Pregame Prep: Things You Should Know Before the Game
- Kickoff: Noon ET (11 a.m. CT)
- TV / Radio: ESPN2 / 93.9 The Ville
- Weather: Temperatures hovering in the 60s for game-time; very low chance for rain
- Uniforms: SMU (white helmet / blue jersey & pants); Louisville (black throwback helmet & pants / white modern jersey)
Last Time (Louisville v. SMU): 2024
SMU quarterback Kevin Jennings torched Louisville’s defense with 394 total yards (281 passing, 113 rushing) and a rushing touchdown, as the Mustangs had 481 total yards against the Cardinals defense. Louisville trailed 24-13 at halftime and later tied it at 27-27 midway through the third quarter, but a one-yard touchdown run by SMU’s LJ Johnson, Jr. in the fourth quarter would give the Mustangs a 34-27 win over the Cardinals.
Read more: EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW (2025): Louisville at SMUNotable Numbers
- SMU leads the all-time series 3-0. Louisville is also 0-3 against SMU, Stanford, and California since they joined the ACC in 2024.
- Louisville’s last six losses have come by seven points or less, five of them at home.
- Keyjuan Brown now has back-to-back 100-yard rushing games this season, going for 135 yards against Clemson on Friday. Brown is averaging 115 rushing yards per game in the last four contests, with nine yards per carry in that stretch.
- With his passing touchdown on Friday, Louisville WR Caullin Lacy has now scored a touchdown through five different methods. In his Louisville career, Lacy has scored via receiving (three), punt return (two), kick return and rushing (one), and thrown a touchdown (one).
First Down: Meet the 2025 SMU Mustangs
2024 would go on to become SMU football’s best season since the Pony Express era of the 1980s. The Mustangs would finish 11-3 and earn not only a berth in the ACC Championship Game in their first season with the conference, but also a spot in the first ever 12-team College Football Playoff. That has revitalized the vibe around SMU football, who came into the 2025 season looking to do the same.
After starting the season 2-2 and falling out of the polls, SMU has since rebounded. The Mustangs enter this week with a 7-3 record, still in the mix for back-to-back appearances in the ACC Championship Game with a 5-1 conference record.
Second Down: SMU Offense Breakdown
Head coach Rhett Lashlee utilizes a lot of tempo and run-pass options in his high-octane, explosive offense, and loaded it with athletic playmakers at every skill position.
Among them is quarterback Kevin Jennings, who returns after bursting onto the scene last year as a freshman. Jennings has similar numbers from last season, completing 65% of his passes for 2,810 yards and 21 touchdowns. He’s able to get the ball out quickly and complete a variety of throws, and he can release it from a lot of different angles. Even though he just has 25 rushing yards this season, Jennings is still a threat as a runner (though that’s usually been shown more this year in creating opportunities as a passer). Louisville will have to account for his legs in dropback situations, so I wouldn’t be surprised if they used spies to keep him contained.
SMU also boasts a really deep receiver group, led by a three-headed monster in Jordan Hudson, Romello Brinson, and Yamir Knight. Hudson and Brinson are popular targets for the offense in their RPOs, and both guys can also stretch the field and test defenses vertically. Hudson has been excellent as of late, posting three 100-yard games in his last four outings (including 131 yards against Clemson and an 11-reception, 136-yard outing in their win against Miami). Knight was a top receiver at James Madison last year (53 rec., 605 yards, four TDs) before coming to SMU, he’s emerged as another threat with 37 receptions for 460 yards and four touchdowns (he also is coming off a big day against Boston College with 162 receiving yards and a touchdown). Tight end RJ Maryland (22 rec., 266 yards, two TDs) is another reliable target that will test Louisville’s defense.
UCLA transfer TJ Harden (133 carries, 616 yards, four TDs) leads SMU as their primary running back, and is also coming off a big game with 130 rushing yards against Boston College. Harden is a bruiser at 6’2″ and 225 lbs., with the ability to take runs off-tackle and get chunk yardage. SMU also added Chris Johnson Jr. (46 carries, 316 yards, three TDs) from Miami (FL) and freshman Derrick McFall (287 all-purpose yards, six TDs) to give the position more speed.
Key Players:
- QB Kevin Jennings (65% completion, 2,810 yards, 21 TDs / 9 INTs)
- WR Jordan Hudson (42 receptions, 595 yards, four TDs)
- WR Romello Brinson (40 receptions, 582 yards, three TDs)
Third Down: SMU Defense Breakdown
SMU’s defense, to summarize it succinctly, is a mixed bag on paper. Their run defense is excellent (102.1 YPG allowed, third-best in the ACC) and they have more sacks (32) and takeaways (26) than anyone in the ACC, but their pass defense is second-worst in the ACC with nearly 300 yards allowed per game.
The Mustangs have an excellent front four, led by Isaiah Smith and Terry Webb. Smith is coming off a career day against Boston College with 3.5 sacks and 4.5 TFLs, and he’s been hot as of late with 9.5 TFLs in his last four games. Cameron Robertson (eight TFLs, five sacks) complements him as a really solid weak-side edge rusher, and they can pursue the quarterback and finish plays in the backfield. Webb and Jeffrey M’ba (7.5 TFLs, five sacks) are very disruptive inside and can eat running lanes inside, Louisville will have to find ways to neutralize them with a running game that has remained consistent despite injuries at running back.
Safeties Ahmaad Moses and Isaiah Nwokobia are a really solid tandem at safety that can make plays in the back end. They are ballhawks that can read and react to passes, with Moses also being able to lay a big hit and come into the box for run support.
But SMU’s pass coverage has largely been boom or bust this season. They lead the conference in interceptions and have six in their last three games, but have allowed big plays here and there. In their losses to Baylor and TCU, SMU gave up nine yards per attempt to their in-state foes. Teams like Clemson and Miami were also able to see their talented receiver groups get open and create opportunities down the field. They’ve had to lean on two freshmen in William Nettles (36 tackles, four PBUs, INT) and Marcellus Barnes (23 tackles, four PBUs, INT) at cornerback, but could see a boost at the position if Jaelyn Davis-Robinson (19 tackles, three PBUs, two INTs) is able to return on Saturday.
Key Players:
- DE Isaiah Smith (7.5 sacks, 16 TFLs)
- DT Terry Webb (5.5 sacks, 6.5 TFLs, four pass breakups)
- S Ahmaad Moses (73 tackles, five INTs, 5.5 TFLs)
Fourth Down: Keys to the Game
When Louisville has the ball…
(Update from 11/21/25: Keyjuan Brown has since been listed as OUT per the ACC’s weekly injury report).
It’s highlighted in the section above, but it bears repeating again. Louisville’s facing an SMU defense that currently leads the ACC in both sacks and forced turnovers. That will likely give Louisville fans a lot of concern heading into this week, with Miller Moss continuing to struggle at the quarterback spot.
Louisville simply needs to find something, anything in the passing game to keep the offense from being bottled. If Louisville can utilize more creative concepts like we saw in the Clemson game (ex: Caullin Lacy’s reverse pass, the triple lateral screen pass), it could force SMU’s defense off balance and open up opportunities for them to finally be able to throw it vertically. The opportunities could be there for Louisville, but it will require Miller Moss to break out of his slump in recent weeks to capitalize on it.
I also would not be surprised if Louisville once again looks to utilize more quarterbacks in unique packages, as Brohm highlighted in his press conference this week. That could mean Deuce Adams gets more run as an option quarterback, or if things get dire enough, maybe a change at quarterback going forward.
When SMU has the ball…
Expect a lot of tempo, a lot of run-pass options, and a lot of aggression from Rhett Lashlee’s offense. It’s designed to be frenzied, stretch the field, and really test a defense’s ability to stay committed to their assignments. It worked last year as SMU’s offense constantly had Louisville’s defense on their backfoot last year, getting big play after big play and extending drives.
Louisville’s defense proved that they can handle a high-tempo offense against Pitt as far as getting lined up and getting plays in, but SMU’s talent at each skill position is better than the ones they saw against Pitt back in September. Louisville will have to find ways to keep SMU’s receivers from getting chunk plays in the RPOs and forcing the Mustangs to keep the ball on the ground. Kevin Jennings does have nine interceptions and SMU also has 15 giveaways this season (T-12th in the ACC with Louisville). If Louisville can break their slump with forcing turnovers (just one in the last three games combined), that would give the offense more opportunities to find a rhythm.
