Key Pieces Missing for Stanford Football as They Take on Virginia

Sep 13, 2025; Stanford, California, USA; Stanford Cardinal general manager Andrew Luck stands on the field before the game against the Boston College Eagles at Stanford Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images | Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images

Stanford football has a huge matchup this weekend, where they will take on the Virginia Cavaliers in a Saturday matchup. Going into the game, both teams look strong, which should lead to a close contest.

The Cardinal began their season poorly, losing to Hawaii and BYU, but followed it up with a win over Boston College at home to give them momentum. Virginia has played two essentially free wins, but lost in a close 35-31 shootout against NC State.

Three games in, both programs look like solid teams that they have potential this season. Saturday's matchup will hurt one program's chances this season.

Stanford has prepared for their matchup all week, but it looks like they will have some troubles when it comes to numbers. A few key pieces may be missing, and that could have a significant impact on the Cardinal.

Nov 29, 2024; San Jose, California, USA; Stanford Cardinal linebacker Jahsiah Galvan (43) takes the field for warm ups before their game against the San Jose State Spartans at CEFCU Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Eakin Howard-Imagn Images | Eakin Howard-Imagn Images

Stanford will be without star linebacker Jahsiah Galvan this weekend. All season, Galvan has emerged himself as a key contributor on defense. Although most of the linebacker praise has gone to Matt Rose, Galvan deserves heaps of praise as well. Without a glue guy like that, Stanford could have trouble on their hands tonight in Virginia.

In the defensive back room, the Cardinal will not have Jordan Washington healthy either. In a very similar role to Galvan, he may not get all of the praise at his position due to Collin Wright’s dominance, but Washington is a great depth piece in the room, as well as a veteran.

Last week, the offensive line saw two big hits, where Simione Pale was out, and Nick Fattig was injured during the game. Despite the injuries, the offensive line had a great game, with many stepping up without their stars. This week, they both remain out, and a step up needs to become the standard at Virginia.

Finally, wide receiver JonAnthony Hall has been ruled out for Saturday's game. Coming in as the program's top recruit, he was projected to be a top receiver in 2025 as a true freshman, but has dealt with injuries for the majority of the season.

Stanford needs Hall back, despite Bryce Farrell stepping up in his absence. The wide receiver depth still needs work, and Hall is a big contributor in that position.

This is a huge game for Stanford’s season, and the Cardinal need to absolutely prevent injuries from playing a huge role in the game. Similarly to last week, if others can step up, Stanford will have an excellent shot to win the game, but if no one takes on a higher role, we may see an ugly game in Charlottesville on Saturday.