A new era starts early on The Farm: Tavita Pritchard’s first game as Stanford’s head coach comes in Week 0, against Hawaii on Saturday, August 29 at Stanford Stadium — and his second, six days later, is a Friday-night visit from No. 7 Miami. The former Stanford quarterback inherits a program that hasn’t reached a bowl since 2018, with Andrew Luck running the front office and a schedule that mixes winnable home dates with the Notre Dame rivalry trip and the Big Game in Berkeley.
Kickoff times for most ACC games are announced 6-12 days out based on TV selections, so check back weekly — this page is updated as times, networks, and results come in.
Games That Will Decide Stanford’s Season
| Sept 4 vs Miami | A top-10 opponent under the Friday lights in game two of the Pritchard era. Nobody expects a win — which is exactly why one would announce the rebuild is ahead of schedule. |
| Oct 10 at Notre Dame | The rivalry trip to South Bend on NBC — the old Legends Trophy series against a top-five Irish team. |
| Oct 17 vs Elon | The scheduled win. Stanford swapped San Jose State out for FCS Elon specifically to build a bowl path — this is the kind of game a six-win season is made of. |
| Nov 21 at California | The 129th Big Game, in Berkeley. Whatever the records say, the Axe defines the year on The Farm. |
How the Schedule Sets Up
The opening fortnight is a study in contrasts — Hawaii, then Miami — before a bye and the September road swing begin the ACC grind. The middle offers real footholds: Elon at home, NC State on a Friday night, and a November bye before the closing three. If Pritchard’s team can bank the home dates and steal one on the road, the SMU finale could arrive with bowl eligibility on the line; here’s how the College Football Playoff works for the version of this season Stanford fans dare to dream about. The FBS landscape is governed by the NCAA.
The Bottom Line
A Week 0 launch, a Friday-night Miami test, the South Bend rivalry trip, and the Big Game in Berkeley — Stanford’s 2026 schedule gives a first-year coach both a runway and a proving ground. Bookmark this page — times, networks, and results are updated throughout the season.