No. 9 SMU looks for undefeated ACC slate in debut when finishing regular season against Cal
No. 9 SMU looks for undefeated ACC slate in debut when finishing regular season against Cal
SMU quarterback Kevin Jennings (7) looks to pass during the first half of an NCAA college football game against Virginia, Saturday, Nov. 23, 2024, in Charlottesville, Va. (AP Photo/Mike Kropf)
California quarterback Fernando Mendoza (15) celebrates with fans after an NCAA college football game against Stanford at Memorial Stadium in Berkeley, Calif., on Saturday, Nov. 23, 2024. (Santiago Mejia/San Francisco Chronicle via AP)
Pittsburgh wide receiver Kenny Johnson, right, is taken down by SMU linebacker Kobe Wilson, left, during the second half of an NCAA college football game in Dallas, Saturday, Nov. 2, 2024. (AP Photo/Gareth Patterson)
SMU quarterback Kevin Jennings (7) looks to pass during the first half of an NCAA college football game against Virginia, Saturday, Nov. 23, 2024, in Charlottesville, Va. (AP Photo/Mike Kropf)
SMU quarterback Kevin Jennings (7) looks to pass during the first half of an NCAA college football game against Virginia, Saturday, Nov. 23, 2024, in Charlottesville, Va. (AP Photo/Mike Kropf)
California quarterback Fernando Mendoza (15) celebrates with fans after an NCAA college football game against Stanford at Memorial Stadium in Berkeley, Calif., on Saturday, Nov. 23, 2024. (Santiago Mejia/San Francisco Chronicle via AP)
California quarterback Fernando Mendoza (15) celebrates with fans after an NCAA college football game against Stanford at Memorial Stadium in Berkeley, Calif., on Saturday, Nov. 23, 2024. (Santiago Mejia/San Francisco Chronicle via AP)
Pittsburgh wide receiver Kenny Johnson, right, is taken down by SMU linebacker Kobe Wilson, left, during the second half of an NCAA college football game in Dallas, Saturday, Nov. 2, 2024. (AP Photo/Gareth Patterson)
Pittsburgh wide receiver Kenny Johnson, right, is taken down by SMU linebacker Kobe Wilson, left, during the second half of an NCAA college football game in Dallas, Saturday, Nov. 2, 2024. (AP Photo/Gareth Patterson)
California (6-5, 2-5 ACC) at No. 9 SMU (10-1, 7-0, No. 9 CFP), Saturday, 3:30 p.m. EST (ESPN2)
BetMGM College Football Odds: SMU by 13 1/2.
Series record: SMU leads 1-0.
What’s at stake?
SMU has already clinched a spot in the Atlantic Coast Conference championship game in its league debut, and is up to ninth in the College Football Playoff rankings. The Mustangs will now try to finish another undefeated league schedule after sweeping through their final American Athletic Conference schedule last year. Cal is also in its first ACC season, and is coming off a fourth-quarter comeback for a win at Stanford, the league’s other newcomer, to get bowl eligible for the second season in a row.
Key matchup
Cal secondary vs. SMU quarterback Kevin Jennings and the SMU receivers. The Bears are tied for second in the nation with 17 interceptions as part of the ACC’s top scoring defense, allowing only 20.7 points per game. Jennings is 8-0 as the starter this season, and has completed 66.7% of his passes (176 for 264) for 2,521 yards with 17 touchdowns and seven interceptions. The Mustangs have averaged 41.1 points in his starts.
Players to watch
California: Sophomore QB Fernando Mendoza has 3,004 yards passing, only the seventh player in school history with a 3,000-yard season. He completed 6-of-7 passes for 86 yards on a 98-yard drive in the fourth quarter last week in the 24-21 win over Stanford. He threw for 299 yards and three touchdowns, including the game-winner, and his 50-yard run was the longest for a Bears quarterback since at least 1999.
SMU: Linebacker Kobe Wilson (88 tackles) and safety Isaiah Nwokobia (81) are the team’s top two tacklers. Wilson also has two interceptions, one returned for a touchdown, and a forced fumble. Nwokobia has three interceptions.
Facts & figures
The Mustangs have scored 542 points this season, two short of the school record set in 2019. ... Cal’s six wins this season are by an average margin of 16 points. Their five losses are by an average of 3.4 points, including their first four ACC games by a combined nine points. ... SMU has won a school-record 16 consecutive regular-season conference games, plus last year’s AAC championship game. ... The Mustangs are 28-10 under third-year coach Rhett Lashlee, including a 20-3 mark in conference games.
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