Sat Nov 22 against the Cal Bears. Cal played a very tight game against the Louisville Cardinals on Saturday that went into overtime. This could be another opponent that could give the Cardinal fits.

Join Daniel Dullum for the Cardinal podcasts each Sunday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Tar Heels hold off late Cardinal fall, win 20-15

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Stanford Cardinal quarterback Elijah Brown (2) is hit from behind and forced a fumble by UNC Tar Heels linebacker Andrew Simpson (2) in the first half at Chapel Hill NC on Sat Nov 8, 2025 (AP News photo)

By Daniel Dullum

North Carolina held off a late Stanford rally on Saturday and defeated the Cardinal 20-15 in Atlantic Coast Conference football at Chapel Hill, N.C.

Stanford (3-7 overall, 2-5 ACC) lost despite outgaining the Tar Heels 320 total yards to 253 and holding the edge in time of possession – 32:37 to 27:23.

The Tar Heels (4-5 overall, 2-3 ACC) opened the scoring at 5:49 of the first quarter with a Rece Verhoff 27-yard field goal. Stanford tied the game at 3-3 on the final play of the first half, an Emmet Kenney field goal from 38 yards out.

UNC broke the deadlock at 7:43 of the third quarter when, on first down at the Cardinal 20-yard line, Gio Lopez completed a touchdown pass to Davion Gause, giving the Tar Heels a 10-3 lead.

Verhoff hit a field goal from 48 yards out at 4:16 of the fourth quarter, and Lopez completed a 55-yard touchdown pass to Jordan Shipp, extending the Tar Heels lead to 20-3.

The Cardinal fought back, and with 8:28 remaining, Cole Tabb ran for a 1-yard touchdown, and with 1:48 to play, Elijah Brown, completed a 24-yard scoring pass to CJ Williams. The Cardinal failed to convert 2-point conversions.

Brown completed 27 of 39 passes for 284 yards, one touchdown. And was picked off once. He was also sacked nine times. Micah Ford was the Cardinal’s top rusher with 68 yards on 17 carries. Caden High caught 10 passes for 102 yards, and Williams and Sam Roush each made six receptions.

Lopez was 18 of 25 passing for 203 yards for UNC. He was sacked twice. As a team, the Tar Heels gained 50 yards on 27 attempts. Kobe Paysour caught six passes for 54 yards, and Shipp caught five for 83 yards and a touchdown.

The Cardinal have a bye week before hosting California in the 28th Big Game on Saturday, Nov. 22. Kickoff time has yet to be announced.

Cardinal put Grizzlies into hibernation 91-68, on Saturday Afternoon on the Farm

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Stanford Cardinal guard Ebuka Okorie (1) brings the ball up the floor against the Montana Grizzlies at Maples Pavilion in Palo Alto on Sat Nov 8, 2025 (Stanford Cardinal photo)

By Michael Roberson

STANFORD, Calif. — The Stanford Cardinal (2-0) held back the Montana Grizzlies (2-1) 91-68, inside the friendly confines of Maples Pavilion.

Stanford got off to a great start, with a 9-0 run from the opening tip-off. Freshman sensation Ebuka Okorie was the catalyst for the home team’s initial burst. He performed a steal, then converted that into a fastbreak layup, putting the Cardinal up 2-0.

Okorie would add another steal and six more points to his early production before the midway break in action. Stanford led by nine almost immediately, but the Grizzlies did claw their way back into contention.

As a matter of fact, Montana had a 5-0 run of their own, and had a chance to take their only lead with a layup attempt. Unfortunately for the visiting bears, a 5-point turnaround occurred. As the Cardinal defense caused a turnover, they parlayed that into a dagger 3 by senior guard Jeremy Dent-Smith.

The Grizzlies continued to fight back, despite that early setback. Although Stanford led by as many as 11 points, Montana was able to reduce the deficit to single digits several times. When the recess bell rang, the Cardinal was ahead by 10 points, 35-25.

Neither squad had a player in double-figures. Although Okorie’s 8 points and 2 steals were impressive for the Cardinal. Two players from Montana also amassed 8 points. Senior guard Te’Jon Sawyer tallied 8 points and 5 rebounds, while teammate and junior guard Brooklyn Hicks also chipped in his eight for good measure.

Stanford came out in the second half with vigor and an attitude to completely take over the contest. Multiple players from both sides achieved the 10+ points benchmark.

The Cardinal opened up a lead as high as late in the second half, but the Grizzlies kept competing. Although the game was out of hand, Montana did show effort, as they performed a 7-0 run in the last minutes of the game. Their field goal percentage from 2 & 3 was improved in the second half.

Stanford’s numbers were also better in the second stanza. Especially from beyond the arc. Although both teams rebounded at the same clip, turnovers were the determining factors. The Cardinal forced 20 turnovers, while committing 5 of their own. They also generated 14 steals and 6 blocks against their opponent. The +/- numbers were like a Math problem: Stanford (+23) compared to Montana’s (-23) .

With all the number crunching, Stanford managed to win by 23 points, 91-68. They lead from wire to wire, and had only one moment when that could have changed to a different scenario.

Four players for the Cardinal reached double-digits scoring. Freshman Phenom Ebuka Okorie led everyone with 29 points, 4 rebounds and 4 steals. Senior guard Benny Gealer put up 13 points, while redshirt-sophomore Aidan Camman and senior AJ Rohosy both contributed 12 points.

Montana also presented four players 10+ points. Money Williams led with 19 points and 7 rebounds, and the other three, Brooklyn Hicks (13), Te’Jon Sawyer (12) and Kenyon Aguino (12) did their part.

Stanford will next be in action Wednesday, November 12 at Maples, hosting the Montana State Bobcats at 7 PM PT on ACC Extra. Montana heads down to Sin City to take on UNLV Tuesday, November 11 at 7 PM PT.

Stanford Cardinal podcast Michael Roberson: Can Brown get it done against UNC at Chapel Hill?

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Stanford Cardinal quarterback Elijah Brown (2) has been named the starting quarterback and will be under center against the UNC Tar Heels in Chapel Hill NC on Sat Nov 8, 2025 (Sports Illustrated file photo)

Stanford Cardinal podcast Michael Roberson:

#1 Stanford Cardinal (3-6) head coach Frank Reich has benched first string quarterback Ben Gulbranson after having the Cardinal have lost their last four games and replaced him with second stringer Elijah Brown who came in for Gulbranson in the Cardinal’s last game against the Pitt Panthers (7-2) last Sat Nov 1st as Pitt came away with a 35-20.

#2 The Cardinal are last of the 17 teams in the ACC in points per game with 17.8 and rank 16th in yards per game with at 307.1.

#3 Coach Reich mentioned that this was a tough decision and that Gulbranson had done some good things and that he doesn’t put all of the blame on Gulbranson but he said a change had to be made and this was the best decision for the team.

#4 Reich mentioned that Gulbranson has thrown ten interceptions and had completed only 56.9% of his passes for 1813 yards. Reich is looking for improvement in those numbers and hopes to get it from Brown.

#5 The Cardinal are at UNC to face head coach Bill Belichick and the Tar Heels. UNC snapped a four game losing streak with a win against the Syracuse Orange last Saturday 27-10. This one is one the road can Brown deliver against UNC this Saturday?

Michael Roberson does the Stanford Cardinal podcasts each Wednesday/Thursday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Cardinal staved off Vikings’ attack 89-79, on a Tuesday (Election) Night on the Farm

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Stanford Cardinal guard Ebuka Okorie (1) drives the Portland State Vikings at Stanford University in Palo Alto on Tue Nov 4, 2025 (Stanford Cardinal photo)

By Michael Roberson

STANFORD, Calif. — The Stanford Cardinal (1-0) opened up their 2025-26 Men’s Basketball season with a fortified blockade (Trees) against the Portland State Vikings (0-1), 89-79, inside Maples Pavilion.

Stanford scored the first points of the game, with a bucket by freshman guard Ebuka Okorie. However, both teams had significant runs in the first half.

The Vikings immediately went on an 8-0 run, putting them ahead by six, early in the contest. The Cardinal responded expeditiously with a 9-0 run of their own, putting themselves back on top. They also eventually led by six points.

As the first half progressed, Portland State continued to fight back, but could regain their last lead (8-7) during the first 20 minutes of play.. Although they did involve their squad in three first half ties with the home team.

By the time both combatants reached recess, Stanford had upped their lead to seven, 37-30. The Cardinal forced 13 turnovers on the Vikings, while they gave away six of their own.

Leading the way for Stanford was the aforementioned Okorie, with 16 points. No hooper from PSU eclipsed double-figures; however, their senior guard Jaylin Henderson was close with nine points at the half.

The second half started with another run. The Cardinal came out of the locker room on a mission. They scored seven straight points to begin stanza number two, while also doubling the lead from the first half. That was near their largest advantage (15) of the entire game in a matter of minutes..

Despite those significant leads by the Cardinal, the Vikings continued to grasp and close the double-digit margin before the final whistle. They chopped the lead into single digits several time, but could not get over the hump again, especially in the second half. Big shots by the Cardinal offense and their intense defense down the stretch sealed the contest in the closing minutes.

After the required 40 minutes elapsed, the Palo Alto Players bested the pillagers from the Beaver State by 10 points, 89-79.

Four baller scored over 10 points for the Cardinal, including the freshman sensation Ebuka Okorie, who led all scorers with 26 points and an impressive seven rebounds. Senior forward Chisom Okpara tallied 21 points, Sr. guard Jeremy Dent-Smith (14), and fellow senior guard Benny Gealer chipped in 12 points and garnered five steals.

PSU had three players reach that plateau. Junior guard Sebastian Tidor led the Vikings with 22 points and seven rebounds. Senior guard Jaylin Henderson dropped 19 points and senior forward Terri Miller Jr, contributed 14 points and four assists.

The Cardinal will next be in action Saturday, November 8, @ Maples, hosting the Montana Grizzlies at 7 PM PT on ACC Extra. Portland State heads back to Oregon to host NW Indian College, Friday, ,November 7, also at 7 PM PT, but on ESPN+.

Stanford Cardinal podcast Daniel Dullum: Gulbranson benched in second half Cardinal come up short 35-20 loss to Pitt

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Stanford Cardinal quarterback Ben Gulbranson (15) throws one of his 30 passes against the Pitt Panthers at Stanford Stanford in Palo Alto on Sat Nov 1, 2025 (Stanford Cardinal photo)

Stanford Cardinal podcast Daniel Dullum:

#1 Pitt Panthers (7-2) quarterback Mason Heintschel threw for three touchdowns for 304 yards tying his season most yards.

#2 Henintschel’s effort help lead the Panthers past the Stanford Cardinal (3-6) 35-20 at Stanford Stadium on Saturday. It was Stanford’s sixth loss of the season.

#3 Stanford quarterback Ben Gulbranson was 17 for 30 for 228 yards, one touchdown but was intercepted three times and got benched in the second half.

#4 Stanford back up quarterback Elijah Brown in place of Gulbranson went 10-14 for 108 yards, threw for one touchdown and was not intercepted. It wasn’t enough as the Panthers won it by 15 points 35-20.

#5 The Cardinal travel to UNC to take on the Tar Heels. UNC are coming off a 27-10 win snapping a four game losing streak in beating the Syracuse Orange. It’s a road game Stanford has lost their last two games. UNC has struggled and Stanford has been unpredictable how do you see this next game at UNC?

Join Daniel Dullum for the Stanford Cardinal podcasts each Sunday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com