This is a list of seasons completed by the Stanford Cardinal football team of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS).
Stanford has participated in more than 1,100 officially sanctioned games, including 27 bowl games and has fielded football teams since 1892 with a few exceptions: the school dropped football in favor of rugby from 1906 to 1917 and did not field a team in 1918 (due to World War I) or in 1943, 1944, and 1945 (due to World War II).
Stanford claims two national championships: in 1926 and 1940.
From its inception through the 1930 season, the team had no formal nickname. Beginning with the 1931 season, the team adopted the mascot "Indian." The Indian symbol and name were dropped in 1972 after objections from Native American students. From 1972 to 1981, the official nickname was "Cardinals," a reference to the color, not the bird. Prior to the 1982 season, the team adopted the singular form, "Cardinal."
Seasons
| Year | Coach | Overall | Conference | Standing | Bowl/playoffs | Coaches | AP | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Independent (1891) | |||||||||
| 1891 | No coach | 3–1 | |||||||
| Walter Camp (Independent) (1892) | |||||||||
| 1892 | Walter Camp | 2–0–2 | |||||||
| C. D. Bliss (Independent) (1893) | |||||||||
| 1893 | C. D. Bliss | 8–0–1 | |||||||
| Walter Camp (Independent) (1894–1895) | |||||||||
| 1894 | Walter Camp | 6–3 | |||||||
| 1895 | Walter Camp | 4–0–1 | |||||||
| Harry P. Cross (Independent) (1896) | |||||||||
| 1896 | Harry P. Cross | 2–1–1 | |||||||
| George H. Brooke (Independent) (1897) | |||||||||
| 1897 | George H. Brooke | 4–1 | |||||||
| Harry P. Cross (Independent) (1898) | |||||||||
| 1898 | Harry P. Cross | 5–3–1 | |||||||
| Burr Chamberlain (Independent) (1899) | |||||||||
| 1899 | Burr Chamberlain | 2–5–2 | |||||||
| Fielding H. Yost (Independent) (1900) | |||||||||
| 1900 | Fielding H. Yost | 7–2–1 | |||||||
| Charles Fickert (Independent) (1901) | |||||||||
| 1901 | Charles Fickert | 3–2–2 | L Rose | ||||||
| Carl L. Clemans (Independent) (1902) | |||||||||
| 1902 | Carl L. Clemans | 6–1 | |||||||
| James F. Lanagan (Independent) (1903–1905) | |||||||||
| 1903 | James F. Lanagan | 8–0–3 | |||||||
| 1904 | James F. Lanagan | 7–2–1 | |||||||
| 1905 | James F. Lanagan | 8–0 | |||||||
| Rugby Team (Independent) (1906–1918) | |||||||||
| 1906–18 | No team | ||||||||
| Bob Evans (Pacific Coast Conference) (1919) | |||||||||
| 1919 | Bob Evans | 4–3 | 1–1 | T–3rd | |||||
| Walter D. Powell (Pacific Coast Conference) (1920) | |||||||||
| 1920 | Walter D. Powell | 4–3 | 2–1 | 2nd | |||||
| Eugene Van Gent (Pacific Coast Conference) (1921) | |||||||||
| 1921 | Eugene Van Gent | 4–2–2 | 1–1–1 | 3rd | |||||
| Andrew Kerr (Pacific Coast Conference) (1922–1923) | |||||||||
| 1922 | Andrew Kerr | 4–5 | 1–3 | T–5th | |||||
| 1923 | Andrew Kerr | 7–2 | 2–2 | T–3rd | |||||
| Pop Warner (Pacific Coast Conference) (1924–1932) | |||||||||
| 1924 | Pop Warner | 7–1–1 | 3–0–1 | 1st | L Rose | ||||
| 1925 | Pop Warner | 7–2 | 4–1 | 2nd | |||||
| 1926 | Pop Warner | 10–0–1 | 4–0 | 1st | T Rose | ||||
| 1927 | Pop Warner | 8–2–1 | 4–0–1 | T–1st | W Rose | ||||
| 1928 | Pop Warner | 8–3–1 | 4–1–1 | 3rd | |||||
| 1929 | Pop Warner | 9–2 | 5–1 | 2nd | |||||
| 1930 | Pop Warner | 9–1–1 | 4–1 | 3rd | |||||
| 1931 | Pop Warner | 7–2–2 | 2–2–1 | T–5th | |||||
| 1932 | Pop Warner | 6–4–1 | 1–3–1 | 7th | |||||
| Tiny Thornhill (Pacific Coast Conference) (1933–1939) | |||||||||
| 1933 | Claude E. Thornhill | 8–2–1 | 4–1 | T–1st | L Rose | ||||
| 1934 | Claude E. Thornhill | 9–1–1 | 5–0 | 1st | L Rose | ||||
| 1935 | Claude E. Thornhill | 8–1 | 4–1 | T–1st | W Rose | ||||
| 1936 | Claude E. Thornhill | 2–5–2 | 2–3–2 | 6th | |||||
| 1937 | Claude E. Thornhill | 4–3–2 | 4–2–1 | 2nd | |||||
| 1938 | Claude E. Thornhill | 3–6 | 2–5 | 8th | |||||
| 1939 | Claude E. Thornhill | 1–7–1 | 0–6–1 | 9th | |||||
| Clark Shaughnessy (Pacific Coast Conference) (1940–1941) | |||||||||
| 1940 | Clark Shaughnessy | 10–0 | 7–0 | 1st | W Rose | 2 | |||
| 1941 | Clark Shaughnessy | 6–3 | 4–3 | 4th | |||||
| Marchmont Schwartz (Pacific Coast Conference) (1942–1950) | |||||||||
| 1942 | Marchmont Schwartz | 6–4 | 5–2 | 3rd | 12 | ||||
| 1943 | No team | ||||||||
| 1944 | No team | ||||||||
| 1945 | No team | ||||||||
| 1946 | Marchmont Schwartz | 6–3–1 | 3–3–1 | 5th | |||||
| 1947 | Marchmont Schwartz | 0–9 | 0–7 | 10th | |||||
| 1948 | Marchmont Schwartz | 4–6 | 3–4 | 5th | |||||
| 1949 | Marchmont Schwartz | 7–3–1 | 4–2 | T–3rd | W Pineapple | ||||
| 1950 | Marchmont Schwartz | 5–3–2 | 2–2–2 | T–4th | |||||
| Chuck Taylor (Pacific Coast Conference) (1951–1957) | |||||||||
| 1951 | Chuck Taylor | 9–2 | 6–1 | 1st | L Rose | 7 | 7 | ||
| 1952 | Chuck Taylor | 5–5 | 2–5 | T–6th | |||||
| 1953 | Chuck Taylor | 6–3–1 | 5–1–1 | 2nd | 17 | 19 | |||
| 1954 | Chuck Taylor | 4–6 | 2–4 | 6th | |||||
| 1955 | Chuck Taylor | 6–3–1 | 3–2–1 | 3rd | 20 | 16 | |||
| 1956 | Chuck Taylor | 4–6 | 3–4 | 6th | |||||
| 1957 | Chuck Taylor | 6–4 | 4–3 | 5th | |||||
| Jack Curtice (Pacific Coast Conference) (1958) | |||||||||
| 1958 | Jack Curtice | 2–8 | 2–5 | 7th | |||||
| Jack Curtice (Athletic Association of Western Universities) (1959–1962) | |||||||||
| 1959 | Jack Curtice | 3–7 | 0–4 | 5th | |||||
| 1960 | Jack Curtice | 0–10 | 0–4 | 5th | |||||
| 1961 | Jack Curtice | 4–6 | 1–3 | T–4th | |||||
| 1962 | Jack Curtice | 5–5 | 2–3 | 4th | |||||
| John Ralston (AAWU / Pacific-8 Conference) (1963–1971) | |||||||||
| 1963 | John Ralston | 3–7 | 1–4 | 6th | |||||
| 1964 | John Ralston | 5–5 | 3–4 | 5th | |||||
| 1965 | John Ralston | 6–3–1 | 2–3 | T–5th | |||||
| 1966 | John Ralston | 5–5 | 1–4 | 8th | |||||
| 1967 | John Ralston | 5–5 | 3–4 | T–4th | |||||
| 1968 | John Ralston | 6–3–1 | 3–3–1 | T–3rd | 20 | ||||
| 1969 | John Ralston | 7–2–1 | 5–1–1 | T–2nd | 14 | 19 | |||
| 1970 | John Ralston | 9–3 | 6–1 | 1st | W Rose | 10 | 8 | ||
| 1971 | John Ralston | 9–3 | 6–1 | 1st | W Rose | 16 | 10 | ||
| Jack Christiansen (Pacific-8 Conference) (1972–1976) | |||||||||
| 1972 | Jack Christiansen | 6–5 | 2–5 | T–6th | |||||
| 1973 | Jack Christiansen | 7–4 | 5–2 | 3rd | |||||
| 1974 | Jack Christiansen | 5–4–2 | 5–1–1 | 2nd | |||||
| 1975 | Jack Christiansen | 6–4–1 | 5–2 | T–3rd | |||||
| 1976 | Jack Christiansen | 6–5 | 5–2 | 3rd | |||||
| Bill Walsh (Pacific-8 / Pacific-10 Conference) (1977–1978) | |||||||||
| 1977 | Bill Walsh | 9–3 | 5–2 | T–2nd | W Sun | 15 | 15 | ||
| 1978 | Bill Walsh | 8–4 | 4–3 | T–4th | W Bluebonnet | 16 | 17 | ||
| Rod Dowhower (Pacific-10 Conference) (1979) | |||||||||
| 1979 | Rod Dowhower | 5–5–1 | 3–3–1 | 6th | |||||
| Paul Wiggin (Pacific-10 Conference) (1980–1983) | |||||||||
| 1980 | Paul Wiggin | 6–5 | 3–4 | T–6th | |||||
| 1981 | Paul Wiggin | 4–7 | 4–4 | T–6th | |||||
| 1982 | Paul Wiggin | 5–6 | 3–5 | 7th | |||||
| 1983 | Paul Wiggin | 1–10 | 1–7 | 10th | |||||
| Jack Elway (Pacific-10 Conference) (1984–1988) | |||||||||
| 1984 | Jack Elway | 5–6 | 3–5 | T–7th | |||||
| 1985 | Jack Elway | 4–7 | 3–5 | 7th | |||||
| 1986 | Jack Elway | 8–4 | 5–3 | T–4th | L Gator | ||||
| 1987 | Jack Elway | 5–6 | 4–4 | T–4th | |||||
| 1988 | Jack Elway | 3–6–2 | 1–5–2 | 9th | |||||
| Dennis Green (Pacific-10 Conference) (1989–1991) | |||||||||
| 1989 | Dennis Green | 3–8 | 3–5 | T–7th | |||||
| 1990 | Dennis Green | 5–6 | 4–4 | T–6th | |||||
| 1991 | Dennis Green | 8–4 | 6–2 | T–2nd | L Aloha | 22 | 22 | ||
| Bill Walsh (Pacific-10 Conference) (1992–1994) | |||||||||
| 1992 | Bill Walsh | 10–3 | 6–2 | T–1st | W Blockbuster | 9 | 9 | ||
| 1993 | Bill Walsh | 4–7 | 2–6 | T–8th | |||||
| 1994 | Bill Walsh | 3–7–1 | 2–6 | T–8th | |||||
| Tyrone Willingham (Pacific-10 Conference) (1995–2001) | |||||||||
| 1995 | Tyrone Willingham | 7–4–1 | 5–3 | 4th | L Liberty | ||||
| 1996 | Tyrone Willingham | 7–5 | 5–3 | 3rd | W Sun | ||||
| 1997 | Tyrone Willingham | 5–6 | 3–5 | T–7th | |||||
| 1998 | Tyrone Willingham | 3–8 | 2–6 | T–8th | |||||
| 1999 | Tyrone Willingham | 8–4 | 7–1 | 1st | L Rose | 24 | |||
| 2000 | Tyrone Willingham | 5–6 | 4–4 | 4th | |||||
| 2001 | Tyrone Willingham | 9–3 | 6–2 | T–2nd | L Seattle | 17 | 16 | ||
| Buddy Teevens (Pacific-10 Conference) (2002–2004) | |||||||||
| 2002 | Buddy Teevens | 2–9 | 1–7 | T–9th | |||||
| 2003 | Buddy Teevens | 4–7 | 2–6 | T–8th | |||||
| 2004 | Buddy Teevens | 4–7 | 2–6 | T–8th | |||||
| Walt Harris (Pacific-10 Conference) (2005–2006) | |||||||||
| 2005 | Walt Harris | 5–6 | 4–4 | T–4th | |||||
| 2006 | Walt Harris | 1–11 | 1–8 | 10th | |||||
| Jim Harbaugh (Pacific-10 Conference) (2007–2010) | |||||||||
| 2007 | Jim Harbaugh | 4–8 | 3–6 | T–7th | |||||
| 2008 | Jim Harbaugh | 5–7 | 4–5 | T–6th | |||||
| 2009 | Jim Harbaugh | 8–5 | 6–3 | T–2nd | L Sun | ||||
| 2010 | Jim Harbaugh | 12–1 | 8–1 | 2nd | W Orange | 4 | 4 | ||
| David Shaw (Pac-12 Conference) (2011–2022) | |||||||||
| 2011 | David Shaw | 11–2 | 8–1 | T–1st (North) | L Fiesta | 7 | 7 | ||
| 2012 | David Shaw | 12–2 | 8–1 | T–1st (North) | W Rose | 6 | 7 | ||
| 2013 | David Shaw | 11–3 | 7–2 | T–1st (North) | L Rose | 10 | 11 | ||
| 2014 | David Shaw | 8–5 | 5–4 | 2nd (North) | W Foster Farms | ||||
| 2015 | David Shaw | 12–2 | 8–1 | 1st (North) | W Rose | 3 | 3 | ||
| 2016 | David Shaw | 10–3 | 6–3 | 3rd (North) | W Sun | 12 | 12 | ||
| 2017 | David Shaw | 9–5 | 7–2 | T–1st (North) | L Alamo | 19 | 20 | ||
| 2018 | David Shaw | 9–4 | 6–3 | 3rd (North) | W Sun | ||||
| 2019 | David Shaw | 4–8 | 3–6 | T–5th (North) | |||||
| 2020 | David Shaw | 4–2 | 4–2 | 3rd (North) | |||||
| 2021 | David Shaw | 3–9 | 2–7 | 6th (North) | |||||
| 2022 | David Shaw | 3–9 | 1–8 | T–11th | |||||
| Troy Taylor (Pac-12 Conference) (2023) | |||||||||
| 2023 | Troy Taylor | 3–9 | 2–7 | T–9th | |||||
| Troy Taylor (Atlantic Coast Conference) (2024–present) | |||||||||
| 2024 | Troy Taylor | 3–9 | 2–6 | 16th | |||||
| Total: | 670–496–49 | ||||||||
| National championship Conference title Conference division title or championship game berth | |||||||||
| |||||||||
Notes
- From 1905 to 1917, Stanford played rugby in place of football. In 1918, Stanford did not field an official team due to World War I, though an unofficial squad made up of volunteers from the Students' Army Training Corps stationed at Stanford (some of whom were not Stanford students) hurriedly organized to play several games, all blowout losses.
- Stanford considers the 1950 Pineapple Bowl a game of the 1949 regular season
References
- "Stanford Cardinal Football Record by Year".
- "What is the history of Stanford's mascot and nickname?". Stanford Athletics. July 7, 2015. Retrieved January 4, 2016.
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