Previewing Stanford Football's Matchup Against Hawaii

When Gulbranson transferred from Oregon State to Stanford for his sixth and final season of eligibility, it was expected that he would face an uphill battle to win the starting job.

But putting together a strong training camp and taking command of interim head coach Frank Reich's pro-style offense, Gulbranson won the job and earned the right to lead the team in and out of the huddle.

While serving mostly as a backup for the Beavers, Gulbranson's lone season as a starter in 2022 showed a lot of promise, with him completing 121/194 of his pass attempts for 1,455 yards, nine touchdowns and five interceptions and going 7-1 as the starter. Now back in the starter role, Gulbranson will lo ok to show that he has what it takes to help Stanford improve.

Tevarua Tafiti, EDGE

This week is a big one for Tafiti in a variety of ways. Not only is he returning to his native Hawaii and will serve as a game captain, but it will also be his first chance to show that he has what it takes to make up for the program's loss of David Bailey.

Bailey, who led the Cardinal in sacks for two straight years, left for Texas Tech, leaving Tafiti as the marquee pass rusher at Stanford. Recording 3.5 sacks and two forced fumbles last season, Tafiti showed immense promise, but with a bigger role expected to be on ledger this season, he will look to build off of that.

If Tafiti can break out and the Cardinal defense is good at getting to the quarterback, then things could go a lot better in Palo Alto than expected this season.

CJ Williams, WR

Williams may be the most important transfer that the Cardinal signed all offseason. Losing a lot of key receivers to both the portal and the NFL draft, most notably Elic Ayomanor, Emmett Mosley V, Ismael Cisse and Tiger Bachmeier, the Cardinal are returning only one catch from their wide receivers last season, and have a lot of questions surrounding their wide receiver room.

But Williams, who served as a key depth piece for Wisconsin the last two seasons, has the chance to be the team's top pass catching option out of the gate--especially with guys like JonAnthony Hall nursing an injury. Providing weapons for Gulbranson is key, and if Williams can be that guy, then Stanford's offense could cause problems for opponents.

Players to Watch - Hawaii

Micah Alejado, QB

The starting quarterback for Hawaii's season finale against New Mexico last season, Alejado entered his sophomore season on a mission and earned the starting job after putting together consistent performances in practice.

In his lone start last year, Alejado was superb, completing 37/57 of his passes for 469 yards and five touchdowns in a 38-30 win. Alejado has a high ceiling, and if Stanford is not careful, he could cause some serious issues for the defense and exploit their weaknesses.

Jackson Harris, WR

Now here is a guy that Stanford fans are all too familiar with. A native of Berkeley, Harris spent the first two seasons of his college career at Stanford, but after getting limited playing time, Harris opted to transf er to Hawaii, where he is now set to serve as one of the starting receivers.

In two seasons with Stanford, Harris recorded only six catches for 86 yards and a touchdown but despite his limited usage, showed flashes of his potential. Now expected to be a big component of the Hawaii offense, expect Harris to come out fast and hungry in the first game of the season--especially since it's against his former team.

Lesterlaisene Lagafuaina, EDGE

Stanford's offensive line will have its work cut out for them this weekend, and a big reason for that is the team having to go up against Lagafuaina. A depth piece as a freshman last season, Lagafuaina is a major breakout candidate this season.

Recording two sacks in 2024, Lagafuaina is expected to take on an even bigger role this season and be a headlining player on Hawaii's defense. Defense will be key for Hawaii this season and Lagafuaina will be relied on heavily to ensu re success on that side of the ball by applying pressure to the quarterback.

For Stanford, containing him and preventing him from breaking through the line will be crucial if Stanford wants its offense to move the ball well.

By the Numbers

5 - number of meetings between the two schools

For only the fifth time in either school's history, Stanford and Hawaii will face off. And for the second time in three years, the two schools will face off to begin and season, with Stanford heading to the islands once again. In their last meeting on Sept. 1, 2023, the Cardinal started off their season with a 37-24 win over the Rainbow Warriors, kicking off the Troy Taylor era on a high note.

-5 - number of net total rushing yards Stanford held Hawaii to in their last meeting

Stanford struggled mightily in 2023, but during its win over Hawaii, the defense had one of its best games. Holding Hawaii to a net total of -5 rushing yards, it was the fewest that Stanford had allowed in a game since 2014. It was also the fewest rushing yards allowed in a n on-conference road game since 2003 when they played a game against Colorado.

1950 - last time that Stanford scored 70 points in a game

The last time Stanford's offense scored 70 points in a single game, it was against Hawaii in the 1950 Pineapple Bowl. In that game, Stanford won 74-20 and remains the third-most points a Stanford team has ever scored in a game.

Score Prediction

Stanford 24, Hawaii 23

Hawaii is a hungry team this season and will waste no time in setting the tone for 2025. Finishing 5-7 in Timmy Chang's third season as the head coach, it is clear that Hawaii is on the upward trajectory and are showing the college football world that they are ready to compete for a Mounta in West Conference title, even with teams like Boise State still in the mix.

But even when you look at the Mountain West as a whole, it is hard to compare them to the ACC. Stanford may be lower on the totem pole in their own conference, but a new regime led by Andrew Luck and Frank Reich have made it clear all offseason long that despite the circumstances, the program is ready to surprise people.

A tough schedule may make it hard for a rebuilding program like the Cardinal to make any real noise, but this matchup against Hawaii could go their way if they play a good brand of football.

• Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change. 
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