Stanford Cardinal is 1-1 on the season, 1-1 against the spread, and holds a power rating of -5.6. Stanford Cardinal enters the season with a power rating of -5.6, placing them below average relative to the FBS midpoint. The Stanford Cardinal head to Duke next in Week 3. In 2025, Stanford Cardinal went 4-8 overall, 5-7 against the spread, and 6-6 on totals.
In Week 1 of 2026 the Stanford Cardinal Power Rating of -5.6 is 5.6 points below the FBS average according to Blue Chip Analytics. Stanford Cardinal have logged 0 miles of travel so far, out of a season total of 21,806 miles, ranking 2nd heaviest in the FBS.
Davis Warren QB, Micah Ford RB, Caden High WR, Benji Blackburn TE, Niki Prongos OL, Fisher Anderson OL, Simione Pale OL
Matt Rose LB, Jay Green S, Scotty Edwards S, Charlie Eckhardt S, Darrius Davis S, Brandon Nicholson CB, Braden Marceau-Olayinka DL, Zach Rowell DL
Aidan Flintoft P, Emmet Kenney K
| After | Record | ATS | O/U |
|---|---|---|---|
| Week 0 | 0-1 | 0-1 | 0-1 |
| Week 2 | 0-2 | 0-2 | 0-2 |
| Week 3 | 1-2 | 1-2 | 1-2 |
| Week 4 | 1-3 | 1-3 | 2-2 |
| Week 5 | 2-3 | 1-4 | 3-2 |
| Week 7 | 2-4 | 1-5 | 3-3 |
| Week 8 | 3-4 | 2-5 | 3-4 |
| Week 9 | 3-5 | 2-6 | 4-4 |
| Week 10 | 3-6 | 2-7 | 5-4 |
| Week 11 | 3-7 | 3-7 | 5-5 |
| Week 13 | 4-7 | 4-7 | 5-6 |
| Week 14 | 4-8 | 5-7 | 6-6 |
A season record is a record, not a forecast. Blue Chip Analytics' own research finds that beating the closing line repeats at close to zero from one season to the next - see most underrated and overrated teams. Read the table as what happened, not as what is likely to happen next.
Opened -6.0 in the preseason and finished -5.6 after week 2, a move of +0.5 points. High -2.4 (week 1), low -6.0 (the preseason).
PreW2
SP+ is an independent opponent-adjusted efficiency rating, one of the systems blended into the Blue Chip Analytics power rating rather than a Blue Chip Analytics number itself. Defensive SP+ measures points allowed, so a lower figure is a better defence - the rank beside it already accounts for that.
Source spread is how far apart the independent rating systems are on this team, not a margin of error on our own number. A wide spread means the models disagree, which is itself worth knowing.
The measured and applied home field advantage agree to within 0.3 points here, so smoothing changes little for this venue.
| Opponent | Met | Record | ATS |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hawai'i | 2 | 1-1 | 1-1 |
| Miami | 1 | 0-1 | 0-1 |
| Wake Forest | 1 | 0-1 | 0-0-1 |
| Notre Dame | 9 | 3-6 | 4-5 |
| NC State | 1 | 0-1 | 0-1 |
| Louisville | 1 | 1-0 | 1-0 |
| Virginia Tech | 1 | 0-1 | 0-1 |
| California | 10 | 5-5 | 4-6 |
| SMU | 2 | 0-2 | 0-2 |
No meeting on record since 2016: Duke, Georgia Tech, Elon.
Week 021,806 mi total
| Week | Opponent | Distance | Cumulative |
|---|---|---|---|
| Week 0 | Hawai'i | Home | 0 mi |
| Week 1 | Miami | Home | 0 mi |
| Week 2 | - | Bye | |
| Week 3 | Duke | 2,380 mi | 4,760 mi |
| Week 4 | Georgia Tech | Home | 4,760 mi |
| Week 5 | Wake Forest | 2,307 mi | 9,374 mi |
| Week 6 | Notre Dame | 1,927 mi | 13,227 mi |
| Week 7 | Elon | Home | 13,227 mi |
| Week 8 | NC State | Home | 13,227 mi |
| Week 9 | Louisville | 1,979 mi | 17,186 mi |
| Week 10 | - | Bye | |
| Week 11 | Virginia Tech | 2,280 mi | 21,745 mi |
| Week 12 | California | 30 mi | 21,806 mi |
| Week 13 | SMU | Home | 21,806 mi |
| Week 14 | - | Bye | |
| Week 15 | - | Bye | |
| Week 16 | - | Bye | |
| Postseason | - | Bye | |
Tavita Pritchard's first game as head coach ended in a 37-27 victory over Hawai'i, but it was far from smooth. Stanford built a 23-7 lead, then watched Hawai'i score three fourth-quarter touchdowns to take a 27-23 edge with just over four minutes left. Quarterback Davis Warren, making his first start since transferring from Michigan, engineered a game-winning drive capped by Micah Ford's third touchdown run, and Tevarua Tafiti returned a fumble 31 yards for the clinching score. The win showed resilience, but also exposed a tendency to let leads slip, something the Cardinal will need to correct against tougher competition.
Davis Warren silenced concerns about his turnover history (nine interceptions in 2024 at Michigan) by throwing for a career-high 310 yards with no turnovers in his Stanford debut. He completed 22 of 34 passes, including a 57-yarder to JonAnthony Hall and a 48-yard strike to freshman Zion Robinson that set up a touchdown. Warren also went 5-for-5 for 58 yards on the decisive final drive, showing the poise and clutch play that made him a sought-after transfer. If he maintains this level of accuracy and decision-making, Stanford's passing attack could be a genuine strength.
Micah Ford scored three touchdowns against Hawai'i, but he needed 145 carries to reach 643 yards last season, and his efficiency remains a question. The passing game was the clear engine in Week 0, with five receivers gaining at least 40 yards, including Caden High and Benji Blackburn, who were expected to be key targets. The offensive line, anchored by Niki Prongos, Fisher Anderson, and Simione Pale, protected Warren well, but establishing a consistent ground game will be vital to keep defenses honest and control the clock, especially against elite opponents.
Stanford's defense, under new coordinator Kris Richard, was strong for three quarters against Hawai'i, forcing a safety on a blocked punt by Charlie Eckhardt and limiting the Rainbow Warriors to seven points through the first 45 minutes. However, Hawai'i scored three touchdowns in the fourth quarter, exposing issues with depth and late-game execution. Middle linebacker Matt Rose, the team's leading tackler from 2025, and a deep safety group led by Jay Green and Scotty Edwards will need to step up, especially with a brutal schedule ahead that includes No. 7 Miami next.
Stanford's 1-0 start is encouraging, but the road ahead is daunting. The Cardinal host No. 7 Miami in Week 1, with the betting line already favoring the Hurricanes by 24.5 points. The preseason outlook noted that Stanford would be hard-pressed to win five games, and the schedule features several ranked opponents and long road trips. The win over Hawai'i showed the team's potential, but consistency and closing out games will be critical if Stanford hopes to exceed expectations and build on last year's 4-8 record.
Stanford Cardinal is 1-1 against the spread in the 2026 season, covering 50% of games.
Stanford Cardinal holds a Blue Chip Analytics power rating of -5.6, representing their expected point margin against an average FBS team on a neutral field.
Stanford Cardinal's home field advantage rating is 2.4 points, the venue adjustment Blue Chip Analytics applies for games at their home stadium.
Stanford Cardinal's consensus regular-season win total for 2026 is 3.5 wins, priced at -135 over and +105 under. This is the betting market's expectation, not a Blue Chip Analytics projection.
Stanford Cardinal travels 21,806 miles in the 2026 season, ranking 2nd heaviest in the FBS.
Cumulative travel distance counts both the outbound and return journey for every away game. For example, if a team travels 374 miles to play an away game, Blue Chip Analytics counts 748 miles (374 miles there, 374 miles back) toward the cumulative total. Home games and bye weeks add zero miles. The per-week Distance column shows the one-way distance only, as the return trip happens after the game is played.
Stanford Cardinal: 1-1 overall, 1-1 ATS, power rating -5.6 (2026 records).
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