SMU (0-0) at Nevada (0-0), 8 p.m. Eastern (CBSSN)
BetMGM College Football Odds: SMU by 24 1/2.
Series record: Tied 3-3
What’s at stake?
SMU opens its first season as a member of the Atlantic Coast Conference after its departure from the American Athletic Conference. The Mustangs are substantial favorites over a Nevada team that last season went 2-10 and was outscored by an average of 16.1 points per game. SMU was 11-3, its best season since the back-to-back 10-3 records in 1983 and 1984 during the program’s glory days. The Mustangs hope membership in a power conference and the expanded 12-team College Football Playoff will help get them back among the sport’s elite. Nevada is trying to get back to relevance after successive two-win seasons resulted in a coaching change. Jeff Choate, who was Texas’ co-defensive coordinator, has the task of turning around a program that generally has been competitive in the Mountain West.
Key matchup
SMU’s defensive front has the opportunity to dominate the line of scrimmage. The Mustangs recorded 47 sacks last season, which was second nationally. Elijah Roberts is back after making 10 sacks. Nevada allowed 41 sacks in 2023, tied for 118th.
Players to watch
SMU: QB Preston Stone returns after leading a high-powered offense that averaged 38.7 points per game. He passed for 3,197 yards and 28 touchdowns, tossing just six interceptions. SMU also relies heavily on the run, so opposing defenses can’t just focus on Stone.
Nevada: QB Brendon Lewis was named the starter this week, putting him behind center for the second year in a row. Last season is one, however, the Colorado transfer would just as soon forget because he battled injuries. Lewis showed promise in passing for 1,313 yards and rushing for 495.
Facts & figures
The teams haven’t played each other since 2009 when SMU beat Nevada 45-10 in the Hawaii Bowl. … SMU hit the 55-point mark four times last season, most in program history. … The Mustangs’ 12.3-point average in the first quarter led the nation. … This is Choate’s second head coaching stint. In his last actual season, he led Montana State to an 11-4 record in 2019 and the semifinals of the FCS playoffs. The 2020 season was shelved in the pandemic, and Choate left for Texas the following year.
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