SMU
UC Davis
No. 17 SMU Welcomes UC Davis In Home Opener
Sep 9 | Football
Saturday, September 12, 2026 – 3:00 p.m. CT
[17/17] SMU (1-0, 1-0 ACC) vs. [6] UC Davis (2-0, 1-0 Big Sky)
Ford Stadium – Dallas, Texas
TV:Â ACCNX
Radio: KTCK 96.7 FM/1310 AM & SiriusXMÂ
Streaming: SMU App (Google Play | Apple App Store)
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SETTING THE SCENE
• The Mustangs host UC Davis in their home opener in Ford Stadium on Saturday.
• SMU comes into the game ranked 17th in both the US LBM Coaches and AP Top 25 Polls.
• The Mustangs come off a 27-24 victory at Florida State on Monday night.
• Kevin Jennings was stellar in the win, throwing for a career-best 430 yards and three touchdowns while also adding 30 yards rushing on the ground.
• The Mustangs had four players earn accolades for their play, PJ Williams (ACC Offensive Lineman of the Week), Jimmy Wyrick (ACC Defensive Back of the Week), Randy Pittman Jr. (John Mackey Award Tight End of the Week) and Jennings (Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Award Player of the Week).
QUICK HITS
• SMU has posted a 28-5 record against conference opponents since 2022, highlighted by the 20-game winning streak that lasted from 2022-25.
• The Mustangs have gone 15-2 in ACC play since joining the conference in 2024, the most wins by an ACC team during that span.
• SMU has won its last eight season openers dating back to 2019, the longest since a program-record 15-game stretch from 1972-1986.
• Since 2024, the Mustangs have forced 51 turnovers, which ranks tied for eighth most in the country, second most in the ACC, during that span.
• Jennings has posted a record of 20-7 as the starter for the Mustangs, the 20 wins are tied for third most by a returning Power 4 quarterback (Rocco Becht 27, Noah Fifita 21).
• Jennings is the active ACC leader in career passing yards (8,139) and career total yards (8,730).
• Jennings is just one of four FBS quarterbacks with at least 8,000 career total yards and a QB efficiency rating of at least 145+.Â
• The Mustangs are 30-8 in their last 38games, and 28-5 in their last 33regular-season contests.
• SMU has posted a record of 32-4 during Lashlee's four seasons in charge when they score 30-or-more points in a game.
• The Mustangs have had at least seven receivers catch a pass in 41 of the past 44 games.
• SMU recorded 17 offensive scoring drives since 2025 that resulted in touchdowns in under two minutes.
• Rhett Lashlee boasts a 28-5 conference record in his career, best in program history.
• Jennings has racked up the preseason accolades, being named to the Maxwell Award Watch List, the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award Watch List, the Davey O'Brien Award Watch List, the Manning Award Watch List and the Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Award Watch List.Â
THE SERIES
• This is the first meeting in the series.
ABOUT THE AGGIES
• UC Davis is coming off a 49-17 win at San Diego on Sept. 5
• The Aggies are 2-0 on the year.
• UC Davis has a 2-0 road record in 2026.
THE COACHES
• Rhett Lashlee is in his fifth season as the head coach at SMU and has a 39-16 career record, with 38 wins the most for a head coach in his first four years in program history. Lashlee, who served as offensive coordinator for the Mustangs for two seasons (2018-19), also served as the offensive coordinator at Miami in 2020 and 2021. A one-time finalist (2013) and two-time semifinalist (2019, 2020) for the Broyles Award, Lashlee has the distinction of being the only coach ever nominated for the Broyles Award four different times at four different schools (Arkansas State, Auburn, SMU, Miami).
• Lashlee was named a finalist last season for the prestigious Paul "Bear" Bryant Coach of the Year Award, handed out the nation's top coach as voted on by the National Sports Media Association, the Bryant Awards' Executive Leadership Team, and the Bryant Family. The Arkansas native was also named Coach of the Year by Dave Campbell's Texas Football publication, a finalist of the Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year Award, and a semi-finalist for the George Munger National Coach of the Year.
• Tim Plough returned to his alma mater to become the 18th head coach in UC Davis football history in December of 2023. And the 2026 season will be his third at the helm of the Aggies. In the two seasons since taking over the Aggies and returning home, Plough has brought unprecedented success to Davis. He has guided the Aggies to a 20-7 record, with back-to-back top five finishes nationally and top eight NCAA FCS Playoff seeds which have resulted in three home playoff games. UC Davis has also made two straight trips to the NCAA FCS Playoff Quarterfinals, marking the first time since 2001-02 the Aggies have reached consecutive quarterfinal rounds.
MUSTANG CAPTAINS
• The 2026 captains for the Mustangs are Brandon Booker, Alexander Kilgore, Kevin Jennings, Yamir Knight, Brandon Miyazono, Ahmaad Moses and PJ Williams.
AND THE AWARD GOES TO...
• SMU has tallied four weekly awards throughout the 2026 season so far
• Week 1 (PJ Williams - ACC Offensive Lineman of the Week, Jimmy Wyrick - ACC Defensive Back of the Week, Kevin Jennings - Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Award Player of the Week, Randy Pittman - John Mackey Award Player of the Week)
FIREWORKS IN FORD
• SMU has been explosive on offense in Ford Stadium in its last 21 home games, scoring 947 points.
• The Mustangs are averaging 45.1 points per game during the 21-game span dating back in 2022 while posting a record of 19-2.
• SMU has scored 40+ in 13 of 25 home games under Rhett Lashlee with a record of 12-1.
LAST 21 GAMES IN FORD STADIUM
Nov. 5, 2022 (1)               Houston                             W, 77-63
Nov. 26, 2022 (2)            Memphis                           W, 34-31
Sept. 2, 2023 (3)              Louisiana Tech                W, 38-14
Sept. 16, 2023 (4)Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Prairie View A&MÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â W, 69-0
Sept. 30, 2023 (5)            Charlotte                          W, 34-16
Oct. 28, 2023 (6)             Tulsa                                  W, 69-10
Nov. 10, 2023 (7)            North Texas                     W, 45-21
Nov. 25, 2023 (8)            Navy                                  W, 59-14
Aug. 31, 2024 (9)Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â HCUÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â W, 59-7
Sept. 6, 2024 (10)Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â BYUÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â L, 18-15
Sept. 21, 2024 (11)Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â TCUÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â W, 66-42
Sept. 28, 2024 (12)         Florida State                    W, 42-16
Nov. 2, 2024 (13)             No. 18 Pitt                        W, 48-25
Nov. 16, 2024 (14)          Boston College               W, 38-28
Nov. 30, 2024 (15)          Cal                                     W, 38-6
Aug. 30, 2025 (16)Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â East Texas A&MÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â W, 42-13
Sept. 6, 2025 (17)            Baylor                               L, 48-45
Oct. 4, 2025 (18)             Syracuse                            W, 31-18
Oct. 11, 2025 (19)           Stanford                            W, 34-10
Nov. 1, 2025 (20)             No. 10 Miami                  W, 26-20
Nov. 22, 2025 (21)          Louisville                           W, 38-6
