The Stanford Cardinal football team competes as part of the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS), representing Stanford University in the North Division of the Pac-12 Conference. Prior to 1930, the team had no official nickname. From 1930 to 1972, the team was known as the Indians; from 1972 to 1981, the team was known as the Cardinals; since 1982, the team has competed as the Cardinal. 
Since the establishment of the team in 1892, Stanford has appeared in 30 bowl games.[1]  Included in these games are 15 appearances in the Rose Bowl Game and six Bowl Championship Series (BCS)/New Year's Six game appearances with an overall record of 15 wins, 14 losses, and one tie.[1] 
 Bowl games
  List of bowl games showing bowl played in, date, winning team, score, losing team, stadium, location, attendance, head coach, and MVP   | #  |  Bowl  |  Date  |  Winning team  |  Score  |  Losing team  |  Stadium  |  Location  |  Attendance  |  Head coach  |  MVP  | 
  | 1  |  Rose Bowl  |  January 1, 1902  |  Michigan  |  L 0–49  |  Stanford  |  Rose Bowl  |  Pasadena, California  |  8,500  |  Charles Fickert  |  Neil Snow (Michigan)  | 
  | 2  |  Rose Bowl  |  January 1, 1925  |  Notre Dame  |  L 10–27  |  Stanford  |  Rose Bowl  |  Pasadena, California  |  53,000  |  Glenn "Pop" Warner  |  Ernie Nevers (Stanford) Elmer Layden (Notre Dame)  | 
  | 3  |  Rose Bowl  |  January 1, 1927  |  Stanford  |  T 7–7  |  Alabama  |  Rose Bowl  |  Pasadena, California  |  57,417  |  Glenn "Pop" Warner  |  Fred Pickhard (Alabama)  | 
  | 4  |  Rose Bowl  |  January 2, 1928  |  Stanford  |  W 7–6  |  Pittsburgh  |  Rose Bowl  |  Pasadena, California  |  70,000  |  Glenn "Pop" Warner  |  Biff Hoffman (Stanford)  | 
  | 5  |  Rose Bowl  |  January 1, 1934  |  Columbia  |  L 0–7  |  Stanford  |  Rose Bowl  |  Pasadena, California  |  35,000  |  Claude E. Thornhill  |  Cliff Montgomery (Columbia)  | 
  | 6  |  Rose Bowl  |  January 1, 1935  |  Alabama  |  L 13–29  |  Stanford  |  Rose Bowl  |  Pasadena, California  |  84,474  |  Claude E. Thornhill  |  Dixie Howell (Alabama)  | 
  | 7  |  Rose Bowl  |  January 1, 1936  |  Stanford  |  W 7–0  |  SMU  |  Rose Bowl  |  Pasadena, California  |  84,784  |  Claude E. Thornhill  |  Jim Moscrip (Stanford) Keith Topping (Stanford)  | 
  | 8  |  Rose Bowl  |  January 1, 1941  |  Stanford  |  W 21–13  |  Nebraska  |  Rose Bowl  |  Pasadena, California  |  92,000  |  Clark Shaughnessy  |  Pete Kmetovic (Stanford)  | 
  | 9  |  Rose Bowl  |  January 1, 1952  |  Illinois  |  L 7–40  |  Stanford  |  Rose Bowl  |  Pasadena, California  |  96,825  |  Chuck Taylor  |  Bill Tate (Illinois)  | 
  | 10  |  Rose Bowl  |  January 1, 1971  |  Stanford  |  W 27–17  |  Ohio State  |  Rose Bowl  |  Pasadena, California  |  103,839  |  John Ralston  |  Jim Plunkett (Stanford)  | 
  | 11  |  Rose Bowl  |  January 1, 1972  |  Stanford  |  W 13–12  |  Michigan  |  Rose Bowl  |  Pasadena, California  |  103,154  |  John Ralston  |  Don Bunce (Stanford)  | 
  | 12  |  Sun Bowl  |  December 31, 1977  |  Stanford  |  W 24–14  |  LSU  |  Sun Bowl Stadium  |  El Paso, Texas  |  31,318  |  Bill Walsh  |  Gordy Ceresino (Stanford) Charles Alexander (LSU)  | 
  | 13  |  Bluebonnet Bowl  |  December 31, 1978  |  Stanford  |  W 25–22  |  Georgia  |  Astrodome  |  Houston  |  34,084  |  Bill Walsh  |  Steve Dils (Stanford) Gordy Ceresino (Stanford)  | 
  | 14  |  Gator Bowl  |  December 27, 1986  |  Clemson  |  L 21–27  |  Stanford  |  Gator Bowl Stadium  |  Jacksonville, Florida  |  80,104  |  Jack Elway  |  Brad Muster (Stanford)  Rodney Williams (Clemson)  | 
  | 15  |  Aloha Bowl  |  December 25, 1991  |  Georgia Tech  |  L 17–18  |  Stanford  |  Aloha Stadium  |  Honolulu, HI  |  34,433  |  Dennis Green  |  Tommy Vardell (Stanford) Shawn Jones (Georgia Tech)  | 
  | 16  |  Blockbuster Bowl  |  January 1, 1993  |  Stanford  |  W 24–3  |  Penn State  |  Joe Robbie Stadium  |  Miami Gardens, Florida  |  45,554  |  Bill Walsh  |  Darrien Gordon (Stanford)  | 
  | 17  |  Liberty Bowl  |  December 30, 1995  |  East Carolina  |  L 13–19  |  Stanford  |  Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium  |  Memphis, Tennessee  |  47,398  |  Tyrone Willingham  |  Kwame Ellis (Stanford)  | 
  | 18  |  Sun Bowl  |  December 31, 1996  |  Stanford  |  W 38–0  |  Michigan State  |  Sun Bowl Stadium  |  El Paso, Texas  |  42,721  |  Tyrone Willingham  |  Chad Hutchinson (Stanford)  | 
  | 19  |  Rose Bowl  |  January 1, 2000  |  Wisconsin  |  L 9–17  |  Stanford  |  Rose Bowl  |  Pasadena, California  |  93,731  |  Tyrone Willingham  |  Ron Dayne (Wisconsin)  | 
  | 20  |  Seattle Bowl  |  December 27, 2001  |  Georgia Tech  |  L 14–24  |  Stanford  |  Safeco Field  |  Seattle, Washington  |  30,144  |  Tyrone Willingham  |  George Godsey (Georgia Tech)  | 
  | 21  |  Sun Bowl  |  December 31, 2009  |  Oklahoma  |  L 27–31  |  Stanford  |  Sun Bowl Stadium  |  El Paso, Texas  |  53,713  |  Jim Harbaugh  |  Ryan Broyles (Oklahoma)  | 
  | 22  |  Orange Bowl  |  January 3, 2011  |  Stanford  |  W 40–12  |  Virginia Tech  |  Sun Life Stadium  |  Miami Gardens, Florida  |  65,453  |  Jim Harbaugh  |  Andrew Luck (Stanford)  | 
  | 23  |  Fiesta Bowl  |  January 2, 2012  |  Oklahoma State  |  L 38–41 (OT)  |  Stanford  |  University of Phoenix Stadium  |  Glendale, Arizona  |  69,927  |  David Shaw  |  Justin Blackmon (Oklahoma State) Justin Gilbert (Oklahoma State)  | 
  | 24  |  Rose Bowl  |  January 1, 2013  |  Stanford  |  W 20–14  |  Wisconsin  |  Rose Bowl  |  Pasadena, California  |  93,359  |  David Shaw  |  Stepfan Taylor (Stanford) Usua Amanam (Stanford)  | 
  | 25  |  Rose Bowl  |  January 1, 2014  |  Michigan State  |  L 20–24  |  Stanford  |  Rose Bowl  |  Pasadena, California  |  95,173  |  David Shaw  |  Connor Cook (Michigan State) Kyler Elsworth (Michigan State)  | 
  | 26  |  Foster Farms Bowl  |  December 30, 2014  |  Stanford  |  W 45–21  |  Maryland  |  Levi's Stadium  |  Santa Clara, California  |  34,780  |  David Shaw  |  Kevin Hogan (Stanford) James Vaughters (Stanford)  | 
  | 27  |  Rose Bowl  |  January 1, 2016  |  Stanford  |  W 45–16  |  Iowa  |  Rose Bowl  |  Pasadena, California  |  94,268  |  David Shaw  |  Christian McCaffrey (Stanford) Aziz Shittu (Stanford)  | 
  | 28  |  Sun Bowl  |  December 30, 2016  |  Stanford  |  W 25–23  |  North Carolina  |  Sun Bowl Stadium  |  El Paso, Texas  |  42,166  |  David Shaw  |  Solomon Thomas (Stanford)  | 
  | 29  |  Alamo Bowl  |  December 28, 2017  |  TCU  |  L 37–39  |  Stanford  |  Alamodome  |  San Antonio, Texas  |  57,563  |  David Shaw  |  Kenny Hill (TCU) Travin Howard (TCU)  | 
  | 30  |  Sun Bowl  |  December 31, 2018  |  Stanford  |  W 14–13  |  Pitt  |  Sun Bowl  |  El Paso, Texas  |  40,680  |  David Shaw  |  Cameron Scarlett (Stanford)  | 
 
 References
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National championship seasons in bold  |