Stanford basketball is nearly back, with the regular season set to tip off on Monday, November 2. Falling short of its goal of reaching the NCAA tournament for the first time since the 2013-14 campaign, the program is ready to roll this season and prove that it has what it takes to finally get over that hump.

Bringing in a lot of big-name freshmen such as forward Aziz Olajuwon, guards Isaiah Rogers, Elias Obenyah and Julius Price, the Cardinal could make this the season they return to the madness of March. Stanford will be tested in a lot of ways this season and have plenty of opportunities to make statements. 

Here are the biggest games on their schedule this season to do just that.

Stanford faces the Aggies in the SEC/ACC Challenge, their first test against a top-tier Power Four school. The Aggies made the NCAA tournament last season in their first year under head coach Bucky McMillan. Expect the Aggies to take another step forward in 2026-27.

The SEC is arguably the best conference in college sports historically, so if the Cardinal can pull off a win in this one, it could provide the perfect chance for them to see where they are.

Virginia took the college basketball world by storm last season, finishing 30-6 overall and second in the ACC en route to earning a spot in the NCAA tournament. The most impressive part about the run was that they did it with a new head coach and a roster that was not expected to be as good as it turned out to be. 

Now they return several key players and are looking to go on an even deeper March Madness run. If Stanford can show up against the Cavaliers, it is the type of game that would give the program a massive momentum boost.

Duke is a top team in college basketball year in and year out. The Blue Devils only lost three games last season and made it to the Elite Eight in the NCAA tournament, led by highly touted freshman Cameron Boozer.

This season, Duke could be even better, landing several five-star recruits such as forward Cameron Williams, center Joaquin Boumtje-Boumtje and guard Deron Rippey Jr. Facing the Blue Devils on the road is difficult for any team, especially an up-and-coming program like Stanford.

A win in this game, or a competitive battle, could change the trajectory of the season. And for the Cardinal, this game is one they definitely want.

North Carolina is a historic program. A six-time NCAA tournament champion, North Carolina has produced some of the greatest basketball players to ever live, with the most notable obviously being Michael Jordan.

But in recent seasons, aside from an NCAA tournament runner-up finish in 2022, the program has struggled to reclaim its former glory. NBA champion head coach Michael Malone has taken over and is tasked with instilling new life into the program.

Stanford faces the Tar Heels in Chapel Hill, an extremely tough place to play, but this game can help the Cardinal see how far along they are in their own rebuild.

Syracuse, another historic college basketball powerhouse, enters a new era of its own but is still the type of program that can get going at any moment. Led by first-year head coach Gerry McNamara, the Orange are ready to turn things around and will play with a massive chip on their shoulder this season.

The Cardinal match up with them fairly well, and in a game where both teams are in a similar boat, picking up a win could bode well for the overall trajectory of both the season and the program. Playing Syracuse at home helps, and in this game, a good crowd turnout could be the difference.