Three Stanford Players to Know Ahead of Saturday's Game vs Georgia Tech

Who should you watch on Stanford on Saturday night?

Sep 19, 2026; Durham, North Carolina, USA; Stanford Cardinal running back Micah Ford (20) runs with the ball against the Duke Blue Devils during the first half at Wallace Wade Stadium. Mandatory Credit: James Guillory-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Georgia Tech hits the road for its first conference game against the Stanford Cardinal. It is their first game vs. Stanford since 2001 and the first time that the two teams have met in the regular season as ACC opponents. The Yellow Jackets lead the all-time series 2-0. The Yellow Jackets are looking to reach .500 for the season. Today, we take a look at three players they must slow down to pull out a victory.

1. RB Micah Ford

Stanford passes the ball more than they run it, but with the Yellow Jackets' defensive woes against the run, it could be more advantageous for the Cardinals to run the ball. Ford doesn’t have a 100-yard rushing game this season, but he rushed for 99 yards and three touchdowns vs. Hawaii. He also averaged 6.9 yards per carry vs. Duke last week on just 11 carries. He has a 72.4 run grade this season per Pro Football Focus (PFF).

Ford can hurt the Yellow Jackets in the passing game and in the running game. With some tackling issues, coupled with his elusiveness, he could be an issue for the Yellow Jackets.

2. WR Caden High

High is the highest-rated offensive player this season for the Stanford Cardinals, with a 73.8 offensive grade. The senior wide receiver has been Stanford's go-to offensive player all season. In his first game against Miami, High caught 6 passes for 92 yards. Last week, High had the only touchdown for the Cardinals in their 35-7 loss vs. Duke.

High does much of his damage out of the slot and is an exceptional route runner. He's a player to watch because of Georgia Tech's secondary injuries. Savion Riley and Fenix Felton are out, which means the Yellow Jackets may have to move some players around to make up for their absence this week. High could easily find himself in one-on-one situations and take advantage of the injuries that have hit the Yellow Jackets.

3. LB Matt Rose

A big emphasis for the Yellow Jackets will be establishing the run against Stanford. One player who will be looking to stop that is Stanford linebacker Matt Rose. Rose leads the Cardinals with 27 tackles. He had one of his best games against Miami, finishing with a season-high 12 tackles.

Rose is the Cardinals' fourth-highest-rated defensive player, per PFF, with a 72.1 overall grade. He is also good in coverage, posting a 75.2 grade in that area. Rose is one of the best players Stanford has and will be key in trying to slow down the Yellow Jackets' offense. Georgia Tech must have an answer for Rose, or he could disrupt their offense and make it a long evening.