Several years ago, the SMU Mustangs were the scrappy underdogs, foregoing nine years of ACC media rights revenue just for a chance to compete in the conference. Now, the Mustangs are an established power in the league.
In its ACC debut in 2024, SMU seamlessly handled the competition. It finished 8-0 in league play, qualified for the ACC Championship Game, and clinched a spot in the inaugural 12-team College Football Playoff. The Mustangs were 43 seconds away from a second-straight ACC title appearance in 2025, surrendering a late touchdown at California to shatter their CFP dreams. Still, the Mustangs channeled that heartbreak into a positive, securing their first bowl victory since 2012 with a Holiday Bowl triumph over Arizona.
Now, the chapter flips to 2026. SMU is 14-2 in regular season ACC games, with both losses coming on go-ahead scores in the final 50 seconds. Under fifth-year head coach Rhett Lashlee, the expectation has been made clear, and that’s to compete for conference championships and playoff appearances on an annual basis.
That expectation is especially warranted this year, given that it’s the final season of quarterback Kevin Jennings — the engineer behind SMU’s 2023 American championship, 2024 ACC Championship Game appearance, 2024 CFP berth, and 2025 Holiday Bowl victory. The Mustangs look to add to this list of accomplishments before Jennings graduates, as the quest to bring an ACC crown to Texas continues.
StaffRhett Lashlee enters his fifth year as head coach of the Mustangs, owning a 38-16 overall record and a spectacular 27-5 mark in conference play. While Lashlee remains in Dallas, his two coordinators who arrived with him in 2022 both departed this winter.
Offensive coordinator Casey Woods accepted the head coaching vacancy at Missouri State, while defensive coordinator Scott Symons moved to the professional ranks, taking an inside linebackers coaching role with the Dallas Cowboys. Lashlee did not name a single offensive coordinator or defensive coordinator to replace Woods and Symons. Rather, he is using a committee approach.
Offensive line coach Rob Likens, wide receivers coach Garin Justice, and quarterbacks coach D’Eriq King all share the title of co-offensive coordinator, while retaining their positional responsibilities. Maurice Crum Jr. and Rickey Hunley Jr. share the title of co-defensive coordinator, with Crum serving as the play caller and Hunley overseeing the secondary.
New staff additions include former North Texas quarterback Riley Dodge, who will serve as the tight ends coach and passing game coordinator, and cornerbacks coach Kyle Ward. Both arrive from the high school ranks. Dodge was last head coach at Carroll Senior High School, while Ward was defensive coordinator at South Oak Cliff High School (Kevin Jennings’ alma mater).
Special teams coordinator Casey Horny, running backs coach Kyle Cooper, edges coach Sam Dunnam, defensive line coach Calvin Thibodeaux, and linebackers coach Warren Messer were all members of Lashlee’s first ACC staff in 2024, and all remain on The Hilltop.
OffenseStatisticTotalACC Rank (of 17)National Rank (of 136)Points Per Game32.2426Total Offense416.9531Passing Yards Avg.283.1213Completion %66.3526Rush Yards Avg.133.81095Sacks Allowed Avg.1.465t-29Turnovers19t-12t-94- Key arrivals: RB Kendrick Raphael, WR Yannick Smith, WR Jalen Hale, TE Theo Melin Öhrström, TE Randy Pittman Jr.
- Key departures: RB TJ Harden, RB Chris Johnson Jr., WR Jordan Hudson, WR Romello Brinson, TE RJ Maryland, TE Matthew Hibner, G Logan Parr, OT Savion Byrd
- Key incumbents: QB Kevin Jennings, RB Derrick McFall, WR Yamir Knight, WR Jalen Cooper, C Joshua Bates, G Addison Nichols, OT PJ Williams, OT Andrew Chamblee
SMU is one of college football’s most consistent offensive powerhouses. The 2025 season was the Mustangs’ first finishing outside the top 15 in scoring offense since 2018. Yet, they still produced the fourth-most points per game in the ACC and ranked 26th nationally. SMU managed 24 points in 12 of 13 contests last fall, only falling under that threshold in a 13-12 defeat at Wake Forest.
The Mustangs have the tools for another stellar offensive season in 2026. Kevin Jennings returns for his third year as the primary starting quarterback, and SMU has already cemented him into legendary status, naming its new recovery center in his honor. From 2024 to 2025, Jennings improved his passing yards per game from 231.8 to 280.1, completion percentage from 65.0 to 66.1, and passing touchdown output from 23 to 26. However, Jennings battled a persistent ankle injury throughout the season that limited his mobility, causing his rushing production to plummet from 354 yards to 55. His mobility should naturally improve with health, but the All-ACC quarterback needs one more element to elevate to Heisman contention status: cutting down turnovers after producing the third-most interceptions in the FBS with 13.
Jennings loses four of his top five targets from 2025 — wide receivers Jordan Hudson and Romello Brinson, and tight ends Matthew Hibner and RJ Maryland. That leaves reigning Holiday Bowl MVP Yamir Knight (54 receptions, 637 yards, 5 TD) as the top returning option, but a new crop of talent should develop alongside him. Four-star recruit Jalen Cooper enters his true sophomore campaign after showing promise in September when Hudson was sidelined with an injury. Cooper’s playing time dipped in October and November, but his impact resurfaced during the Holiday Bowl to cap a 19-catch, 321-yard season. Carterrious Brown, another four-star true freshman in the 2025 class, is also slated for an expanded role in 2026.
Two transfers are expected to join the receiver rotation. Yannick Smith is a projected starter after an All-American Conference season at East Carolina, where he recorded 583 receiving yards and five touchdowns for one of the nation’s top 20 offenses. Meanwhile, former Alabama receiver Jalen Hale seeks a change of scenery. Hale registered 148 receiving yards on five receptions as a true freshman in 2023, but his playing time has been limited since suffering an injury in 2024.
One position group SMU has benefited from most since joining the ACC is tight end. The Mustangs frequently created mismatches in the receiving game with the one-two punch of RJ Maryland and Matthew Hibner. Although both tight ends went pro, a new one-two punch emerges with transfers Theo Melin Öhrström (Texas A&M) and Randy Pittman Jr. (Florida State). Öhrström caught 29 passes for 352 yards over the last two seasons in College Station, while Pittman posted 839 yards and five touchdowns in three seasons at UCF and Florida State.
SMU’s offense was always pass-first during the Casey Woods era, but the Mustangs’ run game generally held its own. In 2025, however, SMU checked in below 70th in rushing offense for the first time since 2018, averaging 133.8 yards per game for a 95th-place finish. Jennings’ ankle certainly limited the team’s versatility on the ground. This year’s run game not only returns a healthier Jennings but adds former NC State and California running back Kendrick Raphael. Raphael accrued 943 rushing yards last year (including 111 against SMU), and his 13 rushing touchdowns ranked third in the ACC. Redshirt freshman Dramekco Green and four-star true freshman Christian Rhodes could also see significant reps behind Raphael.
Rounding out the offense is the line, and SMU has been exceptional in the trenches since joining the ACC. Offensive line coach Rob Likens will be one of the three co-coordinators, and his unit retains starting left tackle PJ Williams (Second Team All-ACC), center Joshua Bates (All-ACC honorable mention), and right guard Addison Nichols. Andrew Chamblee, who has 12 career starts — eight at Arkansas, four at SMU — is expected to rise into the starting right tackle role, while Sione Ma’u and Abel Hoopii are among the candidates for the final vacancy at guard.
DefenseStatisticTotalACC Rank (of 17)National Rank (of 136)Points Allowed Per Game20.5t-3t-30Total Defense395.11189Passing Yards Allowed Avg.283.216135Opponent Completion %60.9658Rush Yards Avg. Allowed111.94t-19Sacks Per Game2.624t-23Takeaways281t-5- Key arrivals: DE Ira Singleton, DE Marques White, DT Malcolm Alcorn-Crowder, DT Christian Davis, ILB Caden Marshall, OLB Jamal Anderson, CB Jarvis Lee, CB Jayvon Thomas, FS Jimmy Wyrick
- Key departures: DE Isaiah Smith, DE Cam Robertson, DT Jeffrey M’ba, DT Terry Webb, ILB Justin Medlock, OLB Zakye Barker, CB Kyron Chambers, CB Deuce Harmon, FS Ahmaad Moses, SS Isaiah Nwokobia
- Key incumbents: DE Aakil Washington, DE Jakai Lang, DT Woo Spencer, ILB Brandon Booker, ILB Brandon Miyazono, OLB Alex Kilgore, CB Marcellus Barnes Jr., CB Jaelyn Davis-Robinson, CB William Nettles, SS Tyren Polley
What transformed SMU from a good team in 2019-22 to a conference championship contender in 2023-24 was the rise of the defense. Scott Symons exponentially improved the Mustangs on that side of the ball, most notably by building elite defensive fronts and pass rushes on an annual basis. Symons is a massive loss, but SMU aims to continue his standard under new co-coordinators Rickey Hunley Jr. and Maurice Crum Jr.
One area that hindered SMU from a second-straight CFP appearance was pass defense, a very noticeable limitation in early-season losses to Baylor and TCU. The Mustangs ranked second-to-last nationally in passing yards allowed per game and surrendered 150 passes of 10 yards or greater, the third-most in the FBS. SMU made adjustments throughout the season, switching nickels to corners and vice versa but ultimately weren’t able to find a perfect solution. However, the Mustangs compensated for their passing defense shortcomings with frequent takeaways. SMU ranked fifth nationally with 28 turnovers produced. Making splash defensive plays is a regular occurrence on The Hilltop, and SMU has recorded 11 defensive touchdowns over the last three seasons.
The CEO of turnover production, Ahmaad Moses, declared for the NFL Draft but could receive an additional year of eligibility due to the Jul. 31 Wisne v. NCAA ruling. The First Team All-ACC safety corralled five interceptions and two fumble recoveries last year, serving as the hero of SMU’s overtime win over eventual national runner-up Miami (FL). Another former First Team All-ACC safety, Isaiah Nwokobia, must also be replaced in the secondary.
The Mustangs’ new-look defensive backfield features returning cornerbacks and nickels Marcellus Barnes Jr., Jaelyn Davis-Robinson, and William Nettles, who combined for 14 starts, 86 tackles, and four interceptions in 2025. Strong safety Tyren Pooley, who started six games and picked off two passes as a true freshman, is also back in the lineup. Portal additions to the group include South Florida nickel in Jarvis Lee, a disruptive playmaker who should fit in nicely into SMU’s “Club Takeaway” tradition. Lee forced three fumbles and intercepted two passes in 2025, and he was also frequently used as a blitzer with 4.0 sacks and 12.0 tackles for loss. Texas A&M cornerback Jayvon Thomas and UTSA free safety Jimmy Wyrick are other established veterans looking to redefine the passing defense in Dallas.
Linebacker is the position group with the most continuity on defense. Team captain Alex Kilgore has been a key rotational piece since 2023, and he set new personal-bests in tackles (60) and interceptions (2) in 2025. Inside linebackers Brandon Booker and Brandon Miyazono also return after producing 69 and 45 tackles, respectively, a season ago. Miyazono is the top coverage linebacker on the unit, coming off a year in which he led the team with eight pass breakups. Redshirt sophomore Caden Marshall (Bowling Green) and senior Jamal Anderson (Clemson) are transfers who should also play substantial roles.
SMU’s best position group under Symons was always the defensive line, which churned out four different all-conference linemen over the past three seasons. There will be a near-full reset in the position group this year after the departure of all four starters. The top returning faces are defensive ends Aakil Washington and Jakai Lang and defensive tackle Woo Spencer. Washington started at South Alabama in 2024 before missing the entirety of 2025 due to injury, and his return should greatly benefit the refurbished unit.
New entrants to the group include ends Ira Singleton (South Florida) and Marques White (UMass), along with tackles Malcolm Alcorn-Crowder (Kansas State) and Christian Davis (Louisiana Tech). White had the most productive 2025 of the group, recording 50 tackles, 11.0 tackles for loss, and 5.0 sacks at UMass. However, all four played frequent snaps at their previous stops, giving the d-line a solid starting foundation. SMU has been known to regularly rotate linemen to keep legs fresh, meaning all seven of the aforementioned players could play vital roles on a weekly basis.
Special TeamsStatisticTotalACC Rank (of 17)National Rank (of 136)Field Goals Made15t-11t-70Field Goal %62.517t-121Extra Point %96.216117Punting Avg.42.51277Kickoff Return Avg.19.61089Punt Return Avg.9.9950- Key arrivals: K Nick Reed
- Key departures: K Collin Rogers, K Sam Keltner
- Key incumbents: P Wade McSparron, KR Link Rhodes, KR Daylon Singleton, PR Yamir Knight, LS Morgan Tribbett
Special teams might have been the difference between a Holiday Bowl appearance and a second-straight College Football Playoff berth for SMU. The Mustangs lost four contests all season, and three can be directly attributed to kicking woes. They lost to Baylor in overtime on a missed 38-yard field goal in Week 2. Then in October, they lost to Wake Forest by one thanks to a blocked extra point. With the ACC Championship in play during the regular season finale, they missed a 52-yard tying field goal at California with under 10 seconds remaining.
SMU missed nine field goals and two extra points last season, and the Mustangs look to reinvigorate the kicking game with Nick Reed. Reed originally suited up for Buffalo before transferring to FCS New Hampshire, where he connected on 25-of-32 attempts in 2025, including a long of 55 yards.
The other key components on special teams remain in Dallas. Australia native Wade McSparron is back for his second year as SMU’s lead punter after averaging 42.5 yards per attempt and positioning 16 of his 55 punts inside the 20-yard line. The Mustangs also retain their two leading kick returners — Link Rhodes and Daylon Singleton — along with punt returner Yamir Knight. While Rhodes and Singleton split kick return duties last season, Knight had a monopoly on fielding punts, responsible for all 17 of the team’s returns.
Schedule and OutlookWeekOpponentDate1@ Florida StateMon, Sept. 72vs. UC Davis (FCS)*Sat, Sept. 123@ LouisvilleSat, Sept. 194vs. Missouri State*Sat, Sept. 265vs. Boston CollegeSat, Oct. 36BYE7vs. VirginiaSat, Oct. 178vs. CaliforniaSat, Oct. 249@ SyracuseSat, Oct. 3110vs. Virginia TechFri, Nov. 611vs. Wake ForestSat, Nov. 1412@ Notre Dame*Sat, Nov. 2113@ StanfordSat, Nov. 2814ACC Championship GameSat, Dec. 5* denotes non-conference game
In the Rhett Lashlee era, SMU has become more renowned for strong finishes than fast starts. In 2023, the Mustangs turned a 2-2 start into an 11-3 finish sweetened with an American championship. In 2024, they flipped a 2-1 record into 11-3 season with appearances in the ACC title game and College Football Playoff. Then in 2025, they overcame a 2-2 start to finish 9-4, landing seconds short of securing a second-straight trip to Charlotte.
That being said, SMU’s 2026 schedule features a potentially challenging opening stretch. Unlike previous years though, these early games count in the conference standings. All eyeballs will be on the Mustangs for a standalone Labor Day showdown at Florida State, which took down a CFP-bound Alabama team in last year’s opener despite finishing 5-7. Two weeks later, SMU travels to Louisville for another road ACC contest against a Cardinals team fresh off a 9-4 season.
SMU stays put in Dallas for five consecutive weeks, including its bye, from late September to late October. Virginia and California can present challenges, but the Mustangs ride a 14-game win streak against conference opponents at Gerald J. Ford Stadium, including an 8-0 mark versus ACC competition. The Cal game will certainly be circled, considering the Golden Bears knocked SMU out of ACC Championship Game and CFP contention last November.
The extended homestand concludes with a road trip to Syracuse, and then it’s back-to-back home games against Virginia Tech and Wake Forest. Senior day will come early this year on Nov. 14, as the Mustangs’ final two contests are road matchups to opposite sides of the country — a non-conference clash with Notre Dame followed by an ACC finale at Stanford. An ACC title secures an automatic CFP bid under the new 2026 rules, but that non-conference matchup vs. Notre Dame could come with significant playoff stakes if SMU is ranked at the time.
Overall, this SMU team expects to compete for a second CFP appearance under Lashlee. The Mustangs were excruciatingly close last season, and this year presents an excellent opportunity with Kevin Jennings’ career winding to a close. SMU trots out one of the more talented offensive lines in the ACC and has consistently reloaded along the defensive front despite yearly turnover.
It’s arguably the team’s most challenging slate since joining the ACC, but avoiding Clemson and Miami (FL) certainly helps its CFP prospects. The path to the playoff involves Lashlee sustaining his recent track record at home in conference play, while also capturing road wins against at least two members of the Florida State, Louisville, Notre Dame trio.
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