A Friday night home game against Miami in Week 2. A road trip to Notre Dame under the lights in October. And three separate late-night ESPN kickoffs at home before Thanksgiving. The 2026 Stanford Football Schedule front-loads national attention and never really lets up on the late-kickoff pattern. Stanford Cardinal football opens with a pair of high-profile home games, then faces a demanding mix of cross-country travel and late-night ACC contests. Here is the complete 2026 Stanford Football Schedule with dates, locations, times and television information.
2026 Stanford Football Schedule
| Date | Logo | Opponent | Time | Tickets |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Saturday | vs Hawaii Rainbow WarriorsStanford Stadium, Stanford, CA | 7:00 PM ETACCN | Win 37-27 | |
| Friday | vs Miami (FL) HurricanesStanford Stadium, Stanford, CA | 9:00 PM ETESPN | Loss 45-6 | |
| Saturday | OFF | |||
| Saturday | at Duke Blue DevilsWallace Wade Stadium, Durham, NC | 4:00 PM ETThe CW | Loss 35-7 | |
| Saturday | vs Georgia Tech Yellow JacketsStanford Stadium, Stanford, CA | 10:30 PM ETESPN | Win 34-27 | |
| Saturday | at Wake Forest Demon DeaconsAllegacy Stadium, Winston-Salem, NC | 12:00 PM ETACCN | Loss 57-3 | |
| Saturday | at Notre Dame Fighting IrishNotre Dame Stadium, Notre Dame, IN | 3:30 PM ETNBC/Peacock | Loss 58-7 | |
| Saturday | vs Elon PhoenixStanford Stadium, Stanford, CA | 7:30 PM ETACCNX | Homecoming | |
| Friday | vs NC State WolfpackStanford Stadium, Stanford, CA | 10:30 PM ETESPN | ||
| Saturday | at Louisville CardinalsL&N Stadium, Louisville, KY | Time TBA ETTV TBA | ||
| Saturday | OFF | |||
| Saturday | at Virginia Tech HokiesLane Stadium, Blacksburg, VA | Time TBA ETTV TBA | ||
| Saturday | at California Golden BearsCalifornia Memorial Stadium, Berkeley, CA | Time TBA ETTV TBA | ||
| Saturday | vs SMU MustangsStanford Stadium, Stanford, CA | Time TBA ETTV TBA | ||
| Saturday | vs ACC ChampionshipBank of America Stadium, Charlotte, NC | 12:00 PM ETABC |
Last updated
Early National Spotlight at Home
Hawaii, then Miami under the lights
- Hawaii at home
- Miami on a Friday night
- Bye week
The Stanford Football Schedule opens with Hawaii before Miami visits for a 9:00 p.m. ET showdown. That early home stand against Miami sets a high bar.
Cross-Country Travel and Late-Night Returns
Duke on the road, Georgia Tech late, Wake Forest away
- Duke in Durham
- Georgia Tech at 10:30 p.m. ET
- Wake Forest on the road
A trip to Duke opens the second half of September. Georgia Tech then visits for the first of several late-night home dates that define the Stanford ACC schedule 2026.
Notre Dame Road Test and Homecoming
Stanford vs Notre Dame 2026, then Elon and NC State
- Notre Dame in South Bend
- Elon for Homecoming
- NC State at 10:30 p.m. ET
Stanford vs Notre Dame 2026 arrives October 10. Elon provides a Homecoming bounce-back before NC State visits for another late-night kickoff.
Road-Heavy Finish After the Second Bye
Louisville, Virginia Tech, California, then SMU at home
- Louisville on the road
- Bye week
- Virginia Tech on the road
- California on the road
- SMU at home
A bye on November 7 sets up three consecutive true road games before the regular season closes at home against SMU.
Stanford Football Home Games 2026
Six home dates at Stanford Stadium:
- Hawaii
- Miami
- Georgia Tech
- Elon
- NC State
- SMU
The 2026 Stanford Football Schedule mixes early national exposure with repeated late-night kickoffs and a heavy late-season travel load. How the Cardinal handle the Friday night Miami game, the road trip to Notre Dame, and the closing stretch through Louisville, Virginia Tech and California will shape the entire year.
FAQ
When does Stanford football play its first game in 2026?
Stanford opens the 2026 Stanford Football Schedule at home against Hawaii on Saturday, August 29, at Stanford Stadium.
When is Stanford vs Notre Dame 2026?
Stanford vs Notre Dame 2026 is set for Saturday, October 10, on the road at Notre Dame Stadium, kickoff at 3:30 p.m. ET on NBC/Peacock.
How many home games does Stanford play in 2026?
Stanford has six Stanford football home games in 2026 at Stanford Stadium: Hawaii, Miami, Georgia Tech, Elon, NC State and SMU.
What is Stanford’s toughest stretch on the 2026 schedule?
The closing run from Louisville (road) through Virginia Tech (road) and California (road) — October 31 through November 21 — ranks as the toughest travel stretch on the Stanford ACC schedule 2026, alongside the October 10 road trip to Notre Dame.
