(QB Preston Stone – 247Sports)
Key Players Returning:
QB Preston Stone, RB LJ Johnson Jr., RB Jaylan Knighton, WR Romello Brinson, WR Moochie Dixon, WR Jordan Hudson, WR Key’Shawn Smith, TE RJ Maryland, OC Justin Osborne, OG Logan Parr, OT PJ Williams, DE Elijah Roberts, LB Alexander Kilgore, LB Cameron Robertson, LB Ahmad Walker, LB Kobe Wilson, NB Cale Sanders Jr., FS Jonathan McGill, FS Ahmaad Moses, SS Isaiah Nwokobia, KR/PR Roderick Daniels Jr., and PK Collin Rogers.
Key Players Departing:
WR Jake Bailey, WR Jordan Kerley, OC Branson Hickman (Oklahoma transfer), OG Marcus Bryant, OT Jaylon Thomas, DE DeVere Levelston, NT Jordan Miller, LB Nelson Paul, CB Chris Megginson, CB Charles Woods, SS Bryan Massey (Houston transfer), and PT Ryan Bujcevski.
(OT Savion Byrd – 247Sports)
Top 10 Recruits:
4 Star Recruits: OT Savion Byrd (Oklahoma transfer), and RB Derrick McFall (Tyler, Texas).
3 Star Recruits: DT Anthony Booker Jr. (Arkansas transfer), WR Ashton Cozart (Oregon transfer), DT Jonathan Jefferson (Georgia transfer), OT Andrew Chamblee (Arkansas transfer), EDGE Billy Walton III (Texas transfer), WR Brashard Smith (Miami, FL transfer), EDGE Omari Abor (Ohio State transfer), and DT Mike Lockhart (West Virginia transfer).
2023 Results
G01 LOUISIANA TECH W 38-14
G02 @ #18 Oklahoma L 11-18
G03 PRAIRE VIEW A&M W 69-0
G04 @ TCU L 17-34
G05 CHARLOTTE W 34-16
G06 @ East Carolina W 31-10
G07 @ Temple W 55-0
G08 TULSA W 69-10
G09 @ Rice W 36-31
G10 NORTH TEXAS W 45-21
G11 @ Memphis W 38-34
G12 NAVY W 59-14
AAC @ #22 Tulane W 26-14
BOWL vs. Boston College L 3-11
Misc. Team Information:
2023 Record: 11-3 (1st in AAC/AAC Champions)
Home: 6-0
Away: 4-2
Neutral: 1-1
AAC: 8-0
Non-AAC: 3-3
Head Coach: Rhett Lashlee
SMU: 18-9
Career: 18-9
Bowls: 1-1
(RB Jaylan Knighton – 247Sports)
Returning Statistical Leaders:
Passing: Preston Stone (206-344, 3197 yards, 59.9%, 9.3 avg., 28 TD, 6 INT)
Rushing: Jaylan Knighton (136 car., 745 yards, 5.5 avg., 7 TD
Receiving: Jake Bailey (42 car., 528 yards, 12.6 avg., 0 TD)
TDs Scored: Jaylan Knighton (8)
Sacks: Elijah Roberts (10)
Tackles: Kobe Wilson (80)
Tackles For Loss: Elijah Roberts (12.5)
Interceptions: Isaiah Nwokobia (4)
Pass Deflections: Jonathan McGill (9)
Forced Fumbles: Cale Sanders Jr. (3)
Kick Returns: Roderick Daniels Jr. (9 ret., 212 yards, 23.6 avg., 0 TD)
Punt Returns: Roderick Daniels Jr. (24 ret., 257 yards, 10.7 avg., 1 TD)
Kicking: Collin Rogers (20-27 fg/fga., 74%, 66-67 xp/xpa., 126 pt.)
Punting: Preston Stone (4 punts, 147 yards, 36.8 avg., 1 in20)
Projected Offensive Starters
QB: 2 Preston Stone (RS JR)
RB: 4 Jaylan Knighton (GR/TR)
WR: 8 Jordan Hudson (JR/TR)
WR: 3 Romello Brinson (SR/TR)
WR: 12 Jake Bailey (GR/TR)
TE: 82 RJ Maryland (RS JR)
LT: 59 PJ Williams (RS SO/TR)
LG: 71 Logan Parr (RS SR/TR)
OC: 51 Justin Osborne (GR/TR)
RG: 53 Jakai Clark (GR/TR)
RT: 54 Savion Byrd (RS JR/TR)
KR: 13 Roderick Daniels Jr. (SR)
PK: 41 Collin Rogers (JR)
Projected Defensive Starters:
DE: 5 Elijah Roberts (GR/TR)
NT: 10 Anthony Booker Jr. (GR/TR)
DE: 92 Kori Roberson Jr. (GR/TR)
LB: 58
LB: 24 Kobe Wilson (RS SR/TR)
LB: 34 Ahmad Walker (SR/TR)
NB: 22 Cale Sanders Jr. (SR/TR)
CB: 4 Jahari Rogers (RS SR/TR)
CB: 7 Deuce Harmon (RS JR/TR)
FS: 2 Jonathan McGill (GR/TR)
SS: 23 Isaiah Nwokobia (RS JR)
PR: 13 Roderick Daniels Jr. (SR)
PT: 49 Isaac Pearson (RS SO/TR)
(LB Kobe Wilson – 247Sports)
Team Grades:
Offense
Quarterbacks: A
Running Backs: B
Wide Receivers: C
Offensive Line: A
Defense
Defensive Line: B
Linebackers: B
Secondary: B
Special Teams
Kick Returners: B
Punt Returners: A
Kickers: A
Punters: C
Schedule:
08/24 @ Nevada Wolf Pack | The series is tied 3-3. The Mustangs won (10-45) the last meeting between schools in 2009, and their last series loss (9-12) dates back to 2003.
08/31 HCU HUSKIES | SMU won (63-27) the only prior meeting between schools in 2018.
09/06 BYU COUGARS | SMU lost (23-24) the only prior meeting between teams in 2022.
09/21 TCU HORNED FROGS | SMU trails the series 2-6. The Mustangs lost (17-34) last season’s
meeting between schools, and their last series win (42-34) was in 2021.
09/28 FSU SEMINOLES | First meeting between schools.
10/05 @ Louisville Cardinals | SMU leads the series 2-0. The Mustangs won (41-7) the last meeting between schools in 1984.
10/19 @ Stanford Cardinal | SMU lost (0-7) the only prior meeting between schools in 1936.
10/26 @ Duke Blue Devils | SMU trails the series 0-2. The Mustangs lost (6-14) the last meeting
between schools in 1956.
11/02 PITTSBURGH PANTHERS | SMU leads the series 3-2-1. The Mustangs won (28-6) the last meeting between schools in 2012.
11/16 BOSTON COLLEGE EAGLES | SMU won (31-29) the only prior meeting between schools in 1986.
11/23 @ Virginia Cavaliers | First meeting between schools.
11/30 CALIFORNIA GOLDEN BEARS | SMU won (13-6) the only prior meeting between
schools in 1957.
Predictions:
Home: 7-0
Road: 5-0
Neutral: 1-2
ACC: 8-0
Non-ACC: 5-2
Overall: 13-2 (2nd in ACC/6th Seed – Eliminated in Quarterfinals)
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