How Will Stanford's Three Main Men's Sports Fare Next Season?

The 2025 collegiate athletic season is just around the corner, and the Stanford Cardinal are attempting to take a step forward with all three of their main men's programs in 2025-26. In football, basketball, and baseball, the Cardinal had success as well as struggles, which has seemed to be the overarching theme of Stanford athletics over the past few seasons.

However, through offseason success, coaching changes, and breakout candidates, we might have a chance to see more success in Palo Alto in 2025. Let’s give a quick preview for each team along with a way-too-early record prediction.

Stanford Football

Stanford has had a tough stretch this decade, going 3-9 four straight years. However, the Cardinal changed up their coaching staff, adding Frank Reich and Andrew Luck to captain the program. They also added tons of depth offensively, specifically at the quarterback and wide receiver positions. With one of the best rates of defensive returning production in the country, Stanford could compete for a bowl game in 2025, if things break right.

Their schedule has tough games such as Miami, SMU, and Notre Dame, but winnable ones against Hawaii, Virginia, Pitt, Cal, and San Jose State. It is also foolish to count the Cardinal out of any game, considering some of their incredible upsets in past years, even as the program has struggled.

Prediction: 5-7

Basketball

Stanford’s offseason may be overlooked considering the losses of Maxime Raynaud, Jaylen Blakes, and Oziyah Sellers, but you could also argue the other way around.

Retaining almost their entire team along with bringing in talent from the transfer portal, as well as in recruiting makes the Cardinal a scary team in 2025. They not only have candidates that can compete for a breakout season such as Ryan Agarwal, Chisom Okpara, and Benny Gealer, but also have some of the best depth in the entire nation.

The ACC has gotten tougher, but so have the Cardinal, and the expectation is for them to have a similar output to 2024-25. With winnable yet valuable non-conference contests against Colorado, Minnesota, and UNLV, Stanford may have a great year in 2025 under Kyle Smith.

Prediction: 20-10

Baseball

Stanford has recently struggled, missing the tournament in each of their last two seasons, following three straight Omaha trips from ‘21-23. Over the offseason, they have lost Matt Scott and Joey Volchko, two of their top pitchers in 2025, as well as a few key infielders.

Head Coach David Esquer brings in a great recruiting class, but without a presence in the transfer portal, lots of weight will be on the young guys next season. If Tatum Marsh, Rintaro Sasaki, and Charlie Bates can step up next season to help Jimmy Nati, the Cardinal could see themselves back in the tournament in no time.

The offense should be more than able to compete, but the season may hinge on how the Cardinal address their pitching staff. If they have some arms, then Stanford will be in a great position in 2026.

Prediction: 26-19

The best part about Stanford sports is the fact that it can be so unpredictable. From the key wins to the heartbreaking losses and everything in between, athletics on The Farm are always so interesting, and subject to change.

But for now, those are my early predictions for how the Cardinal will do in 2025 in each sport.