Stanford football is back in the win column and hungry for more. After beating Elon 34-7 at home last week, the Cardinal host ACC rival NC State and are in desperate need of another conference win to even their record. 

Stanford is 3-4 on the season and needs to win three more games in order to be in consideration for a bowl game. The Cardinal last made an appearance in a bowl game in 2018, meaning each game is magnified for the rest of the season as the team looks to turn things around.

NC State, a program that went 8-5 last season and won the Gasparilla Bowl, has taken a little bit of a step back but is still a program capable of wreaking havoc.

The Cardinal enter this week as the underdogs, but are looking to come out firing in order to come away with the upset. Playing in front of its fans, the program wants to put its best foot forward and put on a show.

Can Stanford keep it going and win two in a row? Here is everything you need to know leading up to Stanford's matchup against the NC State Wolfpack.

When: Friday, Oct. 23, 7:30 p.m. (PT)

Where: Stanford Stadium, Stanford, CA.

How to Watch: ESPN

Spread: NC State (-7.5)

Moneyline: NC State (-278), Stanford (+225)

Total: O/U 55.5

*Betting odds provided by Vegas Insider and are used here as a reference point, not betting advice*

RB Micah Ford

Ford put together the best game of his career last week, carrying the ball 19 times for 179 yards and four touchdowns, earning the ACC Running Back of the Week honors for his performance.

Stanford's running game has been inconsistent, but the hope is that his big game gives him confidence to do that again against a better opponent in NC State. Running the ball well will be vital against this team, meaning Ford will get a lot of work this week.

Ford has 114 carries for 529 yards and eight touchdowns on the season. The Cardinal have not had a running back rush for 1,000 yards since Bryce Love in 2017, but Ford's current trajectory has him within striking distance of ending that drought. 

RB Sedrick Irvin

Irvin has been relegated to a rotational role with the emergence of Ford, but after last week, he may earn himself some significant action against the Wolfpack. Running the ball seven times for 21 yards and catching two passes for 37 yards and a touchdown, he added another layer to Stanford's offense. In a tough ACC, the more options the better.

Irvin has 43 carries for 168 yards this season, and while he has not played in large spurts, he has registered career highs in all rushing categories. The senior will look to contribute this week in what could prove to be a season-defining game. 

DB Jay Green

Green is one of the most experienced players in the program and is a key leader for the defense. Last week, he led the team in tackles and also recorded a tackle for loss, playing a big role in the outcome of the game.

Green is playing his best football since joining the Cardinal in 2024 and is proving himself to be an important player after two injury-plagued seasons.

Green has 43 tackles this season, and despite briefly going down with an injury against Elon, he played well all game. NC State will test Stanford's defensive backfield, making his presence this week that much more important.

QB CJ Bailey

Bailey is in his third season at NC State, bursting onto the scene in 2025 — when he threw for 3,105 yards, 25 touchdowns and nine interceptions.

He is playing at a high level yet again this season, currently at 1,507 yards, nine touchdowns and four interceptions and is coming off of a game where he threw for 241 yards and a touchdown. An elite dual-threat quarterback, he will give Stanford trouble this week if it isn't careful.

WR Keenan Jackson

Jackson has proven himself as Bailey's most reliable receiver and leads the NC State offense in receiving with 400 yards and five touchdown catches — all career highs.

Last week, in a 38-14 loss to Louisville, he caught five passes for 61 yards and has given defenses trouble all season long. The Cardinal have struggled in pass coverage this season, and with how good of a season Jackson is having, look for him to make big plays.

LB Popo Aguirre

Aguirre played a role in helping the Miami Hurricanes reach the national title game last season, where they fell to Indiana. Transferring to NC State at the start of this season, he has played his best football, totaling career highs in tackles (54) and forced fumbles (1) through six games.

Aguirre flies to the ball, especially when defending the run. Stanford will need to run the ball in this game to be successful, but Aguirre will certainly look to make things tough.

NC State 35, Stanford 17

Stanford did exactly what it needed to do last week by earning a blowout victory and regaining some confidence. NC State is a conference title contender most seasons, and even though it hasn't played like it this year, this matchup will still provide a challenge for the Cardinal. 

Still, Stanford has not shown that it can beat superior teams, and as things currently stand, NC State is the superior team right now.

This game could be more competitive in a lot of ways, but at the end of the day, the Wolfpack may be too much for a rebuilding Cardinal program to handle. Stanford will drop to 3-5 after this one and will head back to the drawing board.