Bright Spots Emerge From Stanford's Loss to Pitt

Stanford continues to show signs of improvement, even in tough losses

Sep 27, 2025; Stanford, California, USA; Stanford Cardinal tight end Sam Roush (86) runs for a touchdown during the second quarter against San Jose State Spartans safety Larry Turner-Gooden (3) at Stanford Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Stan Szeto-Imagn Images | Stan Szeto-Imagn Images

On Saturday afternoon, Stanford faced off against Pitt in a thrilling ACC battle. Early in the contest, the Cardinal successfully drove down the field, made plays, and forced turnovers en route to a 10-7 lead for the home team after the first quarter.

However, poor offensive line play led to poor quarterback play, which led to interceptions, quickly losing Stanford the game. The final score was 35-20, as a late touchdown during a two-minute drill helped the Cardinal alleviate their poor performance.

Saturday’s game wasn't their best effort on the season as a team, but there were still some positives to be found. Here are some of the standout performers for Stanford on Saturday.

Sam Roush

Coming into the season, many were expecting tight end Sam Roush to be the focal point of the offense from the start, and given that expectation, his season has been a little disappointing overall. But that all changed on Saturday against PItt, when Roush had a true complete game, hauling in eight receptions for 104 yards, he was immensely impactful for the Cardinal.

Brandon Nicholson

Despite not consistently starting games just yet, sophomore Brandon Nicholson proved that the cornerback depth is great, and could even have a new face amidst injuries. He earned a tackle, but more notably two interceptions, helping the Cardinal stay in the game down the stretch.

Jahsiah Galvan

Interim head coach Frank Reich is a fan of Galvan, saying after Saturday's game, "Yeah, he's just super -- Jah is really instinctive. He just has a nose for the ball. He understands the game at a high level. He's super tough. He's physical, great tacklers. Just really instinctive to the ball. More than anything, that's what you see in him. He's got a nose for the ball, and then he knows how to finish plays."

He finished Saturday's game with seven tackles, and the redshirt junior was essentially serving as the identity of the defense throughout the game.

Matt Rose

Rose continued doing a little bit of everything defensively. Even throughout Galvan’s major step up, Rose continues to help, and has stayed incredibly consistent all year. His seven tackles against Pitt just seem expected now, given how high of a bar he has set for himself.

CJ Williams

Williams had his best game of the year, catching seven passes for 122 yards and two touchdowns, two massive scores in fact. But outside of his flashy plays, he was consistent, doing a great job of getting down the field.

This was Williams' fourth 100+ yard game in his last six, and he has really become a terrific go-to receiver for either Gulbranson or Brown this season.