Saturday, November 2, 2024 – 7 p.m. CT
[20/20] SMU (7-1, 4-0 ACC) vs. [18/17] Pitt (7-0, 3-0 ACC)
Gerald J. Ford Stadium – Dallas, Texas
TV: ACC Network
Radio: Radio: The Ticket - KTCK 96.7 FM/1310 AM | Streaming: SMU App (Google Play | Apple App Store)
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SETTING THE SCENE
• SMU returns home for the first time in over a month for a top-20 matchup against Pitt on Saturday at 7 PM CT on the ACC Network.
• This is just the second Top-20 matchup in Ford Stadium history, and the first since 2020.
• The Mustangs have averaged 42.0 points per game during the current five-game winning streak. 
• Club Takeaway continues to be in business this season, forcing 17 turnovers this season, the eighth most in the nation.
• The Mustangs have forced at least one turnover in six of the past seven games and in 16 of the past 18 contests dating back to 2023. 
• SMU recorded a thrilling victory on the road against Duke last week, with Jahfari Harvey blocking the Blue Devils' game-winning field goal attempt and the Mustang defense stopping Duke two-point conversion attempt for the win in overtime.
• SMU's 4-0 start in conference play is a first for a team jumping into a Power-4/5 conference from a Group of Five in their first season, no other team has started 2-0. 

QUICK HITS
• SMU is 27-5 at home in Ford Stadium since 2019.
• SMU's defense has continued to force turnovers this year, ranking eighth in the country with 17 turnovers gained, along with being second in defensive touchdowns with four.
• The Mustangs have had at least seven receivers catch a pass in 24 of the past 25 games.
• Brashard Smith has made an impact in 2024, ranking 10th in all-purpose yards per game with 140.6.
• Collin Rogers has tallied 14 field goals this season, which is tied for ninth in the nation.
• Rogers leads the nation in field goals made longer than 50 yards with six.  
• Kevin Jennings sits eighth nationally in passing yards per completion (14.5), and 11th in yards per pass attempt (9.3).
• Jennings leads the ACC in passing efficiency rating at 174.0 in conference games only. 
• SMU's 50 wins in the last six years are the most by any FBS Texas team. In addition, the Mustangs have won 23 of those on the road, tops for any team in the state since 2019.
• The Mustangs are 16-2 in their last 18 games, and 15-1 in their last 16 regular season contests.
• Rhett Lashlee boasts a 17-3 conference record in his career. His record in his first 20 league games on the Hilltop is the best in SMU history.
• SMU has posted a record of 22-1 during Lashlee's three seasons in charge when they score 30 or more points in a game, and have won 20 straight when hitting the magic number.

THE SERIES
• This the sixth meeting all time, first since 2011. SMU leads the series 3-2-1.
• SMU has never hosted the Panthers, but the two teams met in the 1983 Cotton Bowl with the Mustangs taking a 7-3 victory.

ABOUT THE PANTHERS
• Pittsburgh enters the game with an unblemished 7-0 record on the year, 3-0 in the ACC. 
• Three of Pitt's wins have came by four points or less this season.
• Last week, Pittsburgh defeated Syracuse 41-13 at home. The Panthers forced five Orange turnovers, and had two pick sixes in the first half of the rout.

THE COACHES
• Rhett Lashlee is in his third season as the head coach at SMU and has a 25-10 career record. 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 Co-Coach of the Year by the Dave Campbell's Texas Football publication, a finalist of the Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year Award, and a semi-finalist for Coach of the Year Award by the Maxwell Football Club for the job he did in 2023.

• Narduzzi has compiled a 72-50 overall record as the Panthers' head coach. His 72 victories rank second all-time at Pitt, trailing only Jock Sutherland, who compiled 111 wins from 1924-38.
• Since 2015, Narduzzi has directed Pitt to 46 victories in ACC play, the conference's second-highest win total during that span, trailing only Clemson (64).

MUSTANG CAPTAINS
• Kevin Jennings, Jonathan McGill, Justin Osborne, Elijah Roberts, Preston Stone and Kobe Wilson were voted captains for the 2024 season. 

SOMETHING SPECIAL GOING ON HERE
• The Mustangs have been a force in conference play over the last three seasons. 
• SMU has posted a 17-3 record against conference opponents since 2022, highlighted by the current 13-game winning streak. 
• The 13 straight conference wins breaks the program record set back from 1981 to 1982. 

CURRENT 13-GAME CONFERENCE WINNING STREAK 
Nov. 26, 2022    W, 34-31    vs. Memphis (1)
Sept. 30, 2023    W, 34-16    vs. Charlotte (2)
Oct. 12, 2023    W, 31-10    at ECU (3)
Oct. 20, 2023    W, 55-0    at Temple (4)
Oct. 28, 2023    W, 69-10    vs. Tulsa (5)
Nov. 4, 2023        W, 36-31    at Rice (6)
Nov. 10, 2023    W, 45-21    vs. North Texas (7)
Nov. 18, 2023    W, 38-34    at Memphis (8)
Nov. 25, 2023    W, 59-14    vs. Navy (9)
Sept. 28, 2024    W, 42-16    vs. Florida State (10)
Oct. 5, 2024        W, 34-27    at No. 22 Louisville (11)
Oct. 19, 2024     W, 40-10    at Stanford (12)
Oct. 26, 2024    W, 28-27(OT)    at Duke (13)

FIREWORKS IN FORD
• SMU has been explosive on offense in Ford Stadium in its last 12 home games, scoring 607 points.
• The Mustangs are averaging SMU is averaging 50.5 points per game during the 12-game span dating back in 2022. 

JENNINGS AS QB1 
• This season, Jennings has gone 110-171 passing for 1,594 yards and 10 touchdowns. In addition, he has recorded 321 yards on the ground and three touchdowns. 
• Since Jennings has taken over as the starter at quarterback in week 4, he has posted a 92.0 offensive grade by PFF, tied for the highest by any offensive player amongst all Power 5 teams (70 teams) (Min. 50 snaps). 
• Jennings has the highest passer efficiency rating in conference games only at 174.0.
• Jennings career day against Stanford resulted in career highs in passing yards (322) and passing touchdowns (3). 
• He was named by the Davey O'Brien Foundation a Great 8 quarterback for week 8. 

LUCKY NUMBER 30 
• SMU has posted a record of 22-1 during Lashlee's three seasons in charge when they score 30 or more points in a game.
• The Mustangs currently have an 20-game winning streak when they hit the magic number. 

CAPITALIZING OFF TAKEAWAYS 
• SMU is +53 in points off turnovers this season.

PROTECT THE ASSET
• The Mustangs continued to provide elite protection for their quarterbacks to start the 2024 campaign.
• Through eight games this season, the Mustangs have given up nine sacks, ranking third in the ACC.

CLUB TAKEAWAY
• Club Takeaway is back and open for business again in 2024. 
• In the victory against TCU, the Mustangs forced a season-high five turnovers, the most since 2016 against ECU.
• SMU has forced a turnover in 16 of the past 18 games, 38 of the past 48 games, 47 of the past 58 games and 67 of the past 80 games.

NO RUN ZONE 
• The SMU defense has been stout against the run this year, ranking first in the ACC and fifth in FBS in rushing yards allowed per game.
• The Mustangs are allowing just 88.4 yards per game and at 2.72 yards per carry.
• SMU's 87.0 yards per game average would be the lowest in program history.

DEFENSE - RUSH YDS/GAME            
---    2024         88.4
1    1983         94.2
2    2006         107.5
3    1965         109.2
4    1999         113.9
5    2011         118.3
6    1982         120.2
7    2023         121.9
8    2001         122.0
9    1984         122.3
10    1966         123.0

DEFENSE - RUSH YDS/ATT
1    1983         2.4
2    1965         2.6
---    2024         2.72
3    1972         2.9
     1984         2.9
     1982         2.9
6    1999         3.0
     1981         3.0
8    1980         3.1
9    1966         3.2
     2006         3.2

BEST IN TEXAS 
• SMU has enjoyed much success in the past six seasons.
• The Mustangs have recorded 50 wins since 2019, are the most by any of the 13 FBS teams in the state. 
• Of those 50 wins, 23 have come on the road, tops for any team in the state since 2019.

SMITH ARMY KNIFE 
• Running back Brashard Smith has been a weapon in multiple offensive facets so far this season.
• The Richmond Heights, Florida, native has racked up 745 yards on the ground along with 169 yards receiving, making him one of just eight FBS players with 700+ rushing and 150+ receiving yards on the season. 
• Smith also has 213 kickoff return yards, making him the only player in the FBS with 700+ rushing, 150+ receiving and 200+ kickoff return yards this year.
• Smith has posted a 92.5 offensive grade by PFF on the season, the highest by any offensive player amongst all Power 5 teams (70 teams) (Min 50 snaps).
• Smith has 1,150 all-purpose yards on the year. 

HIDE YA QUARTERBACK
• Defensive end Elijah Roberts continues to disrupt the opposing team's passing game this year. 
• Roberts leads all of FBS in quarterback hurries with 33 in 2024.