The Opening Kickoff
- Stanford football hosts Florida State on Saturday night under the lights of Stanford Stadium. Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m. PT on ESPN.
- Saturday is Reunion Homecoming on The Farm. The Stanford community will be celebrating graduation classes that end in 0s and 5s (2020, 2015, etc.)
- This is the first time Stanford and Florida State have met on the gridiron. Next week's game against No. 2 Miami will also be a first-time matchup for the Cardinal. The only program Stanford has played from the state of Florida is UCF, with meetings in 2015 (31-7 win) and 2019 (45-27 loss).
- Stanford lost to SMU following its bye week, falling 34-10 to the Mustangs. The game was closer than the final score indicated. Stanford had a fourth-quarter touchdown taken off the board by penalty that would have made it a seven-point game. Three plays later, Justin Medlock intercepted Ben Gulbranson and returned it for a touchdown.
- The interception by Gulbranson snapped a streak of 122 consecutive passes by Stanford's starting quarterback without an interception, the longest of his career. Despite throwing four interceptions this season, none of those have come at home, where Stanford plays this weekend. In two home games, Gulbranson is completing 64.6% of his passes for 630 yards and three touchdowns, helping Stanford to a 2-0 start at Stanford Stadium.
- CJ Williams is developing into one of the best wide receivers in the ACC. In his first year on The Farm after transferring from Wisconsin, Williams leads the team in receptions (35) and receiving yards (404). Most of that damage has come in the last three games. Since week four, Williams has 27 catches for 342 yards and his first Stanford touchdown. He ranks first in the ACC in receptions and second in yards during that span.
- Stanford's defense has allowed the third-most trips to the red zone of any team in the country (30), but is tied for ninth in opponents' red zone touchdown percentage (40%). That mark is tied with SMU for second-best in the ACC behind North Carolina.
- The Cardinal is attempting to start a season 3-0 at home for the first time since 2018. A win would push Stanford's home winning streak to four games, the team's longest since 2016-18 (11 games).