Stanford opened its season with a 37-27 win over Hawaii on Saturday, but the final score only tells part of the story. The Cardinal built a 23-7 cushion in the fourth quarter, watched it disappear, then finished the job with two late touchdowns to avoid a disastrous collapse in Tavita Pritchard’s first game as head coach.
That closing stretch mattered. After Hawaii ripped off three straight touchdown drives to grab a 27-23 lead with four minutes left, Stanford answered with a touchdown drive to go back in front 30-27 with 1:41 remaining. Twenty-nine seconds later, the Cardinal added another score on a fumble return to put the game away.
For Miami, which opens against Stanford on Sept. 4, there’s plenty to study in that comeback response alone. Stanford showed it could take a punch, reset and finish.
Pritchard’s debut had a lot to like before the fourth-quarter chaos. Stanford was sharp on both sides of the ball and even chipped in a blocked punt that turned into a safety.
The Cardinal looked organized, energetic and prepared, even if the game threatened to slip away late. They also avoided what would have been their first loss after blowing a 16-point lead since 2005.
Offensively, Stanford looked far more functional than a team picked to finish last in the ACC. Transfer quarterback Davis Warren handled the job well in his Stanford debut, going 22 of 34 for 310 yards and a touchdown while adding 31 rushing yards. When the pressure hit and the lead vanished, he steadied the group again, directing a seven-play, 62-yard march in 2 minutes, 18 seconds and going 5 for 5 for 58 yards on that drive.
The Cardinal finished with 310 passing yards and 173 rushing yards, a balanced night that reflected Pritchard’s background as a former quarterback, coordinator and NFL quarterbacks coach with the Commanders. Stanford leaned on Micah Ford, who ran for 99 yards and three touchdowns, and the offense used multiple tight end looks, tempo and a mix of short and intermediate throws to keep Hawaii from settling in. The unit did stall for a stretch in the second half with three straight punts, but it found its way back when it mattered.
One of the biggest downfield strikes came in the third quarter, when Warren hit Zion Robinson for 48 yards on a play-action throw straight down the middle. Stanford then snapped the ball quickly afterward, using tempo to keep Hawaii on its heels.
Defensively, Stanford was in control for most of the night before the fourth quarter changed the tone. Hawaii piled up 210 yards in that final period, and the Cardinal allowed three touchdown drives in a row. Even so, Stanford’s defense still had a big closing moment of its own, forcing a fumble on Micah Alejado at the Hawaii 32 and watching Stan Tafiti scoop it up and return it 31 yards for a touchdown.
Alejado, who threw for 3,106 yards and 24 touchdowns last season, finished with 269 yards and two touchdowns. For most of the game, Stanford made life difficult for him and Hawaii’s run-and-shoot, four-wide offense, getting pressure and forcing him out of the pocket several times. The back seven held up well in assignment football, and Hawaii never got the ground game going, finishing with 46 yards on 21 carries.
Still, the fourth quarter will stick out on film, especially with Miami coming to Stanford Stadium next. The Hurricanes will present a different challenge from Hawaii, with more speed, size and athleticism, a stronger running game and more variation in personnel. Miami also brings a different kind of passing game, with Darian Mensah at quarterback and receivers, especially Malachi Toney, that the source matchup says are a noticeable upgrade.
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