Stanford Hosts Virginia Tech For First-Ever ACC Matchup on The Farm – Stanford Cardinal

The Opening Kickoff

• Stanford returns to Stanford Stadium on Saturday afternoon for its first ACC home game. The Cardinal takes on Virginia Tech at 12:30 pm on ACC Network.

• The Cardinal enters the game 1-1 in ACC play after opening up with consecutive conference games on the road. Stanford won its inaugural road game 26- 24 at Syracuse on Sept. 20 but fell 40-14 at No. 17 Clemson eight days later on Sept. 28.

• Defense has been the reason for the strong start to the 2024 campaign. Last year, the Cardinal defense allowed 461.7 yards per game, the most in program history. This season, they are limiting opponents to just 364.0 yards per game, and have recorded six turnovers.

• A theme of Stanford in wins under Coach Taylor has been the Card’s ability to stop the run. Stanford is allowing an average of just 36.4 rushing yards per game to opponents in wins since the start of the 2023 season, or 182 yards in five games. Through five weeks of the 2024 season, Stanford’s run defense ranks eighth in FBS and leads the ACC, allowing just 76.3 rushing yards per game.

• Freshman running back Micah Ford has drawn every start in 2024 and had his first breakout game last week against No. 17 Clemson. Ford ran for 122 yards on 15 carries, becoming the first Cardinal running back to eclipse the 100 yard-mark since Casey Filkins on Sept. 24, 2022 against No. 18 Washington. He also became the first freshman running back to run for over 100 yards for the Card since Kenneth Tolon on Nov. 24, 2001 against Notre Dame.

• Another freshman with a strong performance last Saturday against the Tigers was wide receiver Emmett Mosley V. Making his first collegiate appearance and start, Mosley touched the ball on the first two plays from scrimmage. He finished the game with seven receptions to pace Stanford and caught a 22-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter.

• Saturday, the Stanford community hosts its first Festival of Champions, honoring what makes Stanford a truly one-of-a-kind place. The Cardinal will honor Toby Gerhart prior to his upcoming induction into the NFF Hall of Fame, as well as honor the 2009 Sun Bowl and 2010 Orange Bowl teams. Several 2024 Paris Olympians will be returning to campus as well.