What Awaits Stanford in This Week's Matchup Against No. 9 Miami

This weekend, Stanford football travels to play on the road against one of the best teams in the country, the No. 9 ranked Miami Hurricanes. The game will take place at 7:00 PM local time, 4:00 on the west coast, and will played be at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, FL.

Despite being 30.5 point favorites on FanDuel heading into the game, Miami is coming off their low point of the season. The Canes started an incredible 5-0, beating Notre Dame, Florida State, Florida, and USF, and were ranked No. 2 in the nation before last weekend's contest.

But all good things come to an end, and Louisville was a field goal better than the Canes on Friday night, while quarterback Carson Beck threw four interceptions. Still at the number nine spot in the country, Miami looks to bounce back, but Stanford has other plans.

It's Not Who You Play, But When You Play Them?

Oct 18, 2025; Stanford, California, USA; Stanford Cardinal running back Cole Tabb (33) reacts with his teammates after scoring a touchdown during the third quarter against the Florida State Seminoles at Stanford Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Stan Szeto-Imagn Images | Stan Szeto-Imagn Images

The Cardinal, although much worse on paper than the Canes, are scorching hot. Last week, Stanford beat Florida State 20-13, in a late night thriller that put the Cardinal up to 3-4 on the season.

Funny enough, Miami beat the Seminoles by just six a few weeks prior, compared to Stanford, who won by seven. Stanford looks to continue their momentum, but have a tough team in front of them.

Despite a poor game from Beck, the quarterback play this season has been stellar overall. He has 1,484 yards, a 73% completion percentage, 11 touchdowns, and seven picks, including those four against Louisville. Beck was even in Heisman conversations just a few weeks prior.

Hurricane Warning

At running back, the Canes have Mark Fletcher Jr. leading the pack. He has racked up 446 yards and six touchdowns through six games, and has proven to be the answer at running back that the Canes have needed over the past few seasons.

Miami’s top wide receiver is Malachi Toney, a freshman that has 510 yards and three scores in his young career. He's also leading the Canes in receptions with 38, yards per catch at 13.4, and has the longest TD catch of the season at 61 yards. Right behind him is CJ Daniels, who has caught 30 passes for 343 yards and five touchdowns.

Defensively, there is no standout star, but seven players have 20+ tackles, proving that their defense is very solid. They allowed 24 points against Notre Dame and Louisville, which are the most they have allowed all season. This will be one of the toughest defenses Stanford faces this season.

How Stanford Can Work a Win

Oct 19, 2024; Stanford, California, USA; Stanford Cardinal quarterback Elijah Brown (2) throws a pass against the Southern Methodist Mustangs/ during the third quarter at Stanford Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images | Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images

Stanford needs to adapt a gameplan that truly works for themselves. After Ben Gulbranson left Saturday's game against FSU before the half, we may see redshirt freshman Elijah Brown getting not only his first start of the season, but his first game action on the road in his career. If Brown is under center on Saturday, the Cardinal will need to fit the gameplan to his capabilities.

Miami has allowed less than 100 yards per game, giving up just under three yards per carry. In other words, Brown will need to sling the rock in order for Stanford to move the ball more effectively. If they're able to move the ball through the air a bit, that may create some space for either Cole Tabb of Micah Ford (if healthy) to run.

The defensive line and linebacker rooms need to pressure Beck, forcing him to make plays that he is uncomfortable making. An interception or two wouldn't hurt either, but Stanford has just one on the season. That was from Collin Wright against Boston College four games ago.

Stanford entered last week's game as two score underdogs against Florida State, and ended up being in control of that game from the opening kickoff. This will be a tougher opponent on the road, but is a huge opportunity for head coach Frank Reich and the Cardinal to make a statement.

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