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In an era of realignment, teams across the country entered new conferences, began forging rivalries with new teams and adjusted to a new world of possibilities. In the Atlantic Coast Conference, the eighth-ranked SMU Mustangs (11-1, 8-0 ACC) travel to Charlotte, N.C., with eyes on an ACC title in their first season. With chapters still to be written on this college football season, SMU has delivered with success to start its ACC journey.
How Did They Get There?
After finishing the 2023 season 11-3 overall and 8-0 in the American Athletic Conference, the Mustangs entered the ACC. SMU outscored their opponents in the 2023 season, 542-249. With a veteran team returning, SMU head coach Rhett Lashlee began the 2024 season with the same strong defense while the offense found its identity.
That offense's identity came after an early-season loss to BYU (10-2, 7-2 Big 12 Conference) with quarterback Kevin Jennings taking the offense's reins. Lashlee said it was one of two pivotal moments of the season. He said, "Deciding to settle on Kevin as our starter {he} gave our team some consistency and stability. It helped our offense be more balanced."
After the loss to the Cougars, the Mustangs stampeded through their next nine games, winning them by a combined 367-188 point total. Jennings grew comfortable on his way to a 66.7 percent completion percentage. He also showed off a solid passing arm, averaging 9.3 yards per attempt. As a dual-threat QB, Jennings gave the Mustangs a more dynamic look on offense that rose to any challenge.
First ACC Wins at Home, on the Road
On Sept. 28, SMU began its first season of ACC play against the defending conference champion Florida State Seminoles (2-10, 1-7). After a resounding 42-16 win, the Mustangs showed they were more than just a new conference member. The following week, the Mustangs faced their first road test against the Louisville Cardinals. SMU won 34-27. The Mustangs saw that their expectations could be realistic. Lashlee said, "From that point on, our guys knew that if we played that well, we were going to be able to beat anybody."
Biggest Challenge in the Season
With the normal challenges of a new season aside, the Mustangs navigated travel challenges to both the Atlantic and the Pacific coasts. After a trip to fellow conference newcomer Stanford (3-9, 2-6 ACC) resulted in a 40-10 victory on Oct. 19, SMU traveled to the East Coast for a battle on Oct 26 with the Duke Blue Devils (9-3, 5-3 ACC). The game against the Blue Devils would show the nation that the Mustangs could find ways to win after a thrilling 28-27 overtime victory brought Jennings and the Mustangs to 7-1 and 4-0 in the conference. The game would be the closest contest on the Mustangs' schedule and the first one-score game since their three-point loss to the BYU Cougars in Week 3.
Playmakers Power the Offense
While Jennings at QB earned a large amount of praise, his ability to deliver the ball to his playmakers fueled the offense. Tight end RJ Maryland provided a nightmare for opposing defenses until a season-ending injury sidelined him. The team showed resilience and a next-man-up mentality with receivers Roderick Daniels Jr and Key'Shawn Smith emerging to help Jennings in the aerial attack. The duo averaged over 16.5 yards per reception each. It was the play of running back Brashard Smith that had the biggest impact. Smith led the team with 1,426 total yards and 17 TDs. Smith eclipsed the 100-yard mark in seven of the team's 12 games.
Biggest Test Remains
The ACC Championship against the 17th-ranked Clemson Tigers will be one of the toughest for the Mustangs. The teams rank as the top two in the ACC in points allowed with SMU allowing a conference-best 19.8 and the Tigers allowing 21.6 points per game. With the College Football Playoff looming larger than ever, the championship will have some of the biggest implications for the Mustangs and the ACC.
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