(Photo Credit: USA Today Sports)
Key Players Returning:
QB Kevin Jennings, WR Jordan Hudson, TE Matthew Hibner, TE RJ Maryland, OG Logan Parr, OT Savion Byrd, OT PJ Williams, DE Cam Robertson, DE Isaiah Smith, LB Alex Kilgore, CB Deuce Harmon, FS Ahmaad Moses, SS Isaiah Nwokobia, and PK Collin Rogers.
Key Players Departing:
QB Preston Stone, RB Brashard Smith, WR/RS Roderick Daniels Jr., WR Key’Shawn Smith, OC Jakai Clark, OG Justin Osborne, DE Elijah Roberts, DT Jared Harrison-Hunte, LB Jahfari Harvey, LB Ahmad Walker, LB Kobe Wilson, CB Brandon Crossley, NB Cale Sanders Jr., FS Jonathan McGill, and PT Isaac Pearson.
Top 10 Recruits:
Blue Chip Recruits: OT Dramodd Odoms (Houston, Texas),
4 Star Recruits: WR Jalen Cooper (Cibolo, Texas), QB Ty Hawkins (Bradenton, Florida), and WR Daylon Singleton (DeSoto, Texas).
3 Star Recruits: CB Marcellus Barnes Jr. (Syracuse transfer), EDGE DJ Warner (Kansas transfer), RB Dramekco Green (Conroe, Texas), RB Chris Jonson Jr. (Miami, FL transfer), DT Jeffrey M’Ba (Purdue transfer), and OL Addison Nichols (Arkansas transfer).
2024 Results
G01 @ Nevada W 29-24
G02 HOUSTON CHRISTIAN W 59-7
G03 BYU L 15-18
G04 @ TCU L 17-34
G05 FLORIDA STATE W 42-16
G06 @ #22 Louisville W 34-27
G07 @ Stanford W 40-10
G08 @ Duke W/OT 28-27
G09 #18 PITTSBURGH W 48-25
G10 BOSTON COLLEGE W 38-28
G11 @ Virginia W 33-7
G12 CALIFORNIA W 38-6
ACC vs. Clemson L 31-34
PLA vs. #6 Penn State L 10-38
Misc. Team Information:
2024 Record: 11-3 (1st in ACC)
Home: 6-1
Away: 5-1
Neutral: 0-1
ACC: 8-0
Non-AAC: 3-3
Head Coach: Rhett Lashlee
SMU: 18-11
Bowls: 1-2
Career: 18-11
(Photo Credit: 247Sports)
Returning Statistical Leaders:
Passing: Kevin Jennings (247-380, 3245 yards, 65.0%, 8.5 avg., 23 TD, 11 INT)
Rushing: Kevin Jennings (101 car., 354 yards, 3.5 avg., 5 TD)
Receiving: Jordan Hudson (39 car., 422 yards, 10.8 avg., 5 TD)
TDs Scored: Jordan Hudson/Kevin Jennings (5)
Sacks: Isaiah Smith (6.5)
Tackles: Isaiah Nwokobia (100)
Tackles For Loss: Isaiah Smith (8)
Interceptions: Ahmaad Moses/Isaiah Nwokobia (3)
Pass Deflections: Deuce Harmon (8)
Forced Fumbles: Elijah Roberts (2)
Kick Returns: Keyshawn Smith (1 ret., 23 yards, 23.0 avg., 0 TD)
Punt Returns: None
Kicking: Collin Rogers (24-33 fg/fga., 73%, 52-52 xp/xpa., 124 pt.)
Punting: None
Projected Offensive Starters
QB: 7 Kevin Jennings (RS JR)
RB: 0 Derrick McFall (SO)
WR: 3 Romello Brinson (RS SR/TR)
WR: 8 Jordan Hudson (SR/TR)
WR: 13 Daylon Singleton (FR)
TE: 82 RJ Maryland (SR)
LT: 54 Savion Byrd (RS SR/TR)
LG: 71 Logan Parr (GR/TR)
OC: 64 Joshua Bates (RS SO/TR)
RG: 63 Addison Nichols (RS JR/TR)
RT: 59 PJ Williams (RS JR/TR)
KR: 24 Chris Johnson Jr. (RS SO/TR)
PK: 41 Collin Rogers (SR)
Projected Defensive Starters:
DE: 15 Cameron Robertson (SR/TR)
DT: 6 Jeffrey M’ba (GR/TR)
DT: 4 Terry Webb (RS SR/TR)
DE: 1 Isaiah Smith (SR)
LB: 54 Alex Kilgore (JR)
LB: 33 Zakye Barker (RS JR/TR)
NB: 21 Kyron Chambers (RS JR/TR)
CB: 13 Jaelyn Davis-Robinson (RS JR/TR)
CB: 7 Deuce Harmon (RS SR/TR)
FS: 3 Ahmaad Moses (SR)
SS: 23 Isaiah Nwokobia (RS SR)
PR: 15 Jaxson Lavender (RS SO)
PT: 43 Wade McSparron (RS FR)
Team Grades:
Offense
Quarterbacks: A
Running Backs: C
Wide Receivers: C
Offensive Line: A
Defense
Defensive Line: B
Linebackers: B
Secondary: B
Special Teams
Kick Returners: A
Punt Returners: C
Kickers: B
Punters: C
Schedule:
08/30 EAST TEXAS A&M LIONS | First meeting.
09/06 BAYLOR BEARS | SMU trails the series 36-39-1. The Mustangs won (13-40) the last meeting in 2016, and their last series win (27-21) was in 1986.
09/13 @ Missouri State Bears | First meeting.
09/20 @ TCU Horned Frogs | SMU trails the series 43-53-7. The Mustangs are 6-3 since 2015, and their last series loss (17-34) was in 2023.
10/04 SYRACUSE ORANGE | SMU won (16-6) the only prior meeting in 1932.
10/11 STANFORD CARDINAL | The series is tied 1-1. The Mustangs won (40-10) last season’s meeting, and they lost (0-7) the inaugural meeting in 1935.
10/18 @ Clemson Tigers | Last season’s 31-34 loss was the first meeting between schools.
10/25 @ Wake Forest Demon Deacons | SMU leads the series 3-0. The Mustangs won (14-7) the last meeting in 1975, and they won (56-10) the prior meeting in 1972.
11/01 MIAMI (FL) HURRICANES | SMU won (7-3) the only prior meeting in 1965.
11/08 @ Boston College Eagles | SMU leads the series 2-1. The Mustangs won (387-28) last season’s meeting, and they lost (14-23) the prior meeting in 2023.
1/22 LOUISVILLE CARDINALS | Louisville leads the series 3-0. The Mustangs won (34-27) last season’s meeting, and they won (41-7) the prior meeting in 1984.
11/29 @ California Golden Bears | SMU leads the series 2-0. The Mustangs won (38-6) last season’s meeting, and they won (13-6) the inaugural meeting in 1957.
Predictions:
Home: 7-0
Road: 2-3
Neutral: 0-0
ACC: 6-2
Non-ACC: 3-1
Overall: 9-3 (5th in ACC – Bowl Eligible)
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