Stanford Football

Stanford football is older than the university's first graduating class and its rivalry with Cal is one of the oldest in the West. The program has never been a giant in raw numbers. The stadium is smaller than those of most power programs and the student body is small. But on a fall Saturday the shaded groves around the stadium fill with tailgates and a crowd of tens of thousands heads for the bowl by El Camino Real.

This page covers the program's history, its move to the Atlantic Coast Conference, the 2026 season under a new head coach and the practical side of a game day. For the stadium itself, see our page on Stanford Stadium. For rules that cover every sport, such as bags and resale, start with our guide to Stanford sports and game days.

A short history

Stanford students organized a team within months of the university opening in 1891. The first game against Cal was played in San Francisco in March 1892, the start of the rivalry now called the Big Game. From 1906 to 1917 Stanford swapped American football for rugby, then returned to the gridiron for good after World War I. The stadium opened in 1921.

Stanford Athletics lists two national championships, for 1926 and 1940. It credits both to retroactive selectors, the Billingsley, Helms and Poling systems, rather than to a single poll of the time. The NCAA does not award an official national title at the top level of college football, so treat these as Stanford's own count.

The school's history page counts 15 conference championships. Eight came in the old Pacific Coast Conference, the last in 1951. Two came in the Pac-8 in 1970 and 1971, two in the Pac-10 in 1992 and 1999 and three in the Pac-12 in 2012, 2013 and 2015. That last run is the one many younger fans remember, with three Pac-12 titles in four seasons.

The ACC era

When the Pac-12 broke apart, Stanford joined the ACC in 2024 along with Cal and SMU. The football schedule changed overnight. Stanford now flies east for conference games in places like Durham, Winston-Salem and Blacksburg, while teams such as Miami, Georgia Tech and NC State make the trip to Palo Alto. Early kickoffs are part of the deal. In 2026 Stanford played at Wake Forest at 9 a.m. Pacific time.

The Big Game survived the move and now counts as an ACC game. Stanford won the 2025 meeting 31 to 10 at Stanford Stadium, taking back the Stanford Axe. The 129th Big Game is on Saturday, November 21, 2026, at California Memorial Stadium in Berkeley, according to Stanford's 2026 schedule. Our Big Game week guide covers the rivalry and its traditions in full.

After the 2025 season Stanford hired Tavita Pritchard, announced on November 28, 2025. He played quarterback at Stanford from 2006 to 2009, coached on the Stanford staff from 2010 to 2022 and came back from the Washington Commanders, where he coached quarterbacks. Stanford Report names him the program's 37th head coach. Andrew Luck, the former Stanford and NFL quarterback, serves as general manager.

The 2026 season

Pritchard's first team stood at 4 wins and 4 losses, 2 and 3 in the ACC, after a 31 to 28 home win over NC State on October 23. All four wins came at home, against Hawai'i, Georgia Tech, Elon and NC State. The one home loss was to Miami, then ranked seventh. The table shows what remained when this page was updated, from the schedule on gostanford.com.

Kickoff times for the last three games were listed as TBA. Television partners usually set them a week or two ahead, so wait before you book a dinner. The 2027 schedule had not been posted.

Tickets

Stanford sells its own tickets at tickets.gostanford.com. Single game tickets, season tickets, group tickets and hospitality packages are all sold there. Prices vary by opponent and section, so check the listing for each game.

• Mobile only. Load your tickets into your phone wallet before you leave home. They open without Wi-Fi or cell service. Screenshots are not accepted.
• Everyone needs one. A ticket is required for every fan older than 24 months.
• Students get in free to regular season home games with the Red Zone student pass.
• Ticket office. It is at Gate 2 of the stadium. It opens three hours before kickoff on game days and from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on weekdays. The phone number is 800-STANFORD.

For the Big Game in Berkeley, check Stanford Athletics first for any visiting fan allotment before turning to resale sites.

Game day at Stanford Stadium

Stanford's Gameday Central page sets the rules. The main points for a first visit:

1. Lots open five hours before kickoff. The exception is Lot 2, the El Camino Grove lot, which opens at 6 a.m. for its pass holders. You need a pass bought ahead or you pay on site, which is possible only at General Lots 7 and 8 and IM South Lot 4. Cash is not accepted.
2. Fan Fest is free. It opens three hours before kickoff and closes 30 minutes before, in the hammer throw area between Cobb Track and Nelson Road across from Gate 3. Expect live entertainment, kids activities and food for sale.
3. Gates for a Friday night game open 90 minutes before kickoff. Entry is through Gates 2, 4, 5, 10 and 12, with security screening at each.
4. Bags must follow the clear bag policy. Bag drops are at Sunken Diamond and near Gate 10.
5. Re-entry works at all gates until the end of the third quarter. Scan your ticket on the way out.

Inside the stadium

Concessions are cashless. Stanford lists Chick-fil-A in Section 118, Silva Sausage Co. in Sections 103 and 232 and Blue Line Pizza in Sections 115 and 128, plus grab-and-go stands behind Sections 103 and 213. Beer, wine and canned cocktails are sold until the end of the third quarter. Empty reusable hard plastic bottles of 32 ounces or less are now allowed. Motorized carts carry guests with limited mobility to Gate 4, starting 30 minutes before the gates open.

Tailgating

Fans can tailgate in any designated football lot once it opens. Stanford asks people in the Sunken Diamond lot not to take up extra spaces. Chuck Taylor Grove is the classic shady spot. For a set-up tailgate with tents and tables on Maloney Field or Avery Plaza, Stanford's partner is RevelXP.

Getting there

Caltrain's special Stanford station by the stadium will not open for 2026 football games. Ride to Palo Alto station instead and walk along Palm Drive, then left on Arboretum Road. Allow a little over 20 minutes. The free Marguerite shuttle runs main lines on weekdays only, so it does not help on a Saturday.

Waymo runs a game day drop-off and pick-up zone at the Oval. Our guide to robotaxis and rideshare explains how the service works in Palo Alto. If you drive, our Stanford parking and transit guide covers the traffic plan. After the game, everyone leaves at once, so a slow walk downtown for dinner often beats sitting in a lot.

Where to eat nearby

Town & Country Village faces the stadium across El Camino Real at Embarcadero Road. It is the closest spread of casual food, with Gott's Roadside, Howie's Artisan Pizza, Boichik Bagels, Manresa Bread and Sushi House among its tenants. It fills early on football Saturdays, so eat before the lots open or after the crowd thins. Our guide to eating at Town & Country lists the rest.

Downtown Palo Alto starts at the far end of Palm Drive, about a mile from the stadium. It has the most choice for a postgame dinner. Our guide to eating near Stanford sorts the options by distance. For Cardinal gear before kickoff, see gifts and Stanford souvenirs.

Frequently asked questions