Tag: Mustangs

Oct 17, 2025; Miami Gardens, Florida, USA; Miami Hurricanes wide receiver Malachi Toney (10) carries the football against the Louisville Cardinals during the second quarter at Hard Rock Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

No. 10 Miami faces ex-OC Brent Lashlee, SMU in key ACC tilt

Posted on | by Field Level Media

Miami and SMU appeared to be trending toward an Atlantic Coast Conference championship game matchup last season before the Hurricanes fell out of the conference title picture.

The teams will finally get their chance to face off Saturday when the Mustangs host the No. 10 Hurricanes. In their only previous meeting in 1965, SMU beat Miami 7-3 in the Orange Bowl in Miami.

The Hurricanes (6-1, 2-1 ACC) and Mustangs (5-3, 3-1) each need the victory to realistically remain in the race for the conference title. Miami is alive in the battle to earn a College Football Playoff berth as well.

The Hurricanes bounced back from their first loss by routing Stanford 42-7 at home last Saturday, scoring 35 second-half points.

SMU needs its own recovery game after a disappointing 13-12 road loss at Wake Forest last Saturday.

Miami is quite familiar with the Mustangs, who are coached by former Hurricanes offensive coordinator Rhett Lashlee and reached the CFP last season before losing to Penn State in the first round.

Four former Hurricanes are on the Mustangs’ roster, including receiver Romello Brinson and former Miami starting quarterback Tyler Van Dyke, a backup to SMU starter Kevin Jennings (ACC-leading 17 passing TDs).

“Really impressive football team,” Hurricanes coach Mario Cristobal said during his press conference Monday.

It’s been a more difficult season for SMU this year, which got worse after the Mustangs put together what Lashlee called “their worst offensive performance” since he joined the program in 2022.

SMU’s 12 points were its lowest in a regular-season game since Sept. 9, 2023, against Oklahoma. The Mustangs turned the ball over three times and were held to 246 total yards.

“It’s not even close, hands down,” Lashlee said about SMU’s offense against Wake Forest. “That’s my responsibility from play calls to prep, the adjustments, all those things.”

SMU, which finished last season No. 8 in the nation in scoring at 36.5 points per game, ranks 50th this season as its average has dropped to 31.4.

Lashlee expects his offense to have a major challenge on its hands against Miami’s defense. The Hurricanes rank eighth in the nation in scoring defense, ninth in rushing defense and 24th in passing defense and are holding teams to 14.1 ppg (eighth in nation).

“It’s the most complete team we’ve played since I’ve been here,” Lashlee said. “They’re national championship-good on defense. They’re really, really good.”

Miami’s offense, which struggled two weeks ago in a 24-21 home loss to Louisville in which quarterback Carson Beck threw four interceptions, saw a revival of its ground attack against Stanford.

The Hurricanes scored five rushing touchdowns, including three by Mark Fletcher Jr., who leads the team with nine scores on the ground.

Star freshman receiver Malachi Toney continues to impress. Toney leads the Hurricanes with 43 catches and 562 receiving yards through seven games and ranks third in the ACC in receiving yards per game (80.3) and fourth in receptions.

C.J. Daniels’ six touchdown catches are tied for the most in the ACC.

“It’s so funny because nobody knew what he was going to be, but I remember just telling all my family and friends about what he was going to be able to do for us this year and that we definitely had a secret weapon,” Beck said Tuesday.

–Field Level Media

Oct 18, 2025; Clemson, South Carolina, USA; Southern Methodist Mustangs kicker Sam Keltner (95) makes a field goal as Clemson Tigers defensive end T.J. Parker (3) and tight end Ian Schieffelin (18) try to block it during the second quarter at Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Ken Ruinard-GREENVILLE NEWS-USA TODAY Network via Imagn Images

SMU stays perfect in ACC with win over Clemson

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Kevin Jennings tossed two touchdown passes and Sam Keltner made three field goals to help visiting SMU defeat Clemson 35-24 on Saturday in a rematch of last year’s Atlantic Coast Conference championship game.

Jennings completed 23 of 43 passes for 290 yards. He was intercepted once.

SMU (5-2, 3-0 ACC) led 7-0 after one quarter, 16-7 at halftime and 23-17 entering the final 15 minutes. SMU’s Chris Johnson Jr. sealed the victory on a 6-yard TD run with 1:03 to play.

Quarterback Christopher Vizzina, a redshirt sophomore, made his first career start for Clemson (3-4, 2-3). Vizzina completed 29 of 42 passes for 317 yards and three TDs. Clemson wide receiver T.J. Moore caught two TD passes.

Vizzina replaced starting quarterback Cade Klubnik, who is still recovering from an ankle injury sustained in last Saturday’s victory over Boston College. It ended Klubnik’s streak of 34 consecutive starts.

SMU took a 10-0 lead on a 70-yard touchdown pass from Jennings to Jordan Hudson with 3:52 left in the opening quarter followed by Keltner’s 51-yard field goal with 11:26 remaining in the second. Hudson caught seven passes for 131 yards in the win.

After Vizzina tossed a 32-yard TD pass to Moore that helped cut Clemson’s deficit to 10-7 with 8:51 left in the second quarter, SMU extended its lead to 16-7 on two Keltner field goals. He made a 48-yard kick with 4:29 left in the first half, and another 48-yard kick with 1:09 remaining in the half.

Moore also scored on a 62-yard pass from Vizzina with 8:48 to go in the third. Nolan Hauser’s PAT trimmed SMU’s lead to 16-14.

The Mustangs extended their lead to 23-14 on Derrick McFall’s 35-yard TD run with 7:29 left in the third quarter, but Clemson was within six points, 23-17, after Hauser made a 28-yard field goal with seven seconds remaining in the third.

Matthew Hibner’s 22-yard touchdown reception extended SMU’s advantage to 29-17 with 12:30 to play, but it was a one-score game again at 29-24 after Tristan Smith caught a 23-yard TD pass with 6:44 remaining in the game.

–Field Level Media

Oct 4, 2025; Dallas, Texas, USA; SMU Mustangs wide receiver Jordan Hudson (2) and offensive lineman Dramodd Odoms (75) and tight end Stone Eby (44) celebrate a touchdown against the Syracuse Orange during the second half at Gerald J. Ford Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

SMU swaggers into ACC clash with Stanford

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SMU will carry a bit of swagger and bravado into its game with rebuilding Stanford, but don’t think for a second the Mustangs will take anything for granted when the teams square off in an Atlantic Coast Conference dustup Saturday afternoon in Dallas.

The Mustangs (3-2, 1-0 ACC) look to build on a 31-18 home win over Syracuse last Saturday in their ACC opener. Kevin Jennings hit on 29 of 35 passes for 285 yards and touchdowns to four different receivers.

SMU bounced back from a road loss to crosstown rival TCU on Sept. 27 and looked a little like the Mustangs that were talented enough to earn a berth in the College Football Playoff last year. But it wasn’t easy. SMU led by 28 early in the fourth quarter, yet had to make plays down the stretch to secure the win. The Mustangs surrendered fourth-quarter leads in both of their losses this season — to Baylor and TCU — but eventually got the job done against Syracuse.

“You’ve got to accomplish confidence, and we did (by beating Syracuse),” said SMU coach Rhett Lashlee said. “Now we’ve been there and we can say, ‘No, we’ve done it,’ instead of ‘We almost did it.’ It doesn’t have to be pretty, but we finished. We got a double-digit win in conference. It was a big step for our team.”

The Cardinal (2-3, 1-1 ACC) hit the road after a needed bye week that followed a thrilling 30-29 come-from-behind home win over San Jose State on Sept. 27. Sedrick Irvin scored on a 1-yard run with 19 seconds left to lift Stanford to the win, but that couldn’t happen without Ben Gulbranson’s 34-yard pass to Caden High to convert a fourth-and-10 with just over a minute to play.

Gulbranson finished with 444 yards and two touchdown passes while CJ Williams hauled in 11 of those throws for 130 yards and High caught five for 110 yards. Gulbranson’s passing total was third most in school history, but second most in the game as San Jose State’s Walker Eget threw for 473 yards and three scores.

“We’ve got the utmost respect for SMU, but our focus is more on what we do and how we play,” Stanford interim coach Frank Reich said Monday. “We’re working on being a more consistent football team in all three phases. We’ve made good progress in some ways, but I still feel like we have a ways to go.”

It’s just the third all-time meeting between the teams. SMU won 40-10 last year in Palo Alto, Calif. The only other game between the Mustangs and Cardinal was in the 1936 Rose Bowl game, a 7-0 Stanford victory.

–Field Level Media

Sep 20, 2025; Fort Worth, Texas, USA; SMU Mustangs tight end Matthew Hibner (88) catches a pass for a touchdown over TCU Horned Frogs edge Devean Deal (11) during the first half at Amon G. Carter Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

Josh Hoover (5 TDs), TCU upend SMU, win ‘Iron Skillet’

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In the 104th meeting of one of the nation’s oldest rivalries, Josh Hoover threw for 379 yards and five touchdowns to lead Texas Christian to a 35-24 victory over Southern Methodist on Saturday in Fort Worth, Texas.

This was the final scheduled edition of the “Battle for the Iron Skillet.” The series, which began in 1915, ends with TCU holding a 54-43-7 advantage.

Eric McAlister enjoyed a career day with eight catches for 254 yards and three scores for TCU (3-0). Kevin Jennings passed for 261 yards and three touchdowns for SMU (2-2).

On its opening drive, TCU put the first points on the scoreboard when Hoover found McAlister for a 27-yard touchdown pass on a third-and-17 play. SMU responded with a 12-play, 68-yard drive that resulted in a 28-yard field goal by Sam Keltner that closed the gap to 7-3 late in the first quarter.

TCU began the second quarter with Jeremy Payne extending the Horned Frogs’ lead to 14-3 on a 10-yard scoring pass from Hoover to cap a 13-play, 75-yard drive.

The Mustangs were flagged for seven penalties for 70 yards in the first half, but Jennings hit Matthew Hibner for a 9-yard TD pass that made it 14-10 TCU midway through the second quarter.

Jaelyn Davis-Robinson’s interception of Hoover in the end zone with 2:37 left in the first half blunted TCU’s next drive. SMU moved the ball downfield, but Keltner’s 49-yard field goal attempt hit the right upright and missed.

Jennings limped off the field after he was sacked deep in SMU territory as the third quarter began. Hoover took advantage of good field position after the punt and found McAlister for a 47-yard gain. Two plays later, he threw his third touchdown pass, a 4-yarder to Joseph Manjack IV that pushed the TCU lead to 21-10.

Though hobbled, Jennings marched the Mustangs down the field again. He threw a 7-yard TD pass to Yamir Knight to narrow the gap to 21-17 with 5:54 remaining in the third .

SMU seized its first lead at 10:30 of the fourth when Jennings threw a 34-yard dart to Jordan Hudson to make it 24-21. But Hoover answered 72 seconds later with a 70-yard scoring strike to McAlister as TCU regained the edge at 28-24.

McAlister added his third score with 6:03 left. The 44-yard pass from Hoover accounted for the game’s final score.

–Field Level Media

Sep 21, 2019; Fort Worth, TX, USA; Southern Methodist Mustangs players celebrate with the Iron Skillet after the victory against the TCU Horned Frogs at Amon G. Carter Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images

TCU hosts SMU in scheduled finale of storied ‘Skillet’ rivalry

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In the final scheduled meeting of a rivalry that dates back more than a century, TCU will host SMU on Saturday in Fort Worth, Texas.

Known as the “Battle for the Iron Skillet,” the series began in 1915 and has been played in all but seven years since. TCU has put the rivalry on hold to secure more home games.

“They’ve chosen not to play anymore,” said SMU coach Rhett Lashlee. “We’ll see what the future holds, but we’re playing this Saturday.”

SMU won last year’s game 66-42 on its way to the College Football Playoff, but the Horned Frogs lead the all-time series against the Mustangs with a record of 53-43-7.

Both teams are coming off of victories over FCS opponents last weekend.

TCU (2-0) claimed a 42-21 win — the 100th in coach Sonny Dykes’ career — over Abilene Christian. SMU (2-1) overcame a 10-0 first-quarter deficit to claim a 28-10 decision at Missouri State. Baylor had knocked SMU out of the Top 25 the week before with a 48-45 double-overtime victory.

Lashlee acknowledged the ups and downs of his team this season, pointing out that 42 of his 85 players are new. The Mustangs also have been hit with a rash of injuries.

“I still believe this team has a lot of potential,” Lashlee said. “We’ve got to keep working hard to get to that point.”

Lashlee said playing on the road against a good football team presented a difficult challenge.

“There is a lot of emotion around rivalry games when it comes to fan bases,” Lashlee said. “We’ve got to play with intensity and toughness and together. If we play good SMU football, we’ll give ourselves a chance to win.”

TCU could be without leading rusher Kevorian Barnes, who suffered a lower-body injury against Abilene Christian.

“We’re just trying to get him feeling better,” Dykes said Tuesday. “We’ll probably have a little bit more of a sense of where he’s going to be on Thursday.”

–Field Level Media

Aug 30, 2025; Dallas, Texas, USA; Southern Methodist Mustangs quarterback Kevin Jennings (7) passes the ball for a touchdown against the East Texas A&M Lions during the second half at Gerald J. Ford Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

No. 17 SMU hosts Baylor as 125-year rivalry is rekindled

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For the first time in nine years, the No. 17 SMU Mustangs and the Baylor Bears renew a 125-year-old rivalry Saturday afternoon in Dallas.

SMU (1-0) began its 2025 regular season with a 42-13 rout of FCS side East Texas A&M before welcoming its first power conference test in Baylor (0-1). In the lopsided Mustangs victory, the reigning College Football Playoff participant controlled both the ground and the air despite losing their top returning receiver Jordan Hudson on the first play of the game with a shoulder injury on a 7-yard reception.

On the defensive end, SMU also lost a key member of its linebacker group when Alex Kilgore injured his left ankle on a 10-yard interception return for a touchdown.

“Good news is both X-rays were negative, so there’s no long-term fractures or breaks,” said head coach Rhett Lashlee. “I’d say they’re both day-to-day. It could be anywhere from, best-case scenario, play this week to a few weeks.”

With Hudson out, fifth-year senior Romello Brinson lit up East Texas’ secondary with the best receiving day of his career. He posted 121 yards and a touchdown, his fourth in three seasons at SMU.

The Mustangs have their work cut out for them against the Bears’ secondary, which held Auburn’s starting wide receivers to 104 total yards in a 38-24 season-opening loss at home Friday night.

However, the running game was difficult for Baylor against Auburn quarterback Jackson Arnold, who had a team-high two rushing touchdowns with 137 rushing yards on 16 attempts. The Bears’ defense allowed Arnold to rush for 24- and 27-yard scores in the double-digit defeat. Now, Baylor will match up against Kevin Jennings, who ran for 354 yards and five touchdowns last season for SMU.

“Kevin’s feet give a defense trouble,” said Lashlee. “So, hopefully, that plus our running game can be good this week. We need to take a jump from Week 1.”

For Baylor, the loss to Auburn takes away one of only two nonconference chances to earn a power conference win to help bolster its playoff resume before the nine-game Big 12 schedule begins Sept. 20. Regardless, the Bears are not looking at SMU as their last chance to compete for postseason football so early in the season, but it’s an opportunity for Baylor to continue to improve.

“There are things that are in our control, the opponent sometimes isn’t,” said head coach Dave Aranda. “But there’s things that are in our control that we have to do better. And if we do those things and play the standard of what we can, what we’re capable of, then all the other things are going to fall into place. And so, the emphasis is really on that.”

Despite the difficulties stopping the run for Baylor, on offense, senior quarterback Sawyer Robertson showed the Bears’ ability to hurt teams when they have the ball. He threw for 419 yards and three touchdowns in the season opener.

The in-state rivalry leans in Baylor’s favor, as the Bears have a 37-35-5 record and 12 straight wins against SMU.

–Field Level Media

Dec 21, 2024; University Park, Pennsylvania, USA; Penn State Nittany Lions defensive end Dani Dennis-Sutton (33) reacts following a sack on Southern Methodist Mustangs quarterback Kevin Jennings (not pictured) during the second quarter in the first round of the College Football Playoff at Beaver Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matthew O'Haren-Imagn Images

No. 6 seed Penn State advances in CFP with easy win over SMU

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Dominic DeLuca and Tony Rojas returned interceptions for touchdowns and No. 6 seed Penn State advanced in the College Football Playoff with an easy 38-10 victory over No. 11 seed SMU on Saturday afternoon at University Park, Pa.

DeLuca also had another interception as the Nittany Lions (12-2) built a 28-point halftime advantage in Happy Valley. Penn State will face No. 3 seed Boise State (12-1) in a quarterfinal game at the Fiesta Bowl in Glendale, Ariz., on Dec. 31.

Nicholas Singleton rushed for 90 yards and one touchdown and Kaytron Allen had 70 yards and two scores for the Nittany Lions, who thrived in cold weather that was 25 degrees (feels like 12) at kickoff. Drew Allar completed 13 of 22 passes for 127 yards.

Kevin Jennings threw three first-half interceptions for an SMU team that was overmatched from the outset. The Mustangs (11-3) were the final team to earn an at-large bid into the 12-team field, edging Alabama.

Jennings completed 20 of 36 passes for 195 yards and threw a touchdown pass to Roderick Daniels Jr. Brashard Smith had 163 all-purpose yards (77 kickoff, 62 rushing, 24 receiving) for the Mustangs.

Penn State outgained SMU 325-253.

Jennings’ first interception came when DeLuca picked off the throw at the SMU 23-yard line and ran in for the score with 6:08 left in the opening quarter.

His second interception came when Rojas nabbed his pass and meandered 59 yards for a score to give Penn State a 14-0 lead with 13:09 left in the first half.

SMU was threatening to get on the board five minutes later when DeLuca batted a Jennings pass in the air and caught it at the Nittany Lions’ 11 and returned it 14 yards.

Penn State then traveled 75 yards on nine plays to push the lead to 21. Allen capped the drive with a 25-yard run around the left side with five minutes left in the first half.

Singleton scored from the 1 with 1:03 left to give the Nittany Lions a 28-point halftime edge.

SMU got on the board in the third quarter on a 28-yard field goal by Collin Rogers. Penn State got the three points back on Ryan Barker’s 40-yard field goal with 8:13 left in the period.

Allen tacked on a 4-yard run to boost the Nittany Lions’ lead to 38-3 with 12:56 left in the contest.

Jennings hit Daniels from 28 yards out with 7:31 to play.

–Field Level Media

Dec 7, 2024; Charlotte, NC, USA; Southern Methodist Mustangs quarterback Kevin Jennings (7) throws during the second quarter against the Clemson Tigers in the 2024 ACC Championship game at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images

Meet the 12 CFP Title Contenders: No. 11 SMU

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11. SMU Mustangs

11-2 (8-0 Atlantic Coast Conference regular season)

What’s next: at No. 6 Penn State, State College, Pa., Dec. 21, Noon ET

Head coach: Rhett Lashlee (three seasons, 29-11 overall)
About Lashlee: The 41-year-old is enjoying success in his first college head coaching gig and has guided the Mustangs to back-to-back 11-win seasons. He was offensive coordinator at SMU from 2018-19 before heading to Miami for two years and returning to take the head job. He was named Atlantic Coast Conference Coach of the Year this season.

Resume
SMU notched ranked wins over then-No. 22 Louisville and then-No. 18 Pitt but really served notice while racking up 66 points in a win over TCU. The Mustangs lost two games by a total of six points: 34-31 to Clemson in the ACC title game and 18-15 to BYU.

Postseason history
This is SMU’s first trip to the playoffs during the CFP era. The Mustangs have lost their past four bowl games, including two under Lashlee. The program had a memorable run in the early 1980s behind stars like Eric Dickerson and Craig James but numerous NCAA violations sank the Mustangs and they eventually served a two-year death penalty.

The road to Atlanta
SMU hits the road for the first-round matchup at No. 6 Penn State. The winner advances to play No. 3 Boise State (12-1) in the quarterfinals in the Fiesta Bowl on Dec. 31.

Names to Know
QB Kevin Jennings
He threw for 304 yards and three TDs in the ACC title game, his fourth game over 300 yards passing this season.

Jennings had a strong regular season with 2,746 yards and 19 TDs in the air and four scores on the ground. He can hurt teams with his feet, proven by a 113-yard outing against Louisville.

“What is new now is the amount of criticism I receive from everyone. I get a lot of comments and messages from people on social media always criticizing everything after each game,” Jennings said.

RB Brashard Smith
Stellar runner averaging 5.9 yards per carry to go with 1,270 yards and 14 TDs on the ground.

LB Kobe Wilson
Stands out against both the run and the pass, leading the team in tackles (110) and adding three sacks and two interceptions.

S Isaiah Nwokobia
He has enjoyed an outstanding season with 91 regular-season tackles and three interceptions while patrolling the back end. He has nine career interceptions.

DT Jared Harrison-Hunte
A force with 6.0 sacks, one interception and 38 tackles. He’s in his first season with SMU after four at Miami. He has 15 career sacks.

–Field Level Media

Nov 30, 2024; Dallas, Texas, USA; Southern Methodist Mustangs safety Brandon Crossley (1) celebrates a defensive stop against the California Golden Bears during the first half at Gerald J. Ford Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

No. 9 SMU blows out Cal to win 9th straight, improve to 11-1

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No. 9 SMU jumped out to a three-touchdown lead then sealed the game with a fourth-quarter explosion in their 38-6 win over visiting Cal in an Athletic Coast Conference matchup in Dallas on Saturday.

The Mustangs (11-1, 8-0 ACC) were already assured of a berth in the conference title game on Dec. 7. They will play Clemson, which qualified when No. 6 Miami fell at Syracuse on Saturday.

Kevin Jennings threw for 225 yards and two touchdowns. Brashard Smith had rushing and receiving scores, and Derrick McFall also ran for a touchdown for SMU.

The Mustangs had 251 total yards in the first half as they built a 21-0 lead but tallied only 17 yards in the third quarter before regaining steam. They finished with 415 yards to 254 for Cal.

SMU also had 17 penalties for 137 yards, with 85 of those yards coming after intermission.

The Mustangs’ defense, meanwhile, had five sacks, two by Kobe Wilson, among their 16 tackles for loss. Jonathan McGill’s interception in the fourth quarter set up Jennings’ 23-yard touchdown strike to Smith to effectively put the game away.

Reserve quarterback Preston Stone hit Key’Shawn Smith for a 40-yard touchdown with 3:38 left in the game to complete the scoring.

Chandler Rogers had 84 yards passing before leaving with an apparent leg injury in the third quarter for Cal (6-6, 2-6), and CJ Harris came on to throw for 75 yards and was intercepted once. Nyziah Hunter finished with 85 yards on five receptions.

The Golden Bears’ only points came on field goals of 40 and 53 yards by Ryan Coe in the second half.

After picking up a combined 35 yards on its first three possessions, Cal had a golden opportunity to draw within striking distance.

Trailing 21-0, the Golden Bears moved from their own 25-yard line to the Mustangs’ 3. But Rogers lost 2 yards on a rush, 10 more on a sack by Elijah Roberts and, after an incompletion, 5 yards for delay of game. Derek Morris’ 38-yard field-goal attempt sailed wide right.

–Field Level Media

Nov 2, 2024; Dallas, Texas, USA; Southern Methodist Mustangs tight end Stone Eby (44) and wide receiver Roderick Daniels Jr. (13) and wide receiver Moochie Dixon (5) and quarterback Kevin Jennings (7) celebrate a touchdown against the Pittsburgh Panthers during the first half at Gerald J. Ford Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

No. 9 SMU aims to improve playoff odds vs. Cal

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SMU has plenty to play for when it closes the regular season against California on Saturday afternoon in Dallas.

The Mustangs (10-1, 7-0 Atlantic Coast Conference), who checked in at No. 9 in the latest College Football Playoff rankings on Tuesday, would like to send their seniors off the right way. They would also like to complete a perfect regular season before appearing in the ACC title game in their first year in the conference. Most importantly, they want to continue to strengthen their playoff case.

“You’ve got the College Football Playoff, so every game matters. That’s what’s so cool about it now. The regular season is important,” SMU coach Rhett Lashlee said. “We’d like to finish well in everything we do, particularly on Saturday, to finish off the regular season, continue our momentum into the following week. Hopefully, continue to show the committee and others that we’re worthy of continuing to play this year.”

The Mustangs are a worthy playoff team to date. Kevin Jennings has established himself as one of the top quarterbacks in the country, throwing for 2,521 yards with 17 touchdowns and seven interceptions. He also has rushed for 315 yards and four TDs. Brashard Smith has been another standout, rushing for 1,089 yards and 13 TDs. Defensively, the Mustangs rank tied for 14th in the country with 20 takeaways.

“Obviously they’ve had a phenomenal season,” Cal coach Justin Wilcox said of SMU. “As soon as you turn the tape on, it doesn’t take very long to see why their record is what it is. They’re very, very good really in every phase of the game – extremely explosive and quick and fast. They’ve got a dominant D-line. We’ve got a lot of challenges in front of us and our guys are excited for that.”

Cal (6-5, 2-5) is coming off an emotional win, defeating rival Stanford 24-21 on Saturday to secure a bowl berth. The Golden Bears will appear in consecutive bowls for the first time since 2018-19 and are now looking to clinch their first winning season since 2019.

SMU is not overlooking Cal, as all five of the Golden Bears’ losses have come by one score.

“You’d be hard-pressed to find a better 6-5 team in America,” Lashlee said. “I think you can conservatively say they very, very easily could be 9-2.”

Cal is led by quarterback Fernando Mendoza, who has thrown for 3,004 yards with 16 touchdowns and six interceptions. Tight end Jack Endries leads the team with 555 yards receiving, while wide receiver Nyziah Hunter has caught a team-leading five touchdowns.

Defensively, Cal has the ACC’s top scoring defense (20.7 points per game) and is tied with Clemson for the ACC’s best turnover margin (plus-13). Defensive back Nohl Williams is the star of the group — he leads the country with seven interceptions.

Even though oddsmakers are heavily favoring SMU, Cal is going into the game with a simple mindset.

“Our task at hand is to make the best bowl game right now,” Mendoza said. “And the way to do that is to go into Dallas, give it our best and ruin SMU’s season.”

Saturday will mark the first conference meeting between these ACC newcomers, and just the second meeting between the programs all time. SMU won a 13-6 game back in 1957.

–Field Level Media