Miami and Notre Dame will headline Stanford Football's 2026 schedule as the Cardinal look to kickstart their rebuild under Tavita Pritchard
Stanford football's season is approaching, and now we have an idea of what time the Cardinal will step out onto the field for a couple of their contests. The ACC has provided the Cardinal kickoff times for two of their games in the 2026 season — their home matchup against Miami in week 2 and their road matchup against Notre Dame in week 7.
Set to take on Miami at 6 p.m. (PT) on ESPN, the Cardinal will be in for a tough test in only their second game of the season at Stanford Stadium against the reigning national runners-up in an early-season conference game.
The Hurricanes, despite losing several key pieces from last year's team, had a productive offseason by adding talent to fill those voids and should once again be one of college football's top programs.
Key additions for the Hurricanes this season include transfers quarterback Darian Mensah (Duke) and edge rusher Damon Wilson (Georgia) while adding big-name freshmen headlined by five-star offensive tackle Jackson Cantwell. The Hurricanes will look different, but should possess a deep roster in 2026.
Later in the season, the Cardinal will travel to South Bend, Indiana to face Notre Dame at 12:30 p.m. (PT) on NBC. The Fighting Irish, who controversially missed the College Football Playoff last season despite finishing 10-2, lost a number of stars this offseason, including the running back tandem of Jeremiyah Love and Jadarian Price along with wide receiver Malachi Fields. All three were selected in the first three rounds of the NFL Draft.
Notre Dame knows how to recruit as well as attract the attention of transfers, so once again, they will be a measuring-stick program for Stanford in 2026 as the Cardinal continue their rebuild under first-year head coach Tavita Pritchard.
A well-respected football mind who made his mark during his time in the NFL with the Washington Commanders, Pritchard has already managed to change the culture on the Farm and has brought in several big-name players for the Cardinal, including quarterback Davis Warren, a transfer from Michigan.
While expected to deal with growing pains this season, the Cardinal could be in for a major resurgence that sets the tone for the future. These two games will provide an idea of where the program is and how far they still have to go to reach their ultimate goal of competing in the College Football Playoff.
The rest of the season's kickoff times will be revealed at a later date, but the full schedule of opponents and game dates has been confirmed. Eager to build on a 4-8 campaign in 2025, the Cardinal will begin 2026 at home against Hawaii, wanting revenge against a program that upset them 23-20 on the road in week 0 last year.