Stanford Football: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly To Begin 2025

We are now two games into Stanford’s football season, and it’s been quite a ride.

In Week 0, the Cardinal went on the road to the island of Hawaii, where they took on the Rainbow Warriors for a primetime matchup. Stanford started great, going up 10-0 early due to a great defensive play by Clay Patterson. However, bad throws, missed field goals, and a lack of adjustments led to a brutal loss that ended with a field goal to make it 23-20, Hawaii.

After a bye week in Week 1, Stanford travelled to Provo, UT to take on the BYU Cougars in a tough road test. BYU, coming off of a 69-0 victory over Portland State, was riding high and looking to beat up on the Cardinal.

All game, Stanford’s offense couldn’t get going, and not only couldn’t score, but put the defense in some sticky situations. The Cardinal defense came up clutch, and limited the score to what could have been much worse, but a 27-3 loss isn’t something to be proud of.

Now that we are two games in, let’s look at the good, the bad, and the ugly of Stanford's season so far.

The Good

Despite the loss, lots of good has come out of both games. Most notably, the defense has been stellar. Yes, allowing 50 points through two games isn’t incredible, but considering the circumstances, they have done great.

Clay Patterson, a defensive lineman, has taken a huge step up to begin the year, recording multiple big time sacks and forcing a fumble that led to a touchdown. The linebacker room, mainly Matt Rose and Tevarua Tafiti, have proven that the linebacker room isn’t a weakness for the Cardinal, but instead a strength.

They get to the ball carrier quickly, and record tons of tackles, while also serving as leaders on the field. The defensive back room, although facing tons of adversity through injuries, has done a great job as well.

The running back room is also a great highlight to begin the year. During the offseason, the idea of having four solid running back choices seemed great, but none seemed to be a legit threat. However, multiple have been great, and all four have recorded 20+ rushing yards, including 134 from Micah Ford, who has emerged as the star of the room.

The Bad

Frank Reich, coaching his first college games, hasn’t done a great job adapting to the difference in levels. He has made some poor play calling and time management decisions, and has struggled overall. However, his great resumé gives Cardinal fans hope that he can succeed this season as he continues to make adjustments.

The receiving room has also had a poor start to the year. They battled injuries late in the offseason, and their depth hasn’t been able to make up the difference. Even the tight ends, who seemed to be a strong point for the Cardinal, haven't quite found their footing to open up the year.

The Ugly

Overall, the offense, specifically the quarterback play has been very ugly. Before the season, Stanford fans were ecstatic about the depth that the QB position had. However, just one guy has gotten the opportunity thus far, and to say he’s having a rough start is an understatement. Stanford hasn’t moved the ball much at all, and fans are ready for a QB change.

This season has been filled with some good and bad moments. With Boston College upcoming at home this weekend, Stanford gets another opportunity to continue what’s gone well, while also fixing their issues.