Stanford Football Season Kicks Off in Hawaii

PALO ALTO, Calif., Aug. 23, 2025 - The Stanford Cardinal kick off their 2025 season today. They face the Hawai‘i Rainbow Warriors in a Week 0 opener at Clarence T.C. Ching Athletics Complex in Honolulu. The Cardinal, led by General Manager Andrew Luck and interim head coach Frank Reich, aim to improve after a 3–9 finish in 2024.

Stanford’s opening kickoff is set for 4:30 p.m. PT and will be nationally televised on CBS. This is the earliest season start in program history, beating the old record of Aug. 26. This is the second time in three years that Stanford has started its season in Hawai‘i. In 2023, the Cardinal won 37–24 there.

Today’s game is Reich’s first as Stanford’s head coach. He’s an NFL veteran and coached Luck in 2018, when Luck was with the Colts. Reich inherited a roster with 17 transfers. This is the most the program has seen in a single season. The Cardinal enter the contest as 2.5-point underdogs, seeking to capitalize on their Week 0 bye next weekend to fine-tune under their new coaching regime.

Stanford’s complete 2025 schedule was announced today. It shows six road games in the first seven weeks, with visits to BYU and SMU. November has more home games, leading up to a potential ACC Championship in Charlotte.

As the Pacific breeze moves the opening kickoff, all eyes turn to Stanford’s revamped program with Luck and Reich. Fans are eager for a big win to mark the start of the season.

Sources: - On3: Details on the 2025 Stanford Football schedule - Stanford Report: Cardinal football kicks off its season in O‘ahu