ELON – The Elon football team (4-3) will make its first trip to the West Coast in program history Saturday when the Phoenix visits Stanford (2-4) for a nonconference matchup. Kickoff is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. ET (4:30 p.m. PT) at Stanford Stadium.
 
The Phoenix looks to rebound from a Homecoming loss to Wofford and earn its first victory over a current Atlantic Coast Conference opponent since defeating Miami in 1928.
 
GAME INFORMATION
·       Date: Oct. 17, 2026
·       Time: 7:30 p.m. ET / 4:30 p.m. PT
·       Location: Stanford Stadium | Stanford, Calif.
·       Television/Streaming: ACCNX  (PxP: Doug Sherman / Analyst: Forrest Conoly)
·       Radio: Varsity Network App (PxP: Taylor Durham / Analyst: Dr. Khirey Walker)
·       Live Stats: StatBroadcast
·       Game Notes: Elon | Stanford
 
SETTING THE STAGE

• Saturday's matchup will mark Elon's first football game on the West Coast. The farthest west the Phoenix has previously traveled for a game was Abilene, Texas, when Elon faced Abilene Christian in 1973.
• Elon hits the road to face Stanford with a 4-3 overall record and a 2-2 mark in CAA play following a 16-0 loss to Wofford on Homecoming weekend. The Phoenix outgained the Terriers in total offense and held a 178-99 advantage on the ground.
• Freshman running back Kamerin McDowell-Moore has been on a tear of late, rushing for more than 100 yards in three consecutive contests and four times overall this season. McDowell-Moore is the first Elon running back to record three straight 100-yard rushing performances since Rushawn Baker in 2024.
• Elon's matchup against Wofford marked the return of quarterback Brady Stober to the starting lineup after missing four straight games due to injury. The Phoenix has started three different quarterbacks this season, while all four quarterbacks on the roster have led at least one touchdown drive.
• Stanford enters Saturday's matchup with a 2-4 overall record and a 1-3 mark in ACC play under first-year head coach Tavita Pritchard. The Cardinal is coming off a 58-7 loss at No. 3 Notre Dame, its second consecutive defeat. Stanford was limited to 202 yards of total offense against the Fighting Irish after managing just 197 yards in a 57-3 loss at Wake Forest the previous week. The Cardinal has been outscored 115-10 over its last two games.
• Elon has a lengthy history against current ACC opponents, having faced members of the conference 33 times entering Saturday's matchup against Stanford. The Phoenix holds a 1-30-2 all-time record against current ACC programs. Last season, Elon faced eventual ACC champion Duke in the season opener and trailed by only seven points early in the fourth quarter of an eventual 45-17 loss.

 
LIGHTS, KAM-ERA, ACTION

• Freshman running back Kamerin McDowell-Moore has emerged as one of the nation's top young rushers and enters Saturday's contest as the FCS leader in rushing yards (916).
• McDowell-Moore has recorded four 100-yard rushing performances this season, including the past three games against Maine, New Hampshire and Wofford. He is the first Elon running back to rush for at least 100 yards in three straight games since Rushawn Baker in 2024.
• The Tarboro, North Carolina, native added 162 yards on 26 carries against Wofford, averaging 6.2 yards per attempt. Through seven games, McDowell-Moore has rushed for 916 yards and six touchdowns on 137 carries, averaging 6.7 yards per rush and 130.9 yards per game.
• McDowell-Moore turned in a record-setting performance at New Hampshire, rushing for a career-high 273 yards and two touchdowns on 29 carries. His 273 yards were the fourth-most in a single game in Elon history and the most by a freshman in program history. He averaged 9.4 yards per carry and scored on runs of 5 and 40 yards.
• The performance marked McDowell-Moore's third 100-yard rushing game and third two-touchdown game of the season. His 273 rushing yards were also the most by a freshman at any level of college football this season and the second-highest single-game total by an FCS player at the time.
• McDowell-Moore earned CAA Offensive Player of the Week honors following his performance at New Hampshire, marking his third conference weekly award of the season. He previously earned CAA Rookie of the Week honors following his 88-yard, two-touchdown performance at Davidson and CAA Co-Offensive Rookie of the Week recognition after rushing for 126 yards and two touchdowns against Maine.

 
MAN IN THE MIDDLE                                 

• Preseason All-American Brodie Carroll continues to anchor the Elon defense through seven games. Carroll leads the Phoenix with 68 tackles, including 33 solo stops, while adding 7.0 tackles for loss, 2.0 sacks and five pass breakups.
• Carroll recorded 11 tackles, a tackle for loss, and a pass breakup against Wofford, extending his streak to five consecutive games with double-digit tackles. His career-high 16-tackle performance against Sacred Heart included 11 solo stops, a sack and two pass breakups, earning him CAA Defensive Player of the Week and Stats Perform FCS National Defensive Player of the Week honors.
• Carroll remains one of Elon's most productive defenders, leading the team in tackles and tackles for loss while tying for the team lead in sacks and pass breakups. The redshirt junior has recorded 7.0 tackles for loss through seven games, putting him 2.5 tackles for loss shy of matching his 2025 total of 9.5.

 
IN THE TRENCHES 

• Elon's defensive front continued to limit opposing rushing attacks against Wofford, holding the Terriers to 99 yards on 38 carries and 2.6 yards per attempt. The Phoenix recorded six tackles for loss and two sacks while limiting Wofford to 252 yards of total offense in the 16-0 defeat.
• The performance followed a strong defensive effort at New Hampshire, where Elon held the Wildcats to just 54 rushing yards on 26 attempts and 2.1 yards per carry. The Phoenix has held four of its seven opponents to fewer than 100 rushing yards this season, including Glenville State (50), Davidson (49), New Hampshire (54) and Wofford (99).
• Through seven games, Elon has allowed 642 rushing yards on 214 attempts, an average of 91.7 yards per game and 3.0 yards per carry. The Phoenix has held three opponents to 55 rushing yards or fewer and has allowed just one rushing touchdown over its last two contests.
• Elon has recorded 40 tackles for loss and 13 sacks through seven games, including six tackles for loss and two sacks against Wofford. The Phoenix has also totaled 32 quarterback hurries this season, including 14 over its last three contests.

 
SUPPORT THE PHOENIX
2026 Elon Football tickets are on sale now at ElonTickets.com. Fans can support Elon Athletics through the Phoenix Club.
 
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