| Stanford Cardinal football | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| |||
 | |||
| First season | 1891; 134 years ago[n 1] | ||
| Athletic director | John Donahoe | ||
| General manager | Andrew Luck | ||
| Head coach | Frank Reich (interim) 1st season, 3–4 (.429) | ||
| Stadium | Stanford Stadium (capacity: 50,424) | ||
| Field | Foster Field | ||
| Year built | 1921 | ||
| Location | Stanford, California | ||
| NCAA division | Division I FBS | ||
| Conference | ACC | ||
| All-time record | 674–505–49 (.569) | ||
| Bowl record | 15–14–1 (.517) | ||
| Claimed national titles | |||
| 1926,1940 | |||
| Conference titles | |||
| PCC:1924,1926,1927,1929,1933,1934,1935,1940,1951 Pac-12:1970,1971,1992,1999,2012,2013,2015 | |||
| Conference division titles | |||
| Pac-12 North:2011,2012,2013,2015,2017 | |||
| Heisman winners | Jim Plunkett – 1970 | ||
| Consensus All-Americans | 37 | ||
| Rivalries | California (rivalry) Notre Dame (rivalry) Oregon (rivalry) San Jose State (rivalry) UCLA (rivalry) USC (rivalry) | ||
| Current uniform | |||
 | |||
| Colors | Cardinal and white[1] | ||
| Fight song | "Come Join The Band" (official) "All Right Now" (de facto) | ||
| Mascot | None[n 2] | ||
| Marching band | Leland Stanford Junior University Marching Band | ||
| Outfitter | Nike | ||
| Website | GoStanford.com | ||
TheStanford Cardinal football program representsStanford University incollege football at theNCAA Division I FBS level and is a member of theAtlantic Coast Conference. The program was previously in thePac-12 Conference. The team is known as theCardinal, adopted prior to the1982 season.[2] Stanford was known as the "Cardinal" for its first two decades of athletic competition,[3] then more commonly as the "Cardinals" until 1930.[4] The name was changed to the "Indians" from1930 to January1972,[5] and back to the "Cardinals" from1972 through1981. A student vote in December 1975 to change the nickname to "Robber Barons" was not approved by administrators.[5][6]
Stanford has fielded football teams every year since 1892 with a few exceptions. Like a number of other teams from the era concerned with violence in the sport, the school dropped football in favor ofrugby from 1906 to 1917. The school also did not field a team in 1918 (due toWorld War I) or in 1943, 1944, and 1945 (due toWorld War II).
The school participated in the first-everRose Bowl againstMichigan in 1902, in which they were routed 49–0. Its annualBig Game againstCalifornia is the oldest and most storied rivalry in the western United States. The Cardinal also compete for theLegends Trophy against independent rivalNotre Dame.
The program has an all-time record of 664–478–49 for a winning percentage of .578[7]> Stanford left the Pac-12 with winning series records against all of its Pac-12 North rivals, except for theWashington Huskies, against whom they are tied 43–43–4.[8][9] Stanford claimed national championships in 1926 and 1940. In 1926, led by coachPop Warner, the team was undefeated in the regular season and tiedAlabama in the1927 Rose Bowl. The 1940 team went unbeaten and untied after defeatingNebraska 21–13 in the1941 Rose Bowl, but the team ranked No. 2 in the final AP poll released before the game was played.
Pop Warner's era predated the AP poll, but Stanford has finished at least one season in the Top 10 in six different decades under seven different coaches:Tiny Thornhill in 1934,Clark Shaughnessy in 1940,Chuck Taylor in 1951,John Ralston in 1970 and 1971,Bill Walsh in 1992,Jim Harbaugh in 2010, andDavid Shaw in 2011, 2012, and 2015. Coach Shaw, as of the 2017 season, has the most wins of any Stanford coach in history. Stanford's most recent season finish in the top 5 was in 2015 after the No. 5 Cardinal dismantledBig Ten West Division Champion No. 6Iowa Hawkeyes 45–16 in the2016 Rose Bowl to finish with a record of 12–2 (Stanford's third 12-win season ever, after 2010 and 2012) and a final ranking of No. 3 in the final AP Poll and the final Coaches Poll (Stanford's highest AP Poll ranking since 1940 and its highest Coaches Poll ranking ever).
The Cardinal have played in 30 bowl games in their history, including 17 appearances in bowls now comprising theCollege Football Playoff, specifically 15Rose Bowls (the third-most appearances of any team, behind onlyUSC's 33 appearances andMichigan's 22),[citation needed] the2011 Orange Bowl, and the2012 Fiesta Bowl.
QuarterbackJim Plunkett is the only Stanford player to win theHeisman Trophy, doing so in 1970. Stanford players have finished second in Heisman voting six times: quarterbackJohn Elway was second toHerschel Walker in 1982; running backToby Gerhart was second toMark Ingram II in 2009; quarterbackAndrew Luck finished second toCam Newton in 2010 and toRobert Griffin III in 2011; running backChristian McCaffrey finished second toDerrick Henry in 2015; and running backBryce Love finished second toBaker Mayfield in 2017.[10]
As of September 10, 2025, 271 former Cardinal have played in an NFL or AFL regular-season game.[11]
Stanford first fielded a football team in 1891. The team was without a coach and only played a few games. Early football pioneerWalter Camp served as Stanford's head coach in 1892 and from 1894 to 1895. Football on thePacific Coast had been on the rise since the late 1910s.[n 3]
Early in 1922,Pop Warner signed a contract with Stanford University in which he would begin coaching in 1924, after his contract with Pitt expired.[13] Health concerns, a significant pay raise and the rising status of Pacific Coast football made Warner make the big change. Years later, he wrote:
I felt my health would be better on the Pacific coast. Weather conditions at Pittsburgh during the football season are rather disagreeable, and much of the late season work had to be done upon a field which was ankle deep in mud. At the close of every season I would be in poor physical condition, twice being rendered incapable of coaching while I recuperated in a hospital. Doctors advised me that the climate of the Pacific coast would be much better for a man of my age and in the work in which I was engaged.[14]
In1924, Warner began his nine-year tenure at Stanford.[n 4] When he began coaching, Stanford was one of nine teams in thePacific Coast Conference (PCC). Warner inherited a notable squad from the previous year, includingErnie Nevers (whom Warner considered his greatest player)[16] and All-American endsTed Shipkey andJim Lawson.[17]
A season highlight was the final game against Stanford'sarch-rivalCalifornia atCalifornia Memorial Stadium, the last game of the regular season. Before the game, both teams were undefeated and Stanford had not beaten California since 1905.[n 5][17] Nevers did not play due to a broken ankle.[18] Late in the game, California was leading 20–3; California coachAndy Smith, sure the game was over, began substituting regular players.[19] Warner seized the opportunity to combine passing with thetrick plays for which he was known (a fake reverse and a fullspinner), and Stanford made a comeback. The game ended in a 20–20 tie.[19]
Because the game was California's second tie, Stanford was chosen to play in theRose Bowl on New Year's Day against theUniversity of Notre Dame'sFighting Irish coached byKnute Rockne. Like Warner, Rockne is considered one of the greatest coaches in football history. According to journalistAllison Danzig, "With the exception of Knute Rockne ofNotre Dame, Pop Warner was the most publicized coach in football."[20] The game was thus a test of two different and highly influential systems of football:[21] "the Warner system with thewing backs, unbalanced line and gigantic power [and the]Knute Rockne system with its rhythmic, dancingshift, lightning speed, balanced line and finely timed blocking".[22][23] Notre Dame'sbackfield was composed of the renownedFour Horsemen. Nevers played all 60 minutes of the game, and rushed for 114 yd (104 m) (more yardage than the Four Horsemen combined).[24] Warner's offense moved the ball but was unable to score, and Notre Dame won 27–10.[25]
During the1925 season, Stanford lost just one PCC game (to Washington);[26] California was finally defeated, 27–7. It was the first year of a new rivalry, with coachHoward Jones and theUniversity of Southern California (USC) team.[n 6] In their first game, at theLos Angeles Memorial Colosseum, Stanford scored twice in the first half but had to hold off the charging Trojans in a 13–9 win. Because of the loss to Washington, Warner's team was not invited to the Rose Bowl.[26] Stanford won all its1926 games, crushing California 41–7 and narrowly defeatingUSC 13–12.[29] Warner's team was invited to theRose Bowl to playAlabama. Like the game against the Fighting Irish, Stanford dominated but the result was a 7–7 tie.[29] After the game, both teams were recognized as national champions by a number of publications.[30][n 7] The1927 season was one of underachievement and ultimate success. Stanford lost its third game to non-conferenceSt. Mary's College.[32] Stanford's next loss was against non-conferenceSanta Clara. The game against USC was a 13–13 tie.[32] However, that year, Stanford defeated California 13–6. The game included abootleg play, the invention of which some credit to Warner. Powers stated that,
Stanford put the game on ice in the fourth period when Pop introduced the bootlegger play, which was to be widely copied and still is in use. On the original bootlegger, Warner made use ofBiff Hoffman's tremendous hands. Hoffman would take the pass from center and then fake to another back. Keeping the ball, he would hide it behind him and run as though he had given it to a teammate. Sometimes defensive players would step out of Hoffman's path, thinking he was going to block. Hoffman "bootlegged" for the touchdown against California ...[33]
Despite the two losses, Stanford finished the season as PCC co-champion. They were invited to the1928 Rose Bowl against Pitt, Warner's former team now coached by protégéJock Sutherland. Warner broke his losing Rose Bowl streak, defeating Sutherland 7–6.[34] The win was Warner's last appearance at the Rose Bowl.[35] The1929 season is known for Warner's regular use of thehook and lateral, a play that involves a receiver who runs acurl pattern, catches a short pass and immediately laterals the ball to another receiver running acrossing route.[36] According to the October 25, 1929Stanford Daily, "The trickiness that Pop Warner made famous in his spin plays and passing is very evident ... Thefrosh have been drilling all week on fast, deceptive forward and lateral pass plays, and together with the reverses will have a widely varied attack".[37] That season brought Warner his second straight loss to Jones, with Stanford defeated by the Trojans 7–0. USC won the conference, and went to theRose Bowl.[36] Jones went on to win every year thereafter, including1932, Warner's last season at Stanford. Because of the five consecutive defeats, Warner was severely criticized by Stanford alumni.[n 8] In all, Warner and Jones played eight games; Jones won five, Warner two and one was a tie.[39] Against Stanford's main rival, California, Warner won five games, tied three and lost one.[38]
AfterPop Warner's departure,Claude E. "Tiny" Thornhill was promoted from line coach and named head coach prior to the 1933 season. Players of the Stanford class of 1936 had seen Stanford's 13–0 home loss to rival USC during their freshman season, 1932. This caused quarterbackFrank Alustiza to proclaim, "They will never do that to our team. We will never lose to the Trojans."[40] A few minutes later,Bob "Bones" Hamilton said,[41] "Let's make that a vow."[40] and the team became known as the "Vow Boys".[42]
The press reported on the vow, but it was forgotten until the next fall—facing USC during Thornhill's first season, the Stanford varsity was suddenly called upon to make good on it.[40] The team kept its pledge, winning each of their contests over USC: 13–7 in 1933, 16–0 in 1934, and 3–0 in 1935. Four of the Vow Boys — fullbackBobby Grayson,[43] halfback "Bones" Hamilton,[41] endJim "Monk" Moscrip,[44] and tackleBob "Horse" Reynolds[45] — were later inducted to theCollege Football Hall of Fame.
Other notable players whose careers overlapped with the Vow Boys includedDavid Packard (class of 1934), who went on to co-foundHewlett-Packard,[46] andBill Corbus, a guard and kicker during the 1931–1933 seasons who was also inducted to the College Football Hall of Fame.[47]
In his first three years, Thornhill led his Indians to theRose Bowl Game each season. Thornhill was the first Stanford coach to lead his team to postseason play in his first three seasons, a feat not matched untilDavid Shaw's 2011 to 2013 teams. Stanford lost the first two appearances, but won the1936 Rose Bowl overSMU, 7–0. After those first three seasons, Thornhill's teams went steadily downhill, culminating in a 1–7–1 season in 1939, after which Thornhill was fired and replaced byClark Shaughnessy. Shaughnessy coached the team for two seasons, posting an undefeated record for the1940 season—that team ran theT formation and was nicknamed the "Wow Boys"[48]—culminating with a win in theRose Bowl overNebraska.[49]
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Marchmont Schwartz led Stanford's football program from 1942 to 1950 (Stanford did not field a football team from 1943 to 1945 because ofWorld War II). During his tenure, Stanford made one bowl appearance, a win in the 1949Pineapple Bowl.Chuck Taylor led Stanford's football team from 1951 to 1957. Taylor's 1951 team finished 9–2 and lost in theRose Bowl. The tenure ofJack Curtice was a dismal one. The Indians compiled a record of 14–36 from 1957 to 1962, which included an 0–10 campaign in 1960.
John Ralston came to Stanford in 1963 and helped revive a sagging program. Over nine seasons, Ralston guided the team back to national respectability while building a mark of 55–36–3. In his last two seasons, 1970–1971, Ralston's teams won twoPacific-8 titles and notched back-to-back Rose Bowl victories overOhio State andMichigan, both of whom were undefeated coming into the Rose Bowl game. Under Ralston's tutelage, StanfordquarterbackJim Plunkett won theHeisman Trophy in 1970. Plunkett and a stout defense led the team to a 9–3 record in 1970, an effort which resulted in a Rose Bowl victory over No. 2Ohio State, the program's 4th. Plunkett also won the Heisman trophy that season, and he remains the only Stanford player to receive the award. Stanford won the Rose Bowl again the following year, 13–12 over undefeatedMichigan, as Stanford kicker Rod Garcia booted a 31-yard field goal with 12 seconds left in the game. Ralston left Stanford following the 1971 season to take his talents to theNFL, accepting the position of head coach for theDenver Broncos.[50]
In January 1972, when Ralston left to coach the NFL's Denver Broncos,Jack Christiansen was promoted from assistant coach and hired as Stanford's head coach.[51] Christiansen, whose hiring coincided with the university changing the school's nickname from Indians to Cardinals (shortened to Cardinal in 1981), spent five years as Stanford's head coach, compiling a winning record each year and a 30–22–3 overall record. He was criticized for starting Mike Cordova rather thanGuy Benjamin at quarterback during the 1975 season and for switching between quarterbacks during the 1976 season. One day prior to the final game of the 1976 season, Stanford announced that it was terminating Christiansen as its head coach.[52] Under Christianson, Stanford never had a losing season, though Christiansen's tenure was largely marked by mediocrity.[53]
In 1977,Bill Walsh was hired as the head coach. He stayed for two seasons. His two Stanford teams were successful, posting a 9–3 record in 1977 with a win in theSun Bowl vs.LSU, and 8–4 in 1978 with a win in theBluebonnet Bowl. His notable players at Stanford included quarterbacksGuy Benjamin andSteve Dils, wide receiversJames Lofton andKen Margerum, linebackerGordy Ceresino, in addition to running backDarrin Nelson. Walsh was thePac-8 Conference Coach of the Year in 1977. Walsh left Stanford after the 1978 season to move to theNFL'sSan Francisco 49ers, where he would earn a reputation as one of the NFL's greatest head coaches of all time.[54]
In 1979,Rod Dowhower was promoted from wide receivers coach to Stanford's head coach.[55] In his lone season, Stanford compiled a record of 5–5–1.[56] FuturePro Football Hall of Famer John Elway enrolled at Stanford in 1979. Elway became one of Stanford's most iconic and successful players; however, the team struggled during his tenure.
New Orleans Saints defensive coordinator and formerKansas City Chiefs head coachPaul Wiggin was hired as head coach at his alma mater on February 1, 1980. Despite the presence of quarterbackJohn Elway on the team during his first three years, Wiggin was unable to lead Stanford to a bowl game during his tenure and was dismissed following the 1983 season with a 16–28 record over four years. Wiggin's efforts to reach a bowl game had come agonizingly close in 1982, when his team fell victim to what simply became known asThe Play on November 20. In an incredible finish against Cal, the school's arch-rival, Stanford, led by quarterback Elway, drove down the field to kick a go-ahead field goal with just seconds left. On the ensuing kickoff, Stanford's band came onto the field. Cal took advantage of the chaos by lateraling five times to score the winning touchdown. Elway's career culminated in that game's loss, a game Stanford athletic director Andy Geiger said cost Elway the Heisman Trophy.[57] Wiggin was fired following a poor 1–10 campaign in 1983.[58]
Succeeding Wiggin as the Cardinal head coach was John Elway's father,Jack Elway, who came to Stanford fromSan Jose State.[59] Under his tutelage, the Cardinal compiled a record of 25–29–2.[60] The best season during the Elway era was an 8–4 campaign in 1986, which culminated in a loss in theGator Bowl.[61] That season would be the only winning campaign during Elway's tenure as head coach. He was dismissed after 3–6–2 season in 1988.[59]
In 1989, formerNorthwestern head coachDennis Green left the 49ers, where he was serving as wide receivers coach, and took the head coaching position at Stanford, inheriting a team that had graduated 17 of its 21 starters from 1988. Green led the Cardinal from 1989 to 1991. During that time, his teams finished with an overall record of 16–18,[62] going 3–0 in theBig Game against theCalifornia Golden Bears. In 1990, his Stanford team defeated the top-rankedNotre Dame inSouth Bend, Indiana. His tenure culminated with an 8–4 record (Stanford's best since 1986).[63] A loss to Washington in the opening game of the season was the deciding factor for the Pac-10 championship. The Cardinal made an appearance in the1991 Aloha Bowl, where his team lost toGeorgia Tech on a last-minute touchdown. Green left Stanford after three seasons to accept the head coaching position with theNFL'sMinnesota Vikings.[64]
Bill Walsh returned to Stanford as head coach in 1992, leading the Cardinal to a 10–3 record and aPacific-10 Conference co-championship. Stanford finished the season with an upset victory overPenn State in theBlockbuster Bowl on January 1, 1993 and a # 9 ranking in the finalAP Poll. In 1994, after consecutive losing seasons, Walsh left Stanford and retired from coaching.[65]
Despite lacking experience as a head coach or coordinator,Tyrone Willingham was appointed head coach of the football program at Stanford, succeeding Bill Walsh.[66] In his seven seasons as head coach, he led the Cardinal to a 44–36–1 record and fourbowl game appearances.[67] In 2000, he was presented with the Eddie Robinson Coach of Distinction Award that is given annually to honor "an outstanding college football coach and role model for career achievement".[68] His best team was the1999 team, which won the school's first outrightPacific-10 Conference title in 29 years and appeared in the2000 Rose Bowl. Willingham's 44 wins were the most by a Stanford coach sinceJohn Ralston.Troy Walters was arguably Stanford's best player during this time, receiving All-American honors and theFred Biletnikoff Award in 1999, and setting school career records in receiving yards and receptions. Willingham left Stanford following the 2001 season to accept the head coaching position atNotre Dame.[69]
Buddy Teevens coached Stanford from 2002 to 2004.[70] In his three years at the Farm, his teams posted a 10–23 record,[70] beatBYU twice andSan Jose State three times.[71] However, Stanford failed to improve much during his tenure. Teevens went winless against rivalsUSC,Cal, andNotre Dame, and never posted a win against a team that finished the season with a winning record.[71] Teevens was fired on November 29, 2004.[72] The Associated Press noted that Teevens was "respected for his class and loyalty" and that he even appeared at the official announcement of his firing.[73]
Walt Harris was the head coach at Stanford for two seasons. In his first season as head coach there he posted a record of 5–6. In hissecond season as head coach the team posted a 1–11 record, the school's worst since going0–10 in 1960.[74] Harris was notorious for the extremely rare and bizarre decision to punt on 3rd down while trailing UCLA 7–0 on October 1, 2006, during his second season.[75] He was fired on December 4, 2006, two days after Stanford's regular season ended. By the end of his tenure at Stanford, Harris had surpassedJack Curtice with the lowest winning percentage in the history of Stanford football, with a .261 mark.[76]
Jim Harbaugh was named the head football coach at Stanford University in December 2006, replacing Walt Harris.[77] Harbaugh's father, Jack, was Stanford'sdefensive coordinator from 1980 to 1981, while Harbaugh attendedPalo Alto High School, located directly across the street fromStanford Stadium.[78]
Harbaugh stirred some intra-conference controversy in March 2007, when he was quoted as saying rivalUSC head coach "Pete Carroll's only got one more year, though. He'll be there one more year. That's what I've heard. I heard it inside the staff." Upon further questions, Harbaugh claimed he had heard it from staff at USC. The comment caused a rebuke from Carroll.[79] (In fact, Carroll would be at USC for three more years.) At the Pacific-10 Conference media day on July 26, 2007, Harbaugh praised the Trojans, stating "There is no question in my mind that USC is the best team in the country and may be the best team in the history of college football." The declaration, especially in light of his earlier comment, garnered more media attention.[80][81] Later in the season, Stanford defeated No. 1 USC24–23 with a touchdown in the final minute. With USC being the favorite by 41 points, it was statistically the greatest upset in college football history.[82][83] Although Stanford lost to USC in 2008, Harbaugh and the Stanford Cardinal upset USC at home again with a score of 55–21 on November 14, 2009.[84] Stanford's 55 points was the most ever scored on USC in the Trojans' history untilOregon scored 62 in a 62–51 win over USC on November 3, 2012. It wasPete Carroll's first November loss as USC head coach. Harbaugh never lost in USC's home stadium, theLos Angeles Memorial Coliseum. In January 2009, Harbaugh was confirmed to have been interviewed by theNew York Jets for the head coach position,[85] although the job was eventually offered toRex Ryan.[86]
In2009, the Cardinal had a comeback season, finishing the regular season at 8–4, finishing No. 21 in the polls, and receiving an invitation to play in the2009 Sun Bowl, the Cardinal's first bowl appearance since 2001. Running backToby Gerhart was named aHeisman Trophy finalist, finishing second toMark Ingram II in the closest margin of voting in Heisman history. On December 13, 2009, Harbaugh was rewarded with a three-year contract extension through the 2014 season.[87] The2010 season brought more success for Harbaugh and the Cardinal. The team went 11–1 in the regular season, with their only loss coming fromOregon, a team that was undefeated and earned a berth in theBCS National Championship Game. The first 11 win season in program history earned the Cardinal a No. 4 BCS ranking and a BCS bowl invitation to theOrange Bowl. Stanford defeatedVirginia Tech 40–12 for the Cardinal's first bowl win since 1996 and the first BCS bowl victory in program history.[88] Second year starting quarterbackAndrew Luck was the runner-up to for the Heisman Trophy, the second year in a row that the runner-up was from Stanford.[89] Harbaugh's 4-year record at Stanford was 29–21 (.580). Harbaugh was named the winner of theWoody Hayes Coach of the Year Award.[90]
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After Harbaugh left to coach theSan Francisco 49ers, the team'soffensive coordinatorDavid Shaw became head coach.[91] Shaw led the team to three consecutive BCS bowl games, including two Rose Bowls. The team was led by its quarterback, Andrew Luck, and its dominating defense. After Luck departed for theNFL draft,Kevin Hogan became the team's starting quarterback. Hogan led the team to aRose Bowl victory over Wisconsin.[92] The team returned to the Rose Bowl again the following year in the 2013 season, but lost aheart-breaker toMichigan State. After arebuilding season in 2014, the2015 season saw Shaw, Hogan, and Heisman runner upChristian McCaffrey lead Stanford to its third Pac-12 championship in four years, and consequently, its thirdRose Bowl in four years. With the 2015 conference title, Shaw became the first Stanford coach in 80 years to win three conference titles and only the third ever in program history (afterTiny Thornhill from 1933 to 1935 andPop Warner in 1924, 1926, and 1927).[93] In 2017, Shaw once again led Stanford to aPac-12 Championship appearance with Heisman runner upBryce Love only to lose to rivalUSC. After two consecutive 3–9 seasons, Shaw resigned as head coach, effective immediately, on November 27, 2022, just over an hour after the end of Stanford's last game of the2022 season.[94]
FormerSacramento State football coachTroy Taylor was named the 35th head football coach in Stanford history on December 10, 2022. Taylor graduated at archrival Cal and served as an assistant coach there from 1996–99 and as a radio color analyst from 2005–11. Prior to Sacramento State, he was offensive coordinator atUtah andEastern Washington. Taylor's tenure began with a win against Hawaii, but was followed up with four consecutive losses against USC, Taylor's previous school Sacramento State, Arizona, and Oregon. After staging a 29 point comeback againstDeion Sanders' ledColorado, the fourth biggest comeback in Pac-12 history, the Cardinal proceeded to lose all but one of its remaining games, beating Washington State and losing to UCLA, Washington, Oregon State, Cal, and Notre Dame. Stanford finished 129th out of 130 teams in points allowed (37.2), yards allowed (461.7), and passing yards allowed (298), and finished 110th in points (20.6) and 92nd in yards (351.4). They were the only team in FBS without a home win and lost five games by 33 points or more.[95] Taylor was fired on March 25, 2025, following back to back 3–9 seasons, and an investigation into alleged bullying of members of the Stanford athletic department.[96]
Stanford has won two (1926, 1940)national championships from NCAA-designated major selectors.[97][98] Stanford claims both of these national championships.[99]
| Year | Coach | Selector | Record | Bowl | Result | Final AP | Final Coaches |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1926 | Pop Warner | Dickinson System,Helms Athletic Foundation,National Championship Foundation,Sagarin (ELOChess) | 10–0–1 | Rose Bowl | T 7–7 | – | – |
| 1940 | Clark Shaughnessy | Billingsley Report, Helms,Poling System,[100]Williamson System[101] | 10–0 | Rose Bowl | W 21–13 | No. 2 | – |
Stanford has won 16 conference championships, with six shared. They are tied with rival California for the fourth most in the Pac-12 Conference, behind UCLA, USC, and Washington.
| Season | Conference | Coach | Conference Record | Overall Record |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1924† | Pacific Coast Conference | Pop Warner | 3–0–1[102] | 7–1–1 |
| 1926 | 4–0 | 10–0–1 | ||
| 1927† | 4–0–1 | 8–2–1 | ||
| 1929† | 5–1[103][104] | 9–2 | ||
| 1933† | Claude E. Thornhill | 4–1 | 8–2–1 | |
| 1934 | 5–0 | 9–1–1 | ||
| 1935† | 4–1 | 8–1 | ||
| 1940 | Clark Shaughnessy | 7–0 | 10–0 | |
| 1951 | Chuck Taylor | 6–1 | 9–2 | |
| 1970 | Pacific-8 Conference | John Ralston | 6–1 | 9–3 |
| 1971 | 6–1 | 9–3 | ||
| 1992† | Pacific-10 Conference | Bill Walsh | 6–2 | 10–3 |
| 1999 | Tyrone Willingham | 7–1 | 8–4 | |
| 2012 | Pac-12 Conference | David Shaw | 8–1 | 12–2 |
| 2013 | 7–2 | 11–3 | ||
| 2015 | 8–1 | 12–2 |
† Co-championship
| Season | Division | Coach | Opponent | CG result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011† | Pac-12 – North | David Shaw | N/A lost tiebreaker toOregon | |
| 2012† | Pac-12 – North | David Shaw | UCLA | W 27–24 |
| 2013† | Pac-12 – North | David Shaw | Arizona State | W 38–14 |
| 2015 | Pac-12 – North | David Shaw | USC | W 41–22 |
| 2017† | Pac-12 – North | David Shaw | USC | L 28–31 |
† Co-championship
Stanford has participated in 30 bowl games. The Cardinal have a 15–14–1 bowl record.[105]
The following are Stanford's head coaches through the 2024 season.[106]
| Coach | Tenure | Record | Pct. | Bowl record |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| No coach | 1891 | 3–1–0 | .750 | |
| Walter Camp | 1892, 1894–1895 | 11–3–3 | .735 | |
| C. D. Bliss | 1893 | 8–0–1 | .944 | |
| Harry P. Cross | 1896, 1898 | 7–4–2 | .615 | |
| George H. Brooke | 1897 | 4–1–0 | .800 | |
| Burr Chamberlain | 1899 | 2–5–2 | .333 | |
| Fielding H. Yost | 1900 | 7–2–1 | .750 | |
| Charles Fickert | 1901 | 3–2–2 | .571 | 0–1 |
| Carl L. Clemans | 1902 | 6–1–0 | .857 | |
| James F. Lanagan | 1903–1905 | 23–2–4 | .862 | |
| Bob Evans | 1919 | 4–3–0 | .571 | |
| Walter D. Powell | 1920 | 4–3–0 | .571 | |
| Eugene Van Gent | 1921 | 4–2–2 | .625 | |
| Andrew Kerr | 1922–1923 | 11–7–0 | .611 | |
| Pop Warner | 1924–1932 | 71–17–8 | .781 | 1–1–1 |
| Claude E. Thornhill | 1933–1939 | 35–25–7 | .575 | 1–2 |
| Clark Shaughnessy | 1940–1941 | 16–3–0 | .842 | 1–0 |
| Marchmont Schwartz | 1942, 1946–1950 | 28–28–4 | .500 | |
| Chuck Taylor | 1951–1957 | 40–29–2 | .577 | 0–1 |
| Jack Curtice | 1958–1962 | 14–36–0 | .280 | |
| John Ralston | 1963–1971 | 55–36–3 | .601 | 2–0 |
| Jack Christiansen | 1972–1976 | 30–22–3 | .573 | |
| Bill Walsh | 1977–1978, 1992–1994 | 34–24–1 | .585 | 3–0 |
| Rod Dowhower | 1979 | 5–5–1 | .500 | |
| Paul Wiggin | 1980–1983 | 16–28–0 | .364 | |
| Jack Elway | 1984–1988 | 25–29–2 | .464 | 0–1 |
| Dennis Green | 1989–1991 | 16–18–0 | .471 | 0–1 |
| Tyrone Willingham | 1995–2001 | 44–36–1 | .549 | 1–3 |
| Buddy Teevens | 2002–2004 | 10–23 | .303 | |
| Walt Harris | 2005–2006 | 6–17 | .261 | |
| Jim Harbaugh | 2007–2010 | 29–21 | .580 | 1–1 |
| David Shaw | 2011–2022 | 96–54 | .640 | 5–3 |
| Troy Taylor | 2023–2024 | 6–18 | .250 |
Stanford has retired the following numbers.[107]
| Stanford Cardinal retired numbers | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | Player | Pos. | Tenure | ||
| 1 | Ernie Nevers | FB | 1923–1925 | ||
| 7 | John Elway | QB | 1979–1982 | ||
| 16 | Jim Plunkett | QB | 1968–1970 | ||
The following Stanford players and coaches are members of theCollege Football Hall of Fame:[108]
The following Stanford players are members of thePro Football Hall of Fame:[109]
The following Stanford players and coaches are members of the Stanford Athletics Hall of Fame[110]
Stanford's main rival isCalifornia (Cal). The rivalry between the two schools isone of the oldest in college football. The two teams play in theBig Game with the winner receiving theStanford Axe. The most famous moment of the rivalry occurred in the1982 Big Game, when Cal used a series oflaterals to defeat Stanford 25–20 as time expired. Stanford leads the series 65–51–11.[111]
Notre Dame and Stanford have been rivals since 1925. The two teams have met every year since 1988, with the exception of 1995, 1996, and 2020. Notre Dame leads the series 24–14.[111]
Stanford andSan Jose State have been rivals since 1900. These two institutions are separated by approximately 23 miles in theSilicon Valley. The rivalry was named afterBill Walsh, who was a SJSU alumnus and positively contributed to Stanford Cardinal football through head coaching, notably the win against No. 21Penn State in the1993 Blockbuster Bowl, which later became theCheez-It Bowl. Stanford leads the series 52–15–1, where the vast majority of matches have been played at Stanford.[111]
The Stanford–Oregon football rivalry dates to 1900 and rose to national significance during the 2010-14 seasons, when the two teams alternated in spoiling one another's Pac-12 and College Football Playoff ambitions.[112][113][114] Stanford leads the series 50-36-1.
The matchup is now dormant: after thePac-12's collapse, Oregon moved to theBig Ten and Stanford joined theACC beginning with the 2024 season, and no future meetings are scheduled.[115]
The West Coast in-state rivals have spent much of their respective athletics histories as members of the same conference; first thePacific Coast Conference from 1925 to 1958 followed by the various predecessors of the modern dayPac-12 Conference from 1959 to 2023.[116][117] The teams met annually from 1946 to 2023 without interruption. The rivalry has seen its fair share of excitement throughout its history,[118] but reached its peak in the 21st century when both teams were consistently ranked in the top 25 and had numerous competitive games against each other.[111] With the collapse of the Pac-12 following the 2023 season, which resulted in Stanford leaving to join theAtlantic Coast Conference (ACC) and UCLA accepting an invitation to join theBig Ten Conference,[119][120][121][122] the annual series between the Cardinal and Bruins was put on hiatus. As of August 2025, there are no plans for the schools to meet again on the football field.
Stanford maintains an active rivalry withUSC. In 2007, an unranked Stanford team upset a No. 1 ranked USC team 24–23. Stanford was a 41-point underdog prior to the game, and many observers have called it the greatest upset in college football history. In 2009, Stanford defeated USC 55–21, resulting in a post-game verbal confrontation between Harbaugh and USC head coachPete Carroll. In 2013, USC returned the favor by defeating No. 5 Stanford 20–17. In 2015, un-ranked Stanford went into L.A. and left with a 41–31 win over No. 6 USC, with Stanford QBKevin Hogan playing the majority of the second half with a sprained ankle. USC leads the series 65–34–3.[123]
On October 30, 2023, theAtlantic Coast Conference (ACC) announced the future schedules for SMU for the 2024 season to 2030.[124] The 17-team ACC will play an eight-game conference schedule with just one division, with four non-conference contests. All 17 teams will play each other at least twice in 7 years, once at home and once on the road. The new scheduling model gives Stanford two protected games to play each year withCalifornia (rivalry) andSMU and rotate the remaining 14 teams each year.[125]
Announced schedules as of May 19, 2025.[126]
| 2025 | 2026 | 2027 | 2028 | 2029 | 2030 | 2031 | 2032 | 2033 | 2034 | 2035 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| atHawaii | Hawaii | atTCU | atFresno State | Fresno State | Hawaii | Vanderbilt | atVanderbilt | San Jose State | atSan Jose State | |
| atBYU | atSan Jose State | Vanderbilt | Portland State | William & Mary | ||||||
| San Jose State | atNotre Dame | San Jose State | ||||||||
| Notre Dame |
We predicted that STANFORD would beat NEBRASKA by from seven to ten points, and this game came home to us right – final score STANFORD 21 NEBRASKA 13. This game bore us out and thus made STANFORD NATIONAL FOOTBALL CHAMPIONS OF 1940. [...] No. 1 Stanford 45.06, No. 2 Minnesota 43.13, No 3. Boston College 43.0
The Pacific Coast intercollegiate football conference today decided upon assignment of the Schwabacher trophy, emblematic of the Coast championship. California and Stanford wil each hold the torphy for six months, a flip of the coin to determine which team shall have it first.
The Pacific coast conference football season ended last week with four teams, Southern California, Stanford, California, and Oregon tied for first place.
The 1929 football championship was officially designated a four-way tie between Oregon, California, Stanford and USC.
