ACC FOOTBALL COMPANION GUIDE • ALPHABETICAL 12 OF 17
2026 Season Snapshot • Dallas, Texas
9–4 (6–2 ACC)
ACC
Live schedule, lines and results for SMU.
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HEAD COACH
Rhett Lashlee — 5th season at SMU
LIFETIME COACHING RECORD
38–16 at SMU
A former Arkansas quarterback and offensive coordinator at Auburn, UConn, SMU, and Miami before taking over the Mustangs in 2022. Delivered an AAC title (2023), then guided SMU's first-ever ACC season directly to the CFP (2024, 11 wins — the program's best total since 1982) and a Holiday Bowl win in 2025 — a real, historic restoration that made him a target for multiple Power 4 openings before SMU locked him up.
SMU ATS RECORD
No single published career ATS figure
2025 finished 9-4 (6-2 ACC), capped by a Holiday Bowl win over Arizona — SMU's first bowl win in the Lashlee era, ending a real, specific bowl-win drought Lashlee himself referenced pregame. A real, if slightly less dominant, follow-up to the 2024 CFP season.
HEAD COACH SALARY (2026)
Top-10 nationally (exact
TEAM NIL VALUATION (EST.)
Not disclosed
PRIMARY NIL COLLECTIVE
Not publicly named
figure undisclosed) Coach salary per ESPN/On3 (2-yr extension through 2032, finalized Oct. 31, 2025, reportedly making Lashlee one of the 10 highest-paid coaches in the country; his 2025 salary before the extension ranked 65th nationally at just over $2.5M). SMU is a private school and has not disclosed exact figures or a team NIL number.
OFFENSIVE COORDINATOR
Rob Likens • Garin Justice — 4th/3rd season (co-OCs) • Spread
Enter year four/three with Jennings fully entrenched after a dramatic Week 3 benching of Preston Stone in 2024 that permanently changed the QB pecking order. Must replace SMU's top two rushers and top two receivers from 2025 — a real, specific rebuild around an elite, proven passer.
DEFENSIVE COORDINATOR
Maurice Crum Jr. • Rickey Hunley Jr. — 2nd season (co- DCs) • 4-2-5
Enter year two with real system continuity after helping anchor SMU's second straight ACC-contending season.
2025 RECORD
9–4 (6–2 ACC)
Trust & Will Holiday Bowl: W 24-19 vs. Arizona. Jennings threw a season- best 4 TD at Syracuse and torched then-No. 10 Miami for 365 yards — real, signature performances in SMU's second straight strong ACC season.
HOME FIELD
Gerald J. Ford Stadium
Artificial turf (FieldTurf), Dallas. A program that's gone from AAC also-ran to back-to-back real ACC contenders under Lashlee — SMU's fastest rise to national relevance in decades, now backed by a top-10 coaching investment.
| SLOT | PLAYER | YEAR | HS Stars | NOTES / NFL OUTLOOK |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| QB1 | Kevin Jennings | Sr | ★★★★★ | Three-star signee (South Oak Cliff HS, Dallas; led his team to a 2021 state title). A Dallas-area legend; returns 100% of his 2025 production (3,641 yds, 26 TD, 146.6 rating, 66% completion, 3rd in the ACC in passing) for a real, proven final season. |
| RB1 | Kendrick Raphael | Sr | ★★★★★ | TOP TRANSFER Three-star signee (Naples HS, Fla.). Cal transfer (by way of NC State) and Honorable Mention All-ACC; rushed for 944 yds, 13 TD on 4.1 ypc in 2025, the clear new lead back after SMU's top two 2025 rushers departed. |
| WR1 | Room rebuilt | — | ★★★★★ | SMU lost its top two receivers from 2025 (just 53% returning production); confirm specific 2026 starters as the receiving corps is rebuilt around Jennings. |
Three-star signee (South Oak Cliff HS, Dallas; led his team to a 2021 state title). A Dallas-area legend; returns 100% of his 2025 production (3,641 yds, 26 TD, 146.6 rating, 66% completion, 3rd in the ACC in passing) for a real, proven final season.
Three-star signee (Naples HS, Fla.). Cal transfer (by way of NC State) and Honorable Mention All-ACC; rushed for 944 yds, 13 TD on 4.1 ypc in 2025, the clear new lead back after SMU's top two 2025 rushers departed.
SMU lost its top two receivers from 2025 (just 53% returning production); confirm specific 2026 starters as the receiving corps is rebuilt around Jennings.
| PLAYER | POS | YEAR | HS Stars | NOTES |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Line with real continuity at center | OL | — | ★★★★★ | Returns 3 starters (99% continuity at center specifically per roster metrics), a real point of stability protecting Jennings' final season. |
Returns 3 starters (99% continuity at center specifically per roster metrics), a real point of stability protecting Jennings' final season.
| PLAYER | POS | NOTES |
|---|---|---|
| Front seven under Crum/Hunley | DL | Benefits from second-year continuity under the co-DC pairing, part of a defense that helped anchor SMU's back-to-back ACC-contending seasons. |
Benefits from second-year continuity under the co-DC pairing, part of a defense that helped anchor SMU's back-to-back ACC-contending seasons.
| PLAYER | POS | HS Stars | NOTES / NFL OUTLOOK |
|---|---|---|---|
| Secondary under continuity | — | — | Also benefits from second-year coordinator stability; specific 2026 starters to be confirmed closer to Week 1. |
| — | DB | ★★★★★ | |
| staff | — | — |
Also benefits from second-year coordinator stability; specific 2026 starters to be confirmed closer to Week 1.
2025 ATS
6-7
46.2% cover rate — 45th of 82
2025 Straight up
9-4
Point differential +152
Scoring environment
52.8
Combined points per game — 36th highest of 82
Home / road ATS
3-3 · 2-4
Totals 4-9 O/U (1-5 home, 3-3 road)
Points scored / allowed
32.2 per game scored (18th) · 20.5 allowed (26th)
Margin & schedule
Margin of victory +11.7 (18th) · Strength of schedule -0.9
SRS power rating
+10.1
18th of 82 — projected points vs. a league-average team on a neutral field
Offensive SRS
+4
35th of 82
Defensive SRS
+5
29th of 82
Points (margin of victory)
+11.7 · 18th of 82
Against the spread
6-7 (46.2%) · 45th of 82
Totals (combined PPG)
52.8 · 36th of 82
Computed from CollegeFootballData 2025 results and closing consensus lines.
Saved Just J research for SMU.
Arkansas (Lashlee's alma mater) showed "legitimate interest" during a cycle with 11 total openings; SMU responded with a deal reportedly in the top 10 nationally — a genuine financial statement for a private-school program.
Kevin Jennings, a Dallas-area legend who led South Oak Cliff to a state title, returns for his final season after throwing for 3,641 yds, 26 TD in 2025 (3rd in the ACC) — real, established production.
SMU returns just 62% of its rushing production and 53% of its receiving production after losing its top two players at each spot — a real, quantifiable gap around an otherwise-elite returning quarterback.
Notes are maintained in the Admin area — no code changes required.
