STANFORD UNIVERSITY FOOTBALL MEDIA CONFERENCE

September 27, 2025

Ben Gulbranson

Postgame Media Conference

Stanford 30, Jose San State 29

Q. Overall thoughts on the game. Huge bounceback for you guys. 444 yards and two touchdowns for you. Talk about the game overall.

BEN GULBRANSON: Yeah, just really proud of the way we stayed in there and fought and battled offensively and defensively. Them getting those huge stops towards the end of the game, to have chance to go down there. Just really proud of the way we focused as a team and finished there at the end.

Q. So first of all, do you know how good of a quarterback your coach was? Then also your GM. So you had that going on. Then you guys have this prolific game where you guys both combine for over 900 passing yards. What were you feeling out there, and is this the greatest game you've ever had?

BEN GULBRANSON: Yeah, I mean, it's obviously one that I don't think we'll ever forget here at Stanford. Yeah, it's still kind of trying to process what all happened out there. It just happened really fast. Obviously their Q, hell of a player. He was ripping around the yard.

Yeah, it's a fun battle when we got two teams going up -- two good teams going up against each other. Just really felt really proud of the way we both competed out there. Obviously nice to get the win at the end there.

Q. Just what did you see on the fourth and ten play? Is that your first look? What were you looking for?

BEN GULBRANSON: Yeah, really got to give all the credit to the coaching staff there. Our staff, they just put together a great plan for us and we just went out there and executed it. They thought we were going to get a look like that in that situation, and just for it to all kind of happen -- and we practiced that way -- and just for it to all work out in that critical down just, yeah, just proud of the way we executed.

Yeah, props to the coaching staff for putting that all together for us.

Q. Frank said that -- and you could see Roush coming in the backfield, the blocks. That was a max protection, fair?

BEN GULBRANSON: Yes, sir.

Q. Was High the only guy or at least the number one option for you, or was there another one?

BEN GULBRANSON: Yeah, there were other options, but that was going to be his play and he did a great job. Obviously we did a great job protecting that pressure and then he -- him winning one-on-one, and, yeah, just really making me right there. I thought I over-threw it. He made a great play and yeah, he's a great player. Yeah, playing really well for us.

Q. And just to follow up, what does Stanford Stadium do for Ben Gulbranson? You haven't lost here yet, right?

BEN GULBRANSON: I'm just taking it game by game, trying to go 1-0 each week at Stanford. It's a fun stadium to play in for sure. Love the fans out here.

Q. Just wondering, CJ Williams Caden High really got going. Talk about your connections over the last couple games.

BEN GULBRANSON: Yeah, I think just offensively with the weapons outside, we been building on our chemistry. Taking those live reps against other teams are really valuable, and I think they do a great job -- our whole receiving unit, but those guys especially -- of just working hard. Going out there, I'm like okay I'm going to put the ball out there. They're going to make a play. I trust them all. It's fun to play with guys like that.

Q. Just talk about how you kind of mentioned Caden High. I think this was his highest receiving game of the year. What was particularly clicking with him and allowed you guys to really get him going in this one?

BEN GULBRANSON: Yeah, he's been winning on his routes all year and there has been some times I just haven't put a good ball on him. He's been doing that all year long. I'm really happy just to see him go out there and execute, for me to find him and him make the plays he's making.

Q. Not telling tales out of school, the first two games your passing offense was not very good. The last three games the passing offense has been really good. What changed?

BEN GULBRANSON: Yeah, I think we are just trusting the process. I don't think the process has changed. We just got better as the games go on, which is exciting for us, just to keep riding that momentum.

We're doing a good job of diagnosing what we're doing right, wrong, and building on that each week.