Football Faces First Road Test of the 2026 Season at Duke

The Opening Kickoff

• Stanford football heads east for the first time this season as it takes on Duke at Wallace Wade Stadium on Sept. 19. Kickoff is scheduled for 1 p.m. PT on The CW. 
• This is the first road game of 2026 after two home games to begin the campaign. Stanford is attempting to snap an 11-game losing streak away from home, the longest such streak in program history. Stanford's last road win came in its first-ever ACC game, at Syracuse on Sept. 20, 2024.
• After playing Duke this weekend, Stanford will have faced every team in the ACC during conference play except Georgia Tech. The Cardinal and Yellow Jackets play next week at Stanford Stadium.
• Through two games, Stanford has not turned the ball over and is +2 in the turnover margin. The last time Stanford went consecutive games without turning the ball over was in the middle of the 2023 season. Stanford last opened a season with two straight games without a turnover in 2017. The Cardinal is one of four teams in the ACC and one of 20 FBS teams without a turnover heading into Week 3.
• Micah Ford has been a bell cow back for the Cardinal through two weeks and ranks among some of the best rushers in the ACC. His three rushing touchdowns are one shy of the ACC lead by running backs, and his 36 carries are tied for third most in the league.\
• One of the best linebackers in the country is off to a hot start in 2026. Fifth-year linebacker Matt Rose is second in the ACC in tackles with 21, trailing only Anthony Palano of Boston College. He finished 2025 in the top 25 in total tackles and is actively tied for 20th in college football. He had 12 tackles in Stanford's most recent game against Miami.
• Charlie Eckhardt blocked a punt that resulted in a safety during Stanford's win over Hawai'i and added an interception in the fourth quarter against No. 7 Miami. Through Week 2 of the 2026 season, he is the only player in the country with a blocked punt and an interception.
• Stanford has won both its previous matchups at Wallace Wade Stadium, including a 44-14 rout in 2011 with Andrew Luck at the helm of Stanford's offense. The Cardinal has won its last three games against Duke, going back to 1972.