back to the cfp? smu season preview

With Rhett Lashlee entering his fifth year as head coach of the SMU Mustangs, expectations are rising for the offensive guru. In their first two seasons in the ACC, SMU has gone 11-3 with a CFP appearance and 9-4 a year later. Surpassing many ACC football programs in just two years, hype and support is building for Coach Lashlee along with a strong and wealthy NIL base in Dallas. The Mustangs enter the season ranked #19, representing the second-highest ranking of all teams in the ACC, behind only the #7-ranked Miami Hurricanes. 

Jennings Magic: With Kevin Jennings entering his third season as the signal caller for SMU, expectations have risen quickly, and a high-powered offense is anticipated for Coach Lashlee’s offense. Lashlee’s offenses have been characterized by a high-tempo, power spread attack throughout his career, and with Jennings at the helm, Lashlee will not need to hold his creative offensive mind back in any way. In 2025, Jennings threw for 3,641 yards along with 26 touchdowns and 13 interceptions, characterizing his high-end arm talent, but also represents his decision-making issues with over a dozen interceptions. 

Running game Replacements: SMU had a lackluster running game a year ago, but hopes to improve the unit with Cal transfer Kendrick Raphael. Raphael ran for 943 yards along with 13 touchdowns a year ago and looks to breakout as RB1 in Dallas. The Mustang’s also expect redshirt freshman Dramekco Green and Christian Rhodes to provide good depth behind Raphael. 

Bad News for the Mustangs: SMU has lost four of their top 5 receivers from a year ago. The four receivers represent 2,162 yards that Lashlee must replace this season. In response to the lost production, the receiver room reloaded in a big way. Lashlee added Alabama transfer Jalen Hale, a former 4 star prospect, along with East Carolina Transfer Yannick Smith, who tallied 1017 yards at ECU over the last two seasons. The transfer duo of Hall and Smith look to support returning receivers Yamir Knight and Jalen Cooper, who totaled for a total of 958 yards last season. 

Lashlee also added 2 transfer tight ends, including blocking tight end Theo Melin Ohrstrom, a Texas A&M transfer, and H-back and flex tight end Randy Pittman Jr., both who will have valuable roles for this offense. 

An Experienced O-line: The strength of this team will be the group's offensive line. The group returns Second-Team All-ACC left tackle PJ Williams, All-ACC honorable mention center Joshua Bates, and veteran right guard and former Arkansas transfer Addison Nichols, who returns for his third year as a starter. Despite the returning production, the groups offensive line wil still feature a variety of moving pieces. Offensive line coach Garin Justice has decided to move primary backup Andrew Chamblee to right tackle, and have returner Alex Woods at left guard, who has not seen game action since 2024.

 If SMU’s receivers can step up to the challenge of replacing a reliable room from last year, this should be a very good offense that can score at will against most ACC teams. The group features a third-year QB and a veteran offensive line, along with a coaching staff that will benefit from multiple offseasons together and chemistry that has been built between Lashlee, Jennings, Justice, and the rest of the returners from the Mustangs recent success. Kevin Jennings is a veteran quarterback after being a full-time starter for two years; Kendrick Raphael will provide reliable yards on the ground, and a veteran offensive line brings a high floor to this team. Expect some high numbers from SMU this fall in a season that could look similar to the group's magical 2024 year on offense

The Mustangs look to get back to a very strong defense this season, after finishing last year 30th in scoring defense and 19th in rushing defense. The downside of the defense was the secondary, ranking 135th in passing defense and leading to 89th in total defense. To characterize this defense last year, it was the highest of the highs and the lowest of the lows. This goes along with the fact that SMU ranked fifth in the country with 28 turnovers forced, showing the bipolar nature of this defense. 

Defensive Line Replacements: The defensive line that has helped SMU adapt to power four football so quickly is gone. This defensive line now has a complete overhaul, with Isaiah Smith, Cam Robertson, Jeffrey M’ba, and Terry Webb all now on to the next level. The Mustangs did not return one defensive lineman with more than two sacks last season, and Lashlee attacked the problem through the portal, bringing in UMass defensive end Marques White, USF edge Ira Singleton IV, Kansas State defensive tackle Malcolm Alcorn-Crowder, and Louisiana Tech defensive tackle Christian Davis. White recorded 11 tackles for loss and 5 sacks at UMass, while Singleton brings athleticism off the edge. Alcorn-Crowder and Davis should provide experience in the middle to help stuff the gaps. 

The Linebackers: The Mustangs ' linebacker core will undoubtedly cement itself as a strong suit for this defense with the entire starting unit returning. Returner Brandon Booker recorded 69 tackles last season, while team captain Alex Kilgore produced 60 tackles and two interceptions. Brandon Miyazono added 45 tackles and led the team with eight pass breakups, making him the best coverage linebacker on the roster. SMU also added Clemson transfer Jamal Anderson and Marshall transfer Caden Marshall to add depth to the rotation, creating five linebackers that each and every Mustang fan should trust in the middle of the field.

Secondary Improvements Needed: The secondary has talent, but must improve on the numbers put up last season. Ahmaad Moses, a safety who had 104 tackles and 5 interceptions last season, has been granted a fifth year and will provide a huge boost to this secondary if it is finalized. Marcellus Barnes Jr., Jaelyn Davis-Robinson, and William Nettles return after combining for 86 tackles and four interceptions, while young safety Tyren Polley is back after starting six games as a true freshman. The defense also added several transfers, including USF safety Jarvis Lee, Texas A&M corner Jayvon Thomas, and UTSA safety Jimmy Wyrick. Lee will likely be the most important transfer after recording 12 tackles for loss, four sacks, two interceptions, and three forced fumbles for the Bulls last season. There is enough talent in this group, but the defensive staff must find an effective strategy and greatly switch it up from last season. I see this as a defense with very strong potential, but also a much lower floor than their offense. The linebackers will hold together in the middle of the field, but the pass rush is completely revamped, and the transfer defensive backs must step up if the returners play similarly to last season.

SMU also enters the season with uncertainty at kicker after the departure of Collin Rogers. Tulsa transfer Michael Slaba is one of the options to take over, but he has very limited experience kicking field goals at the college level. They also bring in New Hampshire kicker Nick Reed, who made 6 field goals from 50+ last season, and he looks to be the placekicker. Yamir Knight looks to be the punt returner, although SMU may want to limit Knight’s special-teams workload now that he is the team’s top returning receiver. Dramekco Green and Jayvon Thomas are slated as starting kick returners, but have limited experience doing so. The Mustangs have enough athletes to be dangerous in the return game, but the lack of a proven kicker could become an issue in close ACC games. 

Conclusion: Overall, SMU draws a favorable conference schedule, avoiding Miami and Clemson. Their toughest games look to be at Florida State this Monday, Virginia, at Louisville, and at Notre Dame out of conference. I have the Mustangs at 9-3 this season, losing to Virginia, Cal, and Notre Dame, giving them a conference record of 7-2 and a possible path into the ACC championship. I really do trust this offense; however, I believe that Kevin Jennings will have turnover problems in one of these games and may also lose in a shootout to the other ACC opponent. However, I believe Notre Dame just outmatches them, and that will be an extremely tough game to win late in November. This team can be characterized by a high-powered offense, a completely revamped defense, and a strong returning linebacker group. Coach Rhett Lashlee has all of the pieces to make a run at the College Football Playoffs this season, and I look forward to seeing this team run through the ACC.