Previewing Stanford Football's Matchup Against BYU

Coming off of a bye week, the Stanford Cardinal (0-1, 0-0 ACC) return to action this week against BYU, where a win before conference play is the highest priority. Hitting the road once again, the Cardinal will face a tough test against the Cougars—not only because of how talented their team is but also because of the hostile environment that they will step into.

And even though the Cardinal are heavy underdogs, they are ready to prove the doubters wrong. Getting a better sense of the type of team that they are in Week 0, Stanford will use Week 2 to grow even more and set themselves up for a successful conference season.

But before Stanford can think of ACC competition, getting past the defending Alamo Bowl champions is the first thing. Here is a preview of Stanford's matchup against BYU.

Game Information

When: Saturday, Sept. 6, 7:15 p.m. (PT)

Where: LaVell Edwards Stadium

How to Watch: ESPN/Fubo/Sling TV

Spread: BYU: -20.5

Moneyline: Stanford (+858), BYU (-1515)

Total: O/U 46

*Betting odds provided by FanDuel and are used here as a reference point, not betting advice.

Players to Watch - Stanford

RB Micah Ford

Entering the season, the running back room was one major strength that the Cardinal had, generating a lot of buzz ahead of the first game. And while guys like Chris Davis Jr., Sedrick Irvin and Cole Tabb got their chance to shine, it was Ford that was the workhorse and who shined brightest, carrying the ball 26 times for 113 yards and a touchdown.

Despite only averaging 4.3 yards per carry, he was a big reason why Stanford was able to move the ball early in the game against Hawaii.

Now, with a game against an even bigger opponent, Stanford will rely on its running game even more and could turn to Ford as the lead back once again.

DL Clay Patterson

Foreshadowed by a crucial penalty he committed against Hawaii, Patterson actually put together a dominant game in Week 0. Recording two tackles and two sacks, one of which led to a fumble recovery for a touchdown for the Cardinal, Patterson wasted no time in starting 2025 on a high note. With the line experiencing a lot of turnover after last year, he will be relied on more than ever.

BYU's offense is strong but if a guy like Patterson can get to the quarterback and disrupt BYU's offensive flow, it could make the game way more interesting.

WR CJ Williams

The wide receiver room is one that took the biggest hit this offseason, with all but one catch from 2024 leaving the program. Williams, a former Wisconsin Badger, comes to The Farm hoping to help mitigate the losses at the position. In his debut game for the team against Hawaii, he caught three passes for 30 yards and was particularly good at creating separation.

Quarterback play was a problem for the Cardinal against Hawaii, but Williams still managed to play well in those circumstances. Stanford's offense will need to be humming if a win is to happen, making Williams' role that much more important in Week 2.

Players to Watch - BYU

QB Bear Bachmeier

This one goes without saying. Committing and signing with Stanford right out of high school, a coaching change right before spring practices led to Bachmeier entering the transfer portal before ever taking a snap with the Cardinal, and choosing to play at BYU.

And now, Bachmeier is the first ever true freshman to start for the Cougars. He had a dominant first game despite limited action, completing 7 out of his 11 passes for 97 yards and three touchdowns, adding two more on the ground. Stanford will be a much tougher game for BYU, which means a bigger sample size out of Bachmeier.

This will be his first true test, so it will be interesting to see how he fares against the team that he briefly started his college days with.

WR Tiger Bachmeier

Joining his brother at BYU, Bachmeier is hungry to burst onto the scene in the Big 12. Catching 36 passes for 409 yards and two touchdowns as a true freshman, Bachmeier took a back seat for the Cardinal last season. With two years of eligibility left, he departed for BYU in order to get an opportunity to be a big part of the offense.

And despite catching only one pass for eight yards in the win over Portland State, Tiger figures to be a crucial offensive piece for BYU this season. With a much tougher game against Stanford, watching him go up against Stanford's defensive backs will be a major storyline to watch on Saturday.

RB LJ Martin

In the 69-0 win in week one, BYU proved one thing: it has a lot of guys who can run the ball. But Martin was the workhorse in the first game, leading the team with eight carries for 131 yards, averaging well over 16 yards per carry.

Over the last few seasons, Martin has continued to get better and better, and with a team that is very young and new, he will be turned to to be a leader in 2025. And after the big game he had to start off the season, expect him to get even more opportunities against Stanford.

By the Numbers

4 - Number of times Stanford and BYU have met

Meeting for the first time in 2003, Stanford and BYU also met in 2004 and in 2022, with this year's matchup set to be the fourth time the programs will meet. While the matchup between the two schools is rather infrequent, this year's matchup will feature two former Stanford commits facing off against their former program, bringing even more meaning to this game this time around.

2003 - Year that Stanford won first meeting against BYU

Meeting for the first time on Sept. 20, 2003, Stanford took down BYU 18-14 and started that season off 2-0. Running back Kenneth Tolon was the game's star player, carrying the ball 32 times for 141 yards.

Led by head coach Buddy Teevens, in his second season in charge, the Cardinal finished the year at 4-7 and failed to reach a bowl game. Teevens would last just one more season before being fired and replaced by Walt Harris.

2022 - The last time Stanford and BYU met

In what was former head coach David Shaw's final game at Stanford, the Cardinal fell 35-26 and finished 3-9, managing only one win in Pac-12 play. Shaw was then fired and replaced by head coach Troy Taylor, ending a Stanford tenure that him go 96-54 and win five bowl games.

Score Prediction

BYU 31, Stanford 17

Beating Portland State 69-0, BYU put together a loud start of 2025. Stanford will face multiple tough tests this season, and BYU is the first test of grit for the Cardinal. While boasting a mostly new roster from their Alamo Bowl winning season a year ago, the Cougars still have a lot of talent on their roster.

A high powered offense will force Stanford to work, and while BYU's defense is very new, it has still shown just how hungry it is. Stanford is in the midst of a major rebuild, and while the program showed some promising things in Week 0, BYU will be too tall a task for interim coach Frank Reich and company.