October 19th 2024.
This weekend, the No. 21 SMU Mustangs will travel to Stanford to face off against the Cardinal. SMU has had a strong start to their season with a record of 5-1 and a perfect 2-0 in the ACC. Meanwhile, Stanford has struggled with a record of 2-4 and 1-2 in conference play.
The game is set to kickoff at 5 p.m. on Saturday at Stanford Stadium and will be televised on the ACC Network. For those unable to watch, the game can also be heard on KNBR 1050 AM. This will only be the second meeting between these two programs, with the first taking place in the 1936 Rose Bowl Game. At that time, Stanford came out on top with a 7-0 victory after intercepting six passes.
This game will mark the beginning of an annual rivalry between SMU and Stanford, with the teams alternating between hosting the game in Dallas and at Stanford Stadium each season. As for the Cardinal, they are hoping to turn things around after being outscored 120-28 during their current three-game losing streak. This will be their third game against a ranked opponent in the last four games, making for a tough stretch.
Stanford has also had a challenging schedule with three games in the Eastern Time Zone in the last month. However, they will have the advantage of ending their season with five of their last six games in the Bay Area. The team will need to improve their passing game, which currently ranks 122nd out of 133 teams in passing offense.
On the other side, SMU is looking to continue their strong start to the season and make it 3-0 in their first year in the ACC. They have been averaging an impressive 47.3 points per game during their current three-game winning streak. The team has seen success since elevating Kevin Jennings to starting quarterback, but the defense has also been a key contributor. They are currently tied for first in the country with 15 turnovers gained and have four defensive touchdowns.
As for the stats that matter, SMU will be aiming for their eighth straight road win, while Stanford has yet to beat an FBS opponent at home under coach Troy Taylor. Additionally, Stanford has had eleven different players make their first collegiate starts, which is tied for the 11th most in FBS and leads the ACC. SMU running back Brashard Smith has also been a standout with eight total touchdowns, ranking him seventh in the country.
One interesting statistic to note is that Stanford ranks third in the country in fourth down attempts, only behind Baylor and Air Force. They have been successful on ten of these attempts. It will be a tough battle between these two teams, but both will be looking to come out on top in this budding rivalry.
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