SMU climbs even higher in Coaches Poll after dominant win over Pitt
The SMU Mustangs continued their climb up the Coaches Poll, moving up to No. 15 with the AP Top 25 due out at 1 p.m. CT. The big move up comes after Rhett Lashlee’s team beat up previously undefeated Pitt, 45-28, in Ford Stadium Saturday night.
SMU now sits at 8-1 overall and 5-0 in ACC play with a bye week now before facing Boston College in Dallas on Nov. 16. The 45-28 win was the second-largest margin of victory for SMU over a ranked opponent with the largest being 44-14 over No. 19 Texas back in 1985.
The Mustangs are having a historic first season as members of the ACC and Lashlee said it’s special to put together a run like this. Even as national buzz builds around the program, they’re a tough group that puts their heads down and goes to work.
They’re just hoping to get their shot now in Charlotte on Dec. 7 to play for an ACC Championship. With Pitt and Clemson falling on Saturday, the Mustangs and Hurricanes are on a collision course for a championship bout, if the teams win out.
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“A great win for our team, great team win. Probably played our most complete game of the year, start to finish, both offense, defense, special teams,” Lashlee said of SMU’s win over Pitt. “It was just a really good team win. We started fast, so that was good for the offense to go down score, and thought just good to settle us in. Our defense, I thought, I mean to give up three points in a half to an offense that I think is really talented was really special. And then, for us offensively, I think just to have the balance running and throwing was big.
“Really proud of Kevin, how he played and bounced back, just like we kind of thought he would, but still have to go do it. And so, like I said, really good team win against a really good football team. I mean, there was a reason they were undefeated and Pat Narduzzi’s, I was just thinking this earlier today, he’s been there a decade. You’re a decade somewhere, you know what you’re doing. He’s built a great culture there and a great team, and we don’t take for granted that we were able to beat a good team.”
This is the first time SMU has started at least 5-0 in conference play in back-to-back seasons since 1947 (5-0-1) and 1948 (5-0-1). The team’s done it on the back of playing great defense and putting up points. When Lashlee’s Mustangs score 30 points or more, they’re 23-1 in his tenure.
