With new faces leading the Cardinal, Stanford football (1-0, 0-0 ACC) kicked off the season with a Week 1 win for the first time since 2023. Facing Hawaii (0-1, 0-0 MW) in the opening week for the second-straight season, the Cardinal got the best of the Rainbow Warriors in a rollercoaster 37-27 game.
It was a strong showing from sixth-year quarterback Davis Warren, in his debut as a Cardinal after transferring from Michigan in the off-season. Warren was sharp in the pocket, completing 22 of 34 passes en route to 310 yards and one touchdown reception. Like many Stanford quarterbacks in recent years, Warren was an effective scrambler, tallying 31 rush yards.
The ground attack was anchored by a stellar performance from junior Micah Ford. Ford, who had an up-and-down year dealing with injuries last season, is looking as healthy as ever. The New Jersey native ran for 99 yards on 25 carries, finding the end zone three times.
“It kind of set the standard for my season,” Ford said. “At the end of the day, there’s definitely stuff I could have done better out there on that field, but I’m just happy my team was able to walk out of there with the win.”
His final score of the game came in a crucial spot. Stanford, after blowing a 16-point lead, found themselves down 23-27 with under two minutes left in the game. Ford, who had been great in short-yardage situations all game, plowed through the Hawaii defense for the two-yard touchdown. Ford became the first Cardinal player to record 90+ rushing yards and three touchdowns in a game since Bryce Love ’19 accomplished the feat in 2017.
“It means a lot,” Ford said about notching the achievement. “Obviously Bryce was a great running back here. Heisman runner-up, things of that sort. Just honored to be in a conversation with him.”
Despite the heroics of Warren and Ford, Hawaii still had the chance to retake the lead in the final minute. The Stanford defense stepped up, however, forcing a fumble by Hawaii quarterback Micah Alejado. The fumble was scooped up by fifth-year outside linebacker Tevarua Tafiti, who returned it 31 yards for a touchdown that put the game away. Saturday night marked the second time Tafiti has recorded a touchdown in his career on The Farm. Tafiti, a Hawaii native, had plenty of fans cheering him on as he sealed the win.
“I had my parents, my sister, and my uncle and my pops [at the game],” Tafiti said. “I had a lot of high school teammates on the other team. I love seeing them.”
Alongside Warren, head coach Tavita Pritchard enjoyed a successful debut. The former Stanford quarterback hinted after the game that nerves played a role in the final quarter.
“We all knew coming out here for Game 1 together, there were going to be nerves,” Pritchard said. “It reminds you you’re alive, and it reminds you that you care, and our guys care. They take it very seriously, and they put a lot into this.”
Stanford pushed through those nerves and scored the most points in a game since a 38-35 win against Louisville in 2024. The Cardinal cannot take too long to celebrate the win, as they are in the middle of a short week ahead of welcoming No. 7 Miami on Friday.
“We know that we’re going to have to move on pretty quickly from this,” Pritchard said. “Miami is a formidable opponent and one that’s going to get our full attention.”
The Hurricanes, coming off of an NCAA championship game appearance last year, will be tough challengers for a Stanford squad looking to open the season with back-to-back wins for the first time since 2018. Kickoff is scheduled for 6 p.m. on Friday.