By DaVince “Dino” Wright
SMU is #21
Mustang fans are waking up happy reading that they are now ranked #21 in the top 25 college football standings. In their first 6 games of the season. They have some nice wins over Houston Christian, TCU, Florida State and Louisville this season with their only loss to BYU by 3 points. The Mustangs are in control of their own destiny and winning this weekend on the road will make them bowl eligible. Playing in a bowl game will allow the players some additional reps and make some big money for the school’s athletic program. It helps with recruiting and scholarships for student athletes.
Atlantic Coastal Conference Standings
Right now, the ACC conference seems to be the dark horse in college football. The conference has 5 teams ranked in the top 25 (at the time of this article), Miami is #6, Clemson is ranked #10, Pittsburgh is #20 and SMU is ranked 21. With a win on the road at Stanford, the Mustangs can move up in the rankings with a loss this weekend from fellow ACC members Clemson, Pittsburgh or Miami. You could easily see 6-7 ACC teams in bowl games this year. SMU is right in the thick of things.
Game Info
#21 SMU Mustangs vs Stanford Cardinal
Saturday – October 19 – 7:00 p.m.
TV: ACC Network
Stanford Stadium – Stanford, CA
#21 SMU Mustangs (5-1, 2-0 ACC)
Quarterback Kevin Jennings has been the stud in the bush for the Mustangs this season. Ever since starting quarterback Preston Stone went down with an injury, Jennings has become the leader on the field and in the locker room. He has 1,014 passing yards with 6 touchdowns and 1 interception. He’s a game manager because of the talent that surrounds him in every key position. His ability to run has allowed the offense to open up tremendously. Jennings will be the x-factor for the Mustangs this week. Players to watch: RB Brashard Smith, TE RJ Maryland, LB Kobe Wilson and S Ahmaad Moses.
Stanford Cardinal (2-4, 1-2 ACC)
The Cardinal are a wounded team right now. Stanford is 2-4 and on a 3-game losing streak. With losses to Notre Dame, Virginia Tech and Clemson Stanford is looking to bounce back with a win against conference foe SMU. Quarterback Ashton Daniels has had an off season in the new offensive scheme. He has 707 passing yards with 5 touchdowns and 6 interceptions. He also leads the team in rushing with 292 yards on 64 carries. Keep an eye on the Cardinal defense. since they will be the x-factor at home for Stanford. Players to watch: WR Elic Ayomanor, Tristan Sinclair and CB Collin Wright.
Prediction
ESPN has the Mustangs has a 86.1% chance of winning on the road this weekend. This should be a fairly easy game to win, but when you face a team with nothing to lose… It just might be a dog fight at Stanford. I’m still taking SMU, by 15 this week!
Final Score
Mustangs – 35
Cardinals – 20
