SMU Looks To Stay Hot As Boston College Visits Ford Stadium
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No. 21 SMU returns to Ford Stadium on Saturday with a chance to strengthen its place in the ACC race, but the Mustangs still have plenty to clean up after an uneven first month of the season.
SMU is 3-1 overall and 1-1 in conference play after beating Missouri State 34-24 last week. The Mustangs survived some early mistakes in that game, but their offense remains among the most productive in college football.
MORE: SMU's Kevin Jennings Laments 'Little Mistakes' In Missouri Win
Quarterback Kevin Jennings is the centerpiece.
Through four games, Jennings has thrown for 1,453 yards and 12 touchdowns while completing 77 percent of his passes. SMU is averaging more than 550 yards of offense per game, with nearly 400 coming through the air.
That makes Boston College’s assignment fairly obvious: find some way to prevent Jennings from controlling the game.
Wide receiver Yamir Knight leads SMU with 27 catches for 345 yards, while running back Kendrick Raphael has added balance with 373 rushing yards, five touchdowns and an average of six yards per carry.
The Mustangs haven’t been flawless, though.
Jennings has thrown five interceptions, and turnovers have occasionally erased otherwise productive offensive possessions.
SMU has also dealt with inconsistency on defense and special teams, including a kicking game that has struggled to convert field-goal opportunities.
Still, Rhett Lashlee’s team has been particularly effective when it matters most defensively. Opponents have converted only about 20 percent of their third-down opportunities, giving SMU one of the better situational defenses in the country.
The recent history also favors the Mustangs.
Boston College defeated SMU 23-14 in the 2023 Fenway Bowl, but SMU responded once the programs became ACC opponents. The Mustangs won 38-28 in 2024 before dominating last season’s meeting 45-13.
Now Boston College comes to Dallas at 2-2 overall and 0-1 in ACC play.
SMU doesn’t need another reminder that sloppy football can turn comfortable games into stressful ones. The Mustangs learned that against Missouri State.
MORE: Kevin Jennings And Yamir Knight Earn Earl Campbell Honors After Huge SMU Win
If Jennings protects the football and SMU avoids giving Boston College extra possessions, the offense should create plenty of opportunities Saturday.
For a ranked team trying to build momentum deeper into conference play, that’s the next step: turning explosive production into a cleaner, more complete performance.
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