Game Details
- Matchup: 10 Miami Hurricanes at SMU Mustangs
- Date: Saturday, 11/1/2025
- Time: 12:00 p.m. EST
- Location: Gerald J. Ford Stadium
- TV: ESPN
Recent History
- Last matchup: 1965: SMU 7 – Miami 3
- All-time series record: SMU 1 win – Miami 0
- This will be the second meeting all-time between these two schools
Miami Hurricanes Outlook
The Hurricanes are going into Dallas with a 6-1 overall record with a 2-1 ACC record. Miami always loses a game they are never supposed to lose, and they did it early in ACC play. Louisville went into Hard Rock Stadium and defeated the Canes, which put an early dagger into the hopes of making the conference title game. Miami no longer controls its destiny, but with how the ACC plays out every week, the standings will sort themselves out.
They can take another step in the right direction with a win
over a good opponent ahead of them in the ACC race.
The talk of the town has been OC Shannon Dawson, as he was pressed by the media today about the utilization of the running game and the difference between running between the tackles too much compared to not running outside enough. On Saturday, the run game will be tested against a stingy run defense. The offense will have to find other ways to succeed, and a big one may be through the air.
Carson Beck is poised to have a big game through the air as SMU has struggled mightily against the pass. The Hurricanes’ offense has been inconsistent, but it has still managed to record over 400 yards per game while scoring 34 points per game. The running game is led by Mark Fletcher Jr., who has over 500 rushing yards and nine touchdowns. The players who may shine the most on Saturday are CJ Daniels and Malachi Toney. Daniels leads the wide receiver room in touchdowns with six, as the LSU transfer has been the vocal leader in the group. He has over 350 yards and has been relied on to make big catches. Toney has been the most dynamic not only in Miami but also across the entire country. He leads the Canes in receiving yards (562) and catches (43). They have a favorable matchup on Saturday and should have a massive game in a crucial game for the offense and Miami.
The defense has been remarkable this season, but it will face another offense that will present challenges. Rueben Bain Jr. leads this defense, as he has arguably been the most valuable player in all of college football. He has been unblockable this season and has wrecked every game, despite being doubled for most of the game. Bain will fight through chips and still pressure the quarterback. It’ll be interesting to see if his running mate, Akheem Mesidor, will be able to play as he missed the last game due to injury. He was a game-time decision, so we’ll see if he can play in a crucial ACC game. He can free up Bain even more if he does play. The secondary has played exceptionally well and will be tested thoroughly against Lashlee’s air raid attack.
Keionte Scott has been great as the nickel corner for Corey Hetherman’s defense and even leads the team in tackles. Mohamed Toure and Wesley Bissainthe have been great as a duo at linebacker. They’ve been playing fast and violent all year for this defense and will have a lot of opportunities to make plays against the Mustangs. Jakobe Thomas will be the one to keep an eye out for on Saturday, as he has been significant in the success Miami’s defense has had this season. The safety has been flying everywhere, making plays, and the Canes will need him to have his best game yet to defeat the Mustangs.
SMU Mustangs Outlook
SMU enters this game with an overall record of 5-3 but a 3-1 record in ACC play. They just suffered a bad loss at Wake Forest, 12-13.
Lashlee is poised for a big bounce-back game for the offense, which nearly averages 400 yards per game and scores over 30 points per game. There are a lot of notable names on this Mustangs team, especially on offense, as most of them are former Canes. RB Chris Johnson Jr. is second on the team in rushing yards, but has been a lot better when he does play. He averages over 7 yards per attempt and has a rush of 87 yards. WR Romello Brinson is their top target and has been playing great for Lashlee and SMU. He has recorded over 500 receiving yards and three touchdowns. The Mustangs have four other pass catchers who have more than 200 receiving yards, which is very impressive. Lashlee will always have his offense playing great ball and put them in positions to succeed. QB Kevin Jennings has thrown for over 2,000 yards already and has 17 touchdowns on the season. He has thrown eight interceptions and has been struggling to stay fully healthy this year. Jennings was a bit banged up in their last game, along with two starting offensive linemen as well. SMU will push the envelope against Hetherman’s defense as the game can come down to the wire on this side of the ball.
On the other side of the ball, SMU’s defense has struggled to defend the pass. The Mustangs’ defense has been exposed through the air all season, allowing over 300 passing yards per game. SMU has also allowed 16 passing touchdowns and over 12 yards per reception. Their defensive identity begins and ends with stopping the run. According to PFF, they have the third-best run defense in the entire country. PFF graded them at an elite 93.7 in defending the run, just behind only Texas Tech and Pittsburgh. Cameron Robertson has anchored his defense and has been great for the Mustangs. Other notable names on the defense who have been playing well for SMU include Isaiah Smith, Jeffrey M’ba, and Isaiah Nwokobia.
What’s at Stake
- Keeping the dream alive: Miami has to win in order to keep its chances of making the ACC title game. Losing another conference game and having two conference losses will likely put the dagger in their hopes of winning the ACC.
- Being a contender and not a pretender: Every Miami fan understands that the Canes have had a long history of losing games they are not supposed to lose, especially ACC conference games. They already lost to Louisville; this can be another game they can drop.
- CFP dreams: With the first CFP rankings coming out after this week, Miami needs to win in order to keep its hopes alive of getting into the dance. We’ll see how highly the committee thinks of this team on Monday.
Prediction
It can’t be understated how significant this game is for Miami.
The Hurricanes should treat this game like a playoff game because if they drop it, they can most likely kiss their playoff dreams goodbye.
SMU will present a tough challenge for Miami all game. This won’t be an easy game by any means, and the Hurricanes will have to tough one out here on the road.
I believe that Miami had its wake-up call against Louisville and also in the first half of the Stanford game. They will come out and not take the Mustangs lightly. I like Miami in this one.
Final Score Prediction: SMU 17, Miami 27
