The Mustang Mood - SMU Sports Podcast

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SMU football put together a dominant second half to blow out California 59-20 at Gerald J. Ford Stadium. After trailing 20-17 at halftime, the Mustangs scored 42 unanswered points to earn their biggest win over an ACC opponent in program history.

Walker, Yonnic, and George break down SMU's statement win, what changed after halftime, and why this team is starting to look like the group Mustang fans expected to see all season.

Kendrick Raphael stole the show with 104 rushing yards, two rushing touchdowns, and a receiving touchdown. The guys discuss SMU's big day on the ground, the emergence of young players like Christian Rhodes, and how the Mustangs finished 7-for-7 in the red zone.

Kevin Jennings also continued his strong stretch, going three straight games without an interception. The guys react to head coach Rhett Lashley's comments about KJ, the improvement in SMU's ball security and penalties, and a defense that limited Cal to just 50 passing yards in the second half.

With SMU now 6-1, the guys look ahead to Syracuse and the challenging stretch featuring Virginia Tech, Wake Forest, and Notre Dame. Could SMU be peaking at exactly the right time? And could a big game against Wake Forest put ESPN's College GameDay in play?

Plus, we name the Mustang Mood Player of the Game and explain why this performance has everyone feeling better about the Mustangs' postseason potential.

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Visit https://themustangmood.com for more SMU coverage from The Mustang Mood.

SMU football is back at Gerald J. Ford Stadium to take on the California Golden Bears, and the Mustangs are looking to keep rolling in ACC play. On this episode of The Mustang Mood, Yonnic, Ben, and George break down the SMU vs. Cal matchup, what the Mustangs need to do to get the win, and why this game might be closer than fans would like.

SMU is coming off a 23-13 win over Virginia, but the offense has struggled to put teams away consistently. Can Kevin Jennings keep the turnovers off the stat sheet and take advantage of a Cal defense that has had its share of issues? The guys look at the matchup through the air, Cal's struggles running the football, and how SMU's defense can force the Golden Bears to become one-dimensional.

They also discuss SMU's red-zone offense, the importance of finishing drives, and whether kicker Brendan Baird can continue building confidence ahead of a challenging stretch of the schedule. Plus, the guys share their score predictions for SMU vs. California and look back at some unusual stats from the Virginia game.

SMU hosts Cal on Saturday at 11 a.m. CT on The CW. Make plans to be at Ford Stadium and cheer on the Mustangs.

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SMU football takes care of business at Gerald J. Ford Stadium, beating the Virginia Cavaliers 23-13 to improve to 5-1 on the season and 3-1 in ACC play. The Mustangs covered the spread and took another step forward as they look to make a run at the ACC title and College Football Playoff.

On this episode of The Mustang Mood, we break down SMU's win over Virginia, including Kevin Jennings' turnover-free performance, a huge touchdown from Jalen Hale, and Brendan Baird's big day on special teams. After a frustrating first half defensively, SMU tightened things up after halftime and held Virginia to just three second-half points.

We also discuss what SMU improved coming out of the bye week, the remaining issues with penalties and missed opportunities on offense, and why becoming a more disciplined, consistent team could make the Mustangs tough to beat down the stretch.

Plus, we hand out our Player of the Game award, recognize several individual milestones, and look ahead to next week's matchup against the California Golden Bears as SMU gets another shot at a team that beat the Mustangs last season.

In this episode:

• SMU vs. Virginia postgame breakdown: 23-13 final score

• Kevin Jennings reaches 10,000 career total yards

• Jalen Hale returns to the end zone

• Brendan Baird earns Player of the Game honors

• SMU's defense responds in the second half

• Special teams improvements and the importance of winning the turnover battle

• SMU's ACC and College Football Playoff outlook

• Previewing SMU vs. Cal

Can SMU keep winning and put itself in position for a College Football Playoff berth? Let us know what you thought of the win in the comments.

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SMU football is back from its bye week and ready to take on the Virginia Cavaliers at Gerald J. Ford Stadium. Can the Mustangs clean up their mistakes, get the offense clicking, and prove they belong among the ACC’s best?

On this episode of The Mustang Mood, we preview SMU vs. Virginia, break down the key matchups, and give our score predictions ahead of Saturday’s 11 a.m. kickoff on The CW.

We discuss:

• Can SMU’s offense finally put together a complete performance after some shaky wins?

• How the Mustangs match up against Virginia’s defense, particularly against the run.

• Why turnovers could decide the game against a Virginia offense that has protected the football.

• SMU’s kicking game and the decision to give Brendan Baird a shot.

• Whether the bye week gives SMU the reset it needs to turn the corner.

• SMU football recruiting momentum and the announcement of SMU lacrosse.

• The College Football Playoff’s proposed expansion to 24 teams in 2027.

Plus, we reveal our SMU vs. Virginia score predictions and debate whether the Mustangs are ready to make a statement in the ACC.

SMU vs. Virginia

• Matchup: SMU Mustangs vs. Virginia Cavaliers

• Location: Gerald J. Ford Stadium, Dallas, Texas

• Kickoff: 11 a.m. CT

• TV: The CW

Subscribe to The Mustang Mood for SMU football previews, postgame reactions, recruiting updates, basketball coverage, and everything else happening on the Hilltop.

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Check out www.themustangmood.comIt’s Pitt week for SMU Volleyball.George Carson breaks down the biggest matchup of the season as No. 6 SMU Volleyball takes on No. 2 Pittsburgh twice this week. The Mustangs enter the matchup 4-0 in ACC play after sweeping Stanford, Syracuse and Boston College while defeating Cal 3-1.George previews both matches against the Panthers, including Pitt’s 14-0 record, 27 consecutive sets won and one of the nation’s most dominant offenses. He also breaks down the matchup with two-time reigning National Player of the Year Olivia Babcock, setter Izzy Stark and the rest of Pitt’s starting lineup.The episode also covers SMU’s biggest keys to the matchup, including slowing down Babcock, winning the battle at the net, spreading the offense and serving aggressively against one of the best teams in the country.SMU and Pitt will meet Wednesday night in Pittsburgh before returning to Moody Coliseum on Sunday for the second matchup.Wednesday, October 7 — 6 PM CT — ACC NetworkSunday, October 11 — 2 PM CT — Moody ColiseumPack Moody. Pony Up.#SMU #SMUVolleyball #CollegeVolleyball #PittVolleyball #ACCVolleyball #PittsburghPanthers

Visit The Mustang Mood: themustangmood.com SMU beat Boston College 25-16 in a rain-soaked grind at Gerald J. Ford Stadium, moving to 4-1 overall and 2-1 in ACC play. It wasn't pretty. The Mustangs managed just 218 yards of offense, botched two PATs and somehow faced a fourth-and-50, but the defense showed up when it mattered.On this episode of The Mustang Mood, George, Jay and Ben break down the win and what it says about this team heading into the bye week. Kevin Jennings accounted for three touchdowns, throwing scores to Randy Pittman Jr. and Derrick McFall and punching one in himself, even as the nation's leading passer was held to 160 yards through the air in the slop.The guys also dig into a monster day from Marques White, who had three of SMU's five sacks, including a strip-sack that Aakil Washington returned 34 yards to set up a touchdown. They also get into Kendrick Raphael's score, the holding penalties that kept killing drives, and the special teams issues that just won't go away.With a bye week up next and Virginia coming to Dallas on Oct. 17, the conversation turns to the ACC race, SMU's path to Charlotte and whether the offense can get back on track for a College Football Playoff push.Boston College had its chances, including a wide-open drop on fourth down in the fourth quarter, but the Mustangs found a way. Ugly wins count too.Pony up.Visit The Mustang Mood: themustangmood.com

Check out https://www.ponchooutdoors.com/mustangmood for the best shirts in the game!SMU defeated Missouri State 34-24 at Gerald J. Ford Stadium, but it was far from the dominant win many expected. The Mustangs piled up 592 yards of offense, but turnovers, 12 penalties for 160 yards and continued struggles in the kicking game kept Missouri State in the game.On this episode of The Mustang Mood, George and Yonnic break down SMU’s win over Missouri State and what it means moving forward. Kevin Jennings had one of the best games of his SMU career, finishing 33-of-39 for 464 yards and three touchdowns while setting multiple SMU career and consecutive-completion records.The guys also take a closer look at KJ’s interception, Yamir Knight’s big game, Kendrick Raphael’s all-around performance, Jalen Cooper, Theo Melin Ohrstrom’s two touchdowns and a breakout defensive performance from Tavion Atkinson.With Louisville getting a loss and the ACC race tightening up, the conversation also turns toward SMU’s path through the rest of the conference schedule, Virginia, Boston College and the possibility of a College Football Playoff run.Missouri State played SMU tough, but the Mustangs still came away with the win. Now it’s about cleaning up the mistakes before the schedule gets tougher.Pony up.Visit The Mustang Mood: themustangmood.com

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SMU volleyball enters the conference play ranked No. 5 in the country, and the Mustangs have one of the most challenging schedules in college volleyball.

George breaks down the success of the 2026 SMU volleyball season so far and what the mustangs have left on their slate. He also takes a closer look at the upcoming schedule of ACC play, the biggest games at Moody Coliseum, and what SMU will need to accomplish to make another run in the NCAA Tournament.

The 2026 season is here, and expectations are high for SMU volleyball.

Check out https://ponchooutdoors.com/mustangmood for the best SMU shirt out there!Join The Mustang Mood live after SMU vs. UC Davis for an immediate postgame reaction to the Mustangs and their ACC matchup with the Seminoles.Jay and Yonnic break down the biggest moments from the game, what went right, what went wrong, the standout performances, and what the result means for SMU moving forward.Come hang out in the live chat, share your reactions, and join the conversation with fellow SMU fans as we break down the game.Subscribe to The Mustang Mood for SMU football, SMU basketball, recruiting, interviews, game reactions, and everything happening on the Hilltop.

Check out https://ponchooutdoors.com/mustangmood for the best SMU shirt out there!

Join The Mustang Mood live after SMU vs. UC Davis for an immediate postgame reaction to the Mustangs and their ACC matchup with the Seminoles.Jay and Yonnic break down the biggest moments from the game, what went right, what went wrong, the standout performances, and what the result means for SMU moving forward.Come hang out in the live chat, share your reactions, and join the conversation with fellow SMU fans as we break down the game.

Subscribe to The Mustang Mood for SMU football, SMU basketball, recruiting, interviews, game reactions, and everything happening on the Hilltop.