BYU Football had a heck of a time against Portland State. The Cougars now turn their focus to the first FBS opponent of the year: Stanford. The Cardinal lost to Hawai'i in Week Zero on a field goal. The game came down to the wire, and Stanford seemed to struggle.
Opponent Data - Stanford University
Stanford plays at Stanford Stadium in Stanford, California. They compete in the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC). Their mascot is the Cardinal. Their 2025 record is 0-1. They are 2-1 overall against BYU, and the last meeting ended 35-26 in favor of BYU. The Cardinal finished sixteenth in the ACC last year.
Of course, there is more to the story in this game. BYU's starting quarterback, Bear Bachmier, and his brother, Tiger, played spring ball at Stanford and most likely have connections to the Cardinal. Both players need to put their emotions aside and focus on football. This is a big game for the Bachmier brothers to prove themselves and show why they made the right choice in transferring to BYU.
Stanford is a struggling program with a 2024 record of 3-9. BYU will have some comfort in this game, but not quite as much as with Portland State. BYU will need to stay vigilant; Stanford is a tougher opponent than Portland State, and while they have struggled, they still have some weapons. Quarterback Ben Gulbranson had 109 yards passing, and running back Micah Ford had 113 rushing yards against the Rainbow Warriors.
BYU should be in for a good game. I expect it to be more difficult for the Cougars this time, but it should still be fairly straightforward. BYU is the favorite, and this game is a chance for some of the newer players to prove themselves. Anything can happen, and the Cougars are ready.