The SMU Mustangs and BYU Cougars were once members of the same conference (WAC) but are now newcomers to different Power Four conferences. The Mustangs joined the ACC before the start of this season while the Cougars are in Year 2 as Big 12 members.
They will play each other on Friday night in Dallas, both seeking to keep perfect starts and avoid a first loss in 2024. These teams last played in the 2022 New Mexico Bowl but have not played during the regular season in 27 years. BYU owns a 4-0 record in the series, though three of those four wins came by a combined five points.
SMU and BYU Announcers, Broadcast Details, and More
- Date: Friday, Sept. 6, 2024
- Start Time: 7:00 p.m. ET
- TV Channel: ESPN2/ESPN+
- Radio Stations: BYU Radio KSL – 1160 AM/102.7 FM; SMU Radio KTCK 1310 AM/96.7 FM)
- Announcers: Anish Schroff (play-by-play), Andre Ware (analyst), Paul Carcaterra (reporter)
- Betting Lines:
- Spread: SMU -11
- Total: 55.5 points
- Moneyline: SMU -455, BYU +350
- Location: Gerald J. Ford Stadium, Dallas
SMU vs. BYU Game Preview
Both SMU and BYU enter this game after big wins against FCS opponents in Week 1. The Mustangs defeated Houston Christian 59-7 to improve to 2-0 on the season as they out-gained the Huskies by 335 yards on the ground and 438 yards overall. Meanwhile, the Cougars opened their 2024 season with a 41-13 win over Southern Illinois thanks to earning 27 first downs, four more than they gained in any single game last season.
Fans can only hope Friday’s contest resembles the inaugural matchup between these teams which took place in the 1980 Holiday Bowl. With 4:07 remaining in the fourth quarter, SMU led BYU 45-25 on the heels of a Mustangs rushing attack featuring Pro Football Hall of Famer Eric Dickerson and his teammate Craig James, a backfield known as “The Pony Express.”
However, in one of the most stunning comebacks in college football history, BYU scored three touchdowns separated by an onside kick and a blocked punt before the clock hit zero, the last on a Hail Mary between Jim McMahon and Clay Brown, to give the Cougars a 46-45 win.
The 2024 Cougars are led by quarterback Jake Retzlaff, the former junior college transfer who threw for 348 yards and three touchdowns last week after showing promise in four starts a season ago. He spread the ball around against the Salukis, finding 10 different receivers while averaging more than 11 yards per dropback.
The Cougars are 7-4 in regular-season Friday night games under head coach Kalani Sitake, including their first-ever Big 12 win last season against Cincinnati.
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For SMU, any memory of their shaky offensive performance in the season opener against Nevada was replaced by the running juggernauts they were on Saturday against Houston Christian. Four different Mustangs rushed for at least 50 yards, including backup quarterback Kevin Jennings, who accounted for a touchdown each with his legs and his arm.
Preston Stone is the QB1 for SMU and has looked the part with 332 passing yards and three touchdowns in his two games of action this season. RJ Maryland earned College Football Network’s Offensive Player of the Week in Week 0 when he recorded eight receptions, 162 yards, and the game-sealing TD against Nevada; he could be the best player on the field for either team on Friday.
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