It’s been a while since Arizona played a team from the Atlantic Coast Conference, or at least one that wasn’t part of the Pac-12 a few years ago. Not counting Cal and Stanford, the Wildcats are 7-6 against other ACC schools, with the last matchup coming in 2013 when they beat Boston College in the Independence Bowl.
SMU, the UA’s opponent on Friday in the Holiday Bowl, like Arizona is completing its second season in a new league. The Mustangs (8-4) represented the ACC in the College Football Playoff
in 2024 and are seeking their first postseason win since 2012.
To better understand SMU, we reached out to Steve Helwick of SB Nation sister site Underdog Dynasty for some insight. Below are his mindful answers to our oblivious questions:
AZ Desert Swarm: SMU missed out on playing in the ACC title game despite tying for second place and beating Miami, the league’s representative in the College Football Playoff. After reaching the playoffs in 2024 would this season be considered a step back, and if so, why?
Steve Helwick: “Yes, any time you go from 11 wins with a CFP appearance to 8 or 9 without one, it’s certainly a step backward. But SMU was excruciatingly close to another playoff appearance, until a last-minute Cal touchdown in the regular season finale derailed its ACC Championship Game hopes. This was a quality team, and as shown in the Miami (FL) game, the Mustangs were on par with anybody in this year’s ACC.
“But they had a few glaring flaws — most notably, the passing defense which fell from 79th to 135th in yards allowed per game. Also, three of the four losses could be attributed to kicking woes considering SMU missed game-winning and game-tying field goals vs. Baylor, an extra point in a 1-point loss to Wake Forest, and a tying field goal at Cal. However, the Mustangs’ passing game and defensive front were elite qualities that allowed this team to be in the hunt for the CFP in late November.”
Arizona has held the last eight opponents below 200 passing yards, including Baylor’s Sawyer Robertson who is 2nd in FBS in passing. How do you think the Mustangs will fare against the Wildcats’ defense through the air, and who will quarterback Kevin Jennings look to most?
“Assuming all four of Arizona’s All-Big 12 defensive backs suit up for the Holiday Bowl, the Wildcats should provide quite a challenge. SMU largely ditched the run this year in favor of the pass, and the offense heavily relies on Kevin Jennings and the receiving corps. But even with the lack of dimensionality, the only team that really stifled SMU’s passing offense this year was Wake Forest in a 13-12 defensive struggle. Arizona is a top-tier unit ranked top five in fewest passing yards allowed and opponent completion percentage, so expect SMU to be less efficient than usual. Still, Jennings’ playmaking ability should inflict a decent amount of damage (maybe 250 yards?) to an extent where the Mustangs remain functional.
“Jordan Hudson will be Jennings’ top target, but SMU’s receiving corps has been incredibly balanced the last three seasons. Hudson is the do-everything receiver, Romello Brinson shines on deep routes, and Yamir Knight is a more reliable short-yardage threat. Also the tight ends RJ Maryland and Matthew Hibner create a formidable duo, and both excel at contested catches and can be dangerous on the seam. Thus, Arizona’s elite defensive backs will be put to work given the sheer depth of the receiving room.”
SMU ran for more than 200 yards in two of its last three games but overall were below average in rushing. How much is the ground game part of the offense, and who will be the main producers?
“As mentioned above, SMU’s rushing numbers were low because they simply didn’t run the ball. The Mustangs rank 125th nationally in attempts, yet 65th in rushing average at a respectable 4.4 yards per carry. SMU’s rushing numbers would be even higher if Jennings didn’t battle an ankle injury from Week 2 onward. Jennings was a valuable runner at times last year, and his rushing total fell from 354 in 2024 to 50 in 2025. He totaled his season-high in the regular season finale at Cal with 23 yards, and an extra month-plus of rest should improve his mobility, making him more of a threat in the Holiday Bowl. However, the run game will be primarily spearheaded by running backs T.J. Harden and Chris Johnson Jr. SMU’s last three outings featured 130- and 90-yard explosions by Harden and a 128-yard contribution from Johnson. The Mustangs ran the ball more during that last quarter of the regular season, and the results were favorable. They will need this ground game to shine vs. Arizona, especially considering the Wildcats’ firepower in the defensive backfield.”
Like Arizona, SMU has forced a lot of turnovers this season. Who are the most disruptive players on that side of the ball?
“SMU’s defense has been a chaotic bunch thriving off turnover production for several seasons. The 27 takeaways on the year (5th in FBS) do a great job of offsetting SMU’s ranking as the nation’s 135th passing defense. Free safety Ahmaad Moses earned First Team All-ACC honors for his opportunistic playmaking, producing five interceptions and two fumble recoveries on the year. Strong safety Isaiah Nwokobia has been in the turnover-forcing business for years. Nwokobia picked off two passes this year and has 11 interceptions in his time as a Mustang. The safeties are responsible for the team’s high interception output, but the defensive line also shares responsibility. SMU forces pressures as well as anyone in the country with defensive ends Isaiah Smith and Cam Robertson as the primary sources. Smith leads the ACC with 17 tackles for loss and recorded 8.5 sacks in the regular season, while Robertson added 10 and 5 in those categories, respectively. Defensive line has been SMU’s strongest position group each of the past two years, and that’s why it ranks top 20 nationally in sacks and run defense, in addition to turnovers forced.”
Rhett Lashlee is 37-16 in four seasons at SMU, winning 19 games since moving into the ACC. He recently got a contract extension through 2032. What makes him the right guy to keep moving SMU back to the level it was before the Death Penalty in the 1980s?
“Rhett Lashlee is perfect for SMU, because he was the reason for the Mustangs’ renaissance. In 2019 as an offensive coordinator, Lashlee guided the Mustangs to their first 10-win season since 1984 behind the nation’s 7th-ranked scoring offense. Then after two years at Miami (FL) as the OC, he returned to Dallas to take the coaching reins from former mentor Sonny Dykes. SMU has always enjoyed elite offensive play under Lashlee, and the coach has done an excellent job developing players into stars like Ahmaad Moses and Isaiah Nwokobia, recruiting local high school stars from a talent-rich DFW area, and bringing in the right transfer fits. One notable characteristic of Lashlee teams is, everybody eats.
“The Mustangs may not feature the top rushers, receivers, or sack-getters in the country, but they usually thrive as a collective unit, and this aspect has made SMU a power the last three seasons. Also, persevering through adversity is another feature of his tenure. SMU overcame a 2-2 start in 2023 to win a conference title, a 1-1 start to qualify for the CFP in 2024, and nearly overcame a 2-2 start this year to qualify for the ACC title game.”
Prediction time. Does Arizona win its 6th straight game, getting to 10 wins for the 5th time in school history, or does SMU come out on top? Give us a score pick.
“Two teams that thrive off turnover production are bound to see a few scores set up by such plays, but the overall theme of this game will be Noah Fifita against SMU’s passing defense. The Mustangs’ pressure might be a lot for Arizona to handle, but Fifita has been poised about the pocket all season — even in the face of pressure — and many quarterbacks saw their best games against this Mustang secondary. Kevin Jennings and his loaded receiver corps somewhat keep pace offensively, but SMU didn’t thrive in shootout-style games this year, faring 0-3 when allowing north of 24 points. Fifita wins MVP honors behind 300+ passing yards, leading Arizona to a second 10-3 season in three years. Arizona wins 38-28.”
