Following a tough go of things against SMU, the Cardinal returned home to face Florida State in a game that Stanford desperately needed to win. Putting together their gutsiest performance of the season, the Cardinal earned the win to get back into the win column, giving themselves a big boost of confidence ahead of another tough test against No. 9 Miami.
The Hurricanes are a whole different beast. Entering the season with major national title hopes, they have played like a powerhouse for a majority of the season. While Stanford was busy upsetting FSU, Miami was getting upset by Louisville this weekend, giving the ‘Canes their first blemish of the 2025 season.
Needing to redeem themselves to keep their playoff hopes alive, Miami will be hungry to avoid a second loss in as many weeks, and will look to play its best brand of football. Playing in a hostile environment against a tough team like Miami, Stanford will be in for a arguably their biggest challenge of the season this week.
As is the case each and every week, interim head coach Frank Reich spoke with the media to discuss the state of affairs heading into gameday. Here are the top takeaways from Reich’s press conference.
Oct 18, 2025; Stanford, California, USA; Stanford Cardinal safety Omari Gaines (17) and defensive back Sam Neely III (28) celebrate after a victory over Florida State Seminoles at Stanford Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Stan Szeto-Imagn Images / Stan Szeto-Imagn Images
Heading into the game against Florida State, the Cardinal were sitting at 2-4 with their hopes of contending for a bowl game hanging by a thread. With tough games against teams such as Miami and Notre Dame left, a loss would have essentially put an end to any bowl aspirations for this season.
After beating Florida State in upset fashion in front of their home crowd and matching their win total from the previous four seasons, momentum is back on the Cardinal’s side as they approach a very tough game against Miami.
In fact, by beating a team like Florida State, the Cardinal have set a new tone for their season and have much higher expectations for themselves as they gear up for the back half of their schedule.
“Each week is an opportunity for us as a team to gain confidence in what we’re doing in all three phases and how we’re growing and maturing as a team,” Reich said.
“Obviously, having a home victory against a team of the caliber of Florida State is a good next step for us to prove that we can do it against a team of that talent and caliber level. Well coached and certainly a lot of talent. So it was a big step for us.”
Nothing comes easy in football, and while their record may not jump off the page, the Cardinal have shown immense growth in 2025 and are looking like a program that deserves a lot more respect on their name as they aim to create sustainable success for the future. That starts with playing a good game against a top ranked team such as Miami.
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
At the start of the season, the Cardinal named Ben Gulbranson as the team’s starting quarterback. And with guys like Elijah Brown on the roster, who was the expected starter heading into training camp, the decision came as a bit of a surprise.
Even though Gulbranson struggled to start the season, the last few weeks have seen him find his form and prove why he won the job. But after getting injured against Florida State, Brown got the chance to play in the second half, and played fairly well in Gulbranson’s place.
Despite Gulbranson’s strong performances lately, Brown’s pedigree as a recruit and strong performance against Florida State could mean that a quarterback controversy is brewing on The Farm—especially if Stanford truly views him as the future of the program.
“Yeah, he did a really good job,” Reich said on Brown. “The big thing is just play to play and don’t try to be a superstar, don’t try to be a hero. Just do what the play is called for, let your teammate shine, and just stick to the script.
“And he did that well. He had the one nice deep ball to CJ [Williams], that was a big play on that 15 play drive. So I thought that drive really showed a lot about him, to be able to come in and handle that drive and lead the team.”
Gulbranson was carted off the field and did not return to the contest, and while there have been no official updates on the severity of his injury, there are always serious concerns whenever a cart is brought out. The Cardinal hope that Gulbranson can come back, but with Brown playing as well as he did, the team can afford to be patient and wait for Gulbranson to be 100%.
Oct 18, 2025; Stanford, California, USA; Stanford Cardinal running back Cole Tabb (33) runs with the football during the first quarter against the Florida State Seminoles at Stanford Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Stan Szeto-Imagn Images / Stan Szeto-Imagn Images
Entering the season, the running back room was deemed a major bright spot on paper for Stanford. Having Micah Ford, Chris Davis Jr., Sedrick Irvin and Cole Tabb, the Cardinal have plenty of depth at that position.
And while Ford and Irvin started the season off taking most of the carries, Tabb has emerged as a workhorse over the last couple of weeks, putting together the best performance of his career in the win over Florida State. He accrued 28 carries for 107 yards and a score in the win after Micah Ford was helped off the field in the second quarter.
Because of his big game, he earned ACC Running Back of the Week and ACC Rookie of the Week honors.
Stanford may be loaded at running back, but Tabb’s recent run of success makes it hard to keep him off the field, and could definitely bring up the question of him being the starting running back for the rest of the season.
“He’s a great player, he’s worked very hard,” Reich said. “Cole has great vision, he has good contact balance, very poised runner. He understands the game at a high level, but there’s also a lot of work put in by the whole offense.
“I really felt like the offensive line play last week against a good defensive opponent was improved from the week before and took a step in the right direction. Our receivers continue to be aggressive and show up in the run game to help for those yards.”
“The other thing and why Cole is so deserving of the award that he got this week, is there were a lot of yards after contact in there,” Reich added. “He showed that power to move the pile but also showed speed to get around the edge, and that’s a rare combination.”
Tabb is only a redshirt freshman, and with three years of eligibility still remaining, Stanford can be very confident knowing that they have a guy like Tabb to rely on in big moments for years to come.
Oct 17, 2025; Miami Gardens, Florida, USA; Miami Hurricanes quarterback Carson Beck (11) throws the football against the Louisville Cardinals during the second quarter at Hard Rock Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images / Sam Navarro-Imagn Images
Arguably the biggest name to hit the transfer portal after last season, Carson Beck joins Miami after a disappointing end to his career at Georgia and is looking to find the form that made him a household name.
Despite a rough game last week in a 24-21 loss to Louisville where he threw four interceptions, Beck has all in all had a dominant season thus far and has Miami playing like a national title contender.
Even though the Cardinal have had success when going up against more traditional pocket passers like Beck, his talent is elite and Stanford’s defense will need to play its best brand of football in order to stop him.
“He’s an excellent player and has had a really great season,” Reich said. “I know as a quarterback, sometimes it happens, and sometimes when you throw an interception, they come in bunches… I imagine he’s put that game behind him and is looking forward to getting back on track.
“And to me, the way you get back on track is the way every team gets back on track—go back to the basics. Gain your confidence back, play by play, because I’ve seen the very best quarterbacks in the world have very bad days and bounce back the next week.
“So I expect he’ll be of that same mindset, and you know, it’ll be our defense’s challenge to try to contain him and keep him down.”
Beck is a star and will get looks from NFL teams. If Stanford is able to contain a guy like him and leave Hard Rock Stadium with a win, it will say a lot about how far the Cardinal have come as a program in such a short amount of time.
Sep 13, 2025; Stanford, California, USA; Stanford Cardinal cornerback Collin Wright (6) during the fourth quarter against the Boston College Eagles at Stanford Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images / Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images
Stanford pulled off a miracle this week by beating a big name team like Florida State and gave themselves a massive boost of momentum in the process. But in the midst of all the excitement from the win, there was also some concern over the severity of the injuries sustained by a number of Stanford’s key players in the game.
Gulbranson was carted off late in the first half with what appeared to be a lower body injury following a big hit and did not return. Cornerback Collin Wright, who was a game time decision with an injury, had to leave the game right before the half as well. Running back Micah Ford was also helped off the field in the second quarter.
But Reich did not definitively rule them out ahead of the game against Miami, which could be a positive sign when it comes to the seriousness of their ailments.
“I don’t have anything for you at this time,” Reich said. “If I have something, I’m not afraid to give it to you guys. But as of right now, I’m really not prepared with anything.”
Stanford hopes to be fully healthy when they arrive in Florida this weekend, and while nothing is known yet, Reich’s refusal to deem anybody unfit to play could be a good sign for a team looking to shock the world this weekend.