Stanford Injury Report Ahead of Season-Defining Matchup With NC State
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Stanford football (3-4) stays home this week to face the NC State Wolfpack (3-3), needing a win to really turn its season around and put itself back into bowl game consideration. NC State is a tough team, and the Cardinal need to play their best brand of football if they want to win.
But the program needs to get by without some key players. Ahead of the matchup, the ACC released official injury reports for this week. Stanford has multiple players still listed out, including linebacker Matt Rose and defensive back Brandon Nicholson.
Rose suffered an undisclosed injury after an 11-tackle performance against Georgia Tech on Sept. 26 and has not played since. He finished with over 100 tackles last season, the first Cardinal to achieve that feat in over a decade, and entered this season looking to boost his NFL draft stock.
He has played at an elite level when healthy, but it is still to be disclosed how long he will be out. Stanford needs him back desperately to improve linebacker depth and production. Rose is the leader of the defense, and his presence elevates everyone around him.
Nicholson suffered a non-contact injury in the Georgia Tech game as well, going right to the ground after recording an interception.
He's set to miss a significant amount of time, and it is highly possible that he will not return this season, putting the program in a tough spot. After Collin Wright missed time with an injury of his own last season, Nicholson shined and proved himself as a key player for the defense.
The Cardinal have been relying on players such as Cam Richardson and Dre Pollard to get by, and while they have shown flashes, it is evident that the team is missing Nicholson.
Other players set to miss the NC State game include defensive back Breylan Thompson, offensive linemen Aidan Kilstrom and Nathan Mejia, linebacker Preston Jernegan, tight end Reiman Zebert and long snapper Peyton Warford.
Defensive backs Lonnie McAllister III and Chris Garland are questionable, while Lasiah Jackson is probable.
NC State will be down some key stars as well. Running back Jayden Scott, defensive back Tristan Teasdell and tight end Vander Ploog headline the list of injured NC State players. Scott, NC State's leading rusher, has 62 carries for 358 yards and four touchdowns this season. With him out, it will be interesting to see how the Wolfpack's offense attacks.
Wide receiver Jojo Trader and offensive tackle Kamen Smith are listed as questionable for the Wolfpack. If they return, they will provide a big boost.
This game is big for both teams. For Stanford, a win puts them back at .500 and digs them out of a massive hole when it comes to returning to a bowl game. They would reach four wins, which is their total from last season, and would have a path to reaching a bowl game. That path evaporates with a loss.
The Cardinal go on the road for two straight weeks after this, facing two good teams in Louisville and Virginia Tech. Beating NC State would give them a major confidence boost for those matchups.
NC State lost to Wake Forest in their last game after winning two straight before that, and are hungry to get back into the win column so they can turn their own season around. Either way, this game could be season-defining for both programs.
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