Three Stanford Standouts to Keep an Eye on This Weekend Against FSU

Last weekend, Stanford football traveled to Dallas to take on the SMU Mustangs. Coming in, the Mustangs were heavy favorites, largely due to their College Football Playoff Appearance just a year prior. But a tough start to the year gave the Cardinal hope some hope of pulling off an upset.

In a game that was much closer than the final score, SMU pulled off the victory, capping it off with a Justin Medlock 96 yard pick six to end the afternoon. Although the Cardinal lost, they actually played quite well in certain places. And what has to be the biggest positive from the weekend is the stellar play from the linebacker room.

Going into the game, a number of arrows pointed in a negative direction when referring to the room. They had back-to-back poor defensive performances, and their star, Matt Rose, was out for the first half after a targeting call the game prior.

But the group they had on the field against SMU showed up and showed out, providing for a solid afternoon from the linebacker core.

Stanford Linebackers Stepping Up

Sep 13, 2025; Stanford, California, USA; Stanford Cardinal linebacker Matt Rose (35) is congratulated by safety Jay Green (5) after a tackle against the Boston College Eagles during the third quarter at Stanford Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images | Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images

Jahsiah Galvan, a player who had just two tackles against Hawaii in game one before being injured, had a tough start to the year. When he was ruled healthy, many thought he would play, but take time to adapt to the speed of the game. That was completely not the case.

Galvan led the Cardinal in tackles with 10, nearly matching his entire tackle numbers from the year prior. He also limited star running back T.J. Harden to just 39 yards and was part of the group that kept him out of the end zone.

Another amazing game came from outside linebacker Tevarua Tafiti, who has been very up and down this season. Playing just three games leading up to the SMU matchup due to injuries, he balled out against the Mustangs.

Tafiti assisted on five tackles, helping the defense limit a solid SMU offense. Although he didn’t get to the quarterback as much as hoped, his ability to adapt each game shows his game rounding out, and shows promise for the future.

Finally, linebacker leader Matt Rose had an exceptional game. Being out for the first half, many expected Rose to have an underwhelming performance, which was far from the truth. Rose was second on the team in tackles, getting seven, and brought his season total to 47.

Rose was on pace for 14 tackles, which would have been a career-high, but his first-half suspension didn't provide him with the opportunity to go after that mark.

The loss was disappointing for the Cardinal, but lots of positives came out of the contest, despite the lopsided final score. The linebacker room showing immense promise provides hope for this weekend's game against Florida State, where a similar performance could end up with a different result on The Farm.