No. 9 Mustangs Host Cal Before ACC Championship Game

Nov 27, 20243 min read

SMU Mustangs | Kevin Jennings, Brashard Smith — © Amber Searls-Imagn Images

After clinching a spot in the Atlantic Coast Conference championship game, the No. 9 SMU Mustangs (10-1, 7-0) conclude regular-season play with a matchup against the bowl-bound Cal Golden Bears (6-5, 2-5), who are coming off a dramatic victory over their rival, the Stanford Cardinal (3-8, 2-6). Kickoff is scheduled at 3:30 p.m. EST on Nov. 30 at Gerald J. Ford Stadium on the Southern Methodist University campus in Dallas.

The Mustangs and Golden Bears have met only once before on the gridiron, back on Sept. 21, 1957, in a game won by SMU 13-6 in Berkeley, Calif.

SMU is favored at home by 12.5 points, and the over/under is 58.5.

The Stakes

After winning the "Battle for the Axe" and becoming bowl-eligible, Cal is riding high. However, a win against the highly-ranked Mustangs would give the Golden Bears a seventh regular-season triumph and a berth in a more prestigious bowl than they would receive with six victories.

While the Mustangs have already punched their ticket to Charlotte, N.C. for the ACC championship tilt on Dec. 7, a loss to the Golden Bears would damage SMU's further postseason prospects. With a win over Cal and a win in the conference title game, the Ponies would likely receive a top 4 seed in the College Football Playoff. However, losses in either or both of those games could result in SMU's exclusion from the CFP or less advantageous positioning in the 12-team CFP field.

Shiny Golden Bears

Redshirt sophomore quarterback Fernando Mendoza had a terrific game against Stanford on Nov. 23, completing 25 of 36 passes for 299 yards and 3 touchdowns with 0 interceptions. He was also the team's leading rusher, gaining 69 yards on 11 carries. He connected twice with junior wide receiver Jonathan Brady for fourth-quarter TDs, including the game-winning catch to cap a climactic 98-yard drive.

Linebacker David Reese and Bednarik Award semifinalist Nohl Williams delivered outstanding defensive performances against the Cardinal. Williams, who leads the nation in interceptions, had 8 tackles, 2 pass breakups, 1 forced fumble and 1 quarterback hit. He has been one of the country's most consistently excellent defensive players all season. Reese had 2.5 tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks and 1 forced fumble.

While the Mustangs are heavy favorites to win this contest, the Golden Bears, who defeated Auburn (5-6, 2-5 Southeastern Conference) and narrowly lost to No. 6 Miami (10-1, 6-1 ACC) after leading most of the way, have ample talent to make the game interesting and possibly pull off an upset.

Mustangs Pony Up for Lashlee

In his third season as SMU's coach, Rhett Lashlee has guided the team to three consecutive winning seasons and a 28-10 record, a win percentage of approximately 74 percent. Given his success, the university recently extended his contract, keeping him at the helm through the 2030 season.

Lashlee issued the following public statement about the extension: "We look forward to building upon our success and making our mark on college football's national stage. I want to thank President Turner and Rick Hart, as well as Bill Armstong and David Miller and all the trustees and SMU leadership for their belief in and commitment to me and my family. We are thrilled to be here for the long haul. Pony Up!"

SMU Mustangs | Rhett Lashlee — © Amber Searls-Imagn Images

Perhaps one of the most consequential moves made by Lashlee in the 2024-25 campaign was to replace highly-regarded QB Preston Stone with Kevin Jennings, who began the season as Stone's backup. A mobile, dual-threat signal caller, Jennings has thrown for 2,521 yards and 17 TDs and rushed for 375 yards and 4 more TDs.

Bolstering the balanced SMU offensive attack, running back Brashard Smith has run for 1,113 yards and 13 TDs. In recognition of his excellent performance, he was recently named a semifinalist for the Doak Walker Award.

The Mustangs have been dominant in racing out to a 10-1 record, outscoring opponents by an average margin of 39.27 to 21.0 points per game, outrushing opponents by a whopping 2,254 to 1,377 yards and sacking opposing QBs 33 times while only allowing 12. In addition, the Ponies have more than tripled the production of their opponents when it comes to made field goals, with 21 successful attempts compared to only 6 for their adversaries.

If SMU continues these trends against Cal, then the Golden Bears will be hard-pressed to pull off the upset.