Saturday, November 29, 2025 – 7 p.m. CT
[25/25] SMU (8-3, 6-1 ACC) at Cal (6-5, 3-4 ACC)
Alumni Stadium – Berkeley, Calif.
TV: ESPN2
Radio: The Ticket - KTCK 96.7 FM/1310 AM | Sirius XM 194
Streaming: SMU App (Google Play | Apple App Store)
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SETTING THE SCENE
• The Mustangs will travel to California Memorial Stadium to face the California Golden Bears for their regular-season finale on Saturday.
• SMU is coming off of a dominant 38-6 victory over ACC opponent Louisville, moving to 6-1 in conference play.
• The win over the Cardinals was SMU's 14th consecutive conference home victory (8-0 ACC), marking a new program record.
• Jordan Hudson recorded eight receptions for a team-leading 96 yards and a touchdown.
• Kevin Jennings posted his third consecutive 300-yard passing game, the longest streak by a Mustang since Tanner Mordecai recorded four straight 300-yard passing games in 2021.
• TJ Harden led the run game with 18 carries for 90 yards as well as contributing a receiving touchdown.
• The Mustang defense did not allow a single touchdown by Louisville, the first time SMU has not allowed their opponent to score a touchdown since the victory over California on Nov. 30, 2024.
QUICK HITS
• The Mustangs have been explosive this year, recording 12 offensive scoring drives in 2025 that have resulted in touchdowns in under two minutes.
• The SMU defense has been opportunistic to start 2025, ranking first in FBS for turnovers gained (27), second in red zone defense (0.675), fifth in passes intercepted (17), fifth in fumbles recovered (10), fifth in team sacks (3.09), tenth in defensive touchdowns (3), 19th in rushing defense (104.5) and 25th in third down conversion pct. defense (0.339).
• Kevin Jennings continues to be an impact player, ranking in the top 12 in the country in passing yards (9th, 3,113), passing yards per game (9th, 283.0), completions per game (10th, 23.18) and passing touchdowns (12th, 24).
• The defensive line of the Mustangs has been a force this season with Isaiah Smith (2nd, 8.5), Terry Webb (T-10th, 5.5) and Jeffrey M'ba (T-13th, 5.0) ranking in the top 13 in total sacks in the conference.
• Ahmaad Moses has displayed his ball-hawk instincts in the pass game, ranking second in the nation with five total interceptions.
• Jordan Hudson ranks fourth in receiving yards per game (76.8), fifth in receptions per game (5.6), tied for seventh in receiving touchdowns (4) and tied for ninth in total receiving yards (691).
• The Mustangs have started fast in games this year, outscoring their opponents 177-97 in the first half of games.
• SMU's 62 wins in the last six years are the most by any FBS team in the state with Texas. In addition, the Mustangs have won 27 of those on the road, tops for any team in the state since 2019.
• The Mustangs are 28-7 in their last 35 games, and 27-4 in their last 31 regular-season contests.
• SMU has posted a record of 32-3 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 39 of the past 42 games.
• Rhett Lashlee boasts a 27-4 conference record in his career, best in program history.
THE SERIES
• This is the third meeting between SMU and California.
• The Mustangs lead the all-time series with a 2-0 record.
• The teams last met in 2024, where Mustangs defeated the Golden Bears at home, 38-26.
ABOUT THE GOLDEN BEARS
• California has gone 6-5 in 2025, going 3-4 against ACC opponents.
• Most recently, the Golden Bears fell to the Stanford Cardinal 31-10.
THE COACHES
• Rhett Lashlee is in his fourth season as the head coach at SMU and has a 37-15 career record, with 29 wins the second most for a head coach in his first three 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.
MUSTANG CAPTAINS
• Kevin Jennings, Alexander Kilgore, Ahmaad Moses, Isaiah Nwokobia, Logan Parr and PJ Williams were named captains for the 2025 season.
BEST IN TEXAS
• SMU has enjoyed much success in the past six seasons.
• The Mustangs have recorded 62 wins since 2019, the most by the 13 FBS teams in the state.
• Of those 62 wins, 27 have come on the road, tops for any team in the state since 2019.
CLOSING TIME
• SMU has been able to close in the month of November under head coach Rhett Lashlee.
• Lashlee has posted an 14-1 (.933) mark for November as leader of the Mustangs.
• The .928 winning percentage for the month ranks as the highest for a head coach in the program's history.
BEST WINNING PERCENTAGE IN NOVEMBER IN PROGRAM HISTORY
Head Coach Winning % Record
Rhett Lashlee (2022- Pres.) .933 14-1
Bobby Collins (1982-86) .710 13-5-1
Ray Morrison (1922-34) .694 29-10-10
Madison Bell (1935-41, 45-49) .603 30-19-4
Mike Cavan (1997-01) .529 9-8
Ron Meyer (1976-81) .524 11-10
June Jones (2008-14) .500 11-11
Chalmer Woodward (1953-56) .438 7-9
J. Burton Rix (1917-21) .437 5-7-4
Bill Meek (1957-61) .432 9-12-1
Phil Bennett (2002-07) .400 8-12
Sonny Dykes (2017-21) .400 6-9
H.N. Russell (1950-52) .385 4-7-2
James H. Stewart (1942-44) .375 4-7-1
Hayden Fry (1962-72) .349 15-28
Dave Smith (1973-75) .333 3-7-2
Chad Morris (2015-17) .312 5-11
Tom Rossley (1991-96) .279 5-13
Ray Morrison (1915-16) .166 1-7-1
Tom Mason (2014) .000 0-4
Forrest Gregg (1989-90) .000 0-7
LUCKY NUMBER 30
• SMU has posted a record of 32-3 (.914) during Lashlee's four seasons in charge when they score 30 or more points in a game.
CLUB TAKEAWAY
• Club Takeaway is back and open for business again in 2025.
• SMU has forced a turnover in 32 of the past 35 games.
• The Mustangs have forced multiple turnovers in eight out of the 11 games this year.
I WANNA GO FAST
• The Mustangs have proven this year to score quickly when they have the ball on offense.
• SMU has already recorded 12 offensive scoring drives in 2025 that have resulted in touchdowns in under two minutes.
• The Mustangs have recorded at least one scoring drive in eight out of the 11 games this season that are two minutes or less.
THE FRONT LINES
• The Mustangs have caused problems to other teams with their pass rush this year, ranking sixth in FBS in sacks with 34 in 11 contests.
• Isaiah Smith (2nd, 8.5), Terry Webb (T-10th, 5.5) and Jeffrey M'ba (T-13th, 5.0) ranking in the top 13 in total sacks in the conference.
• SMU has recorded multiple sacks in all but two contests this year.
LET'S TAKE THIS SHOW ON THE ROAD
• The streak was the second longest in program history, trailing only a 13-game streak from Sept. 26, 1981 to Sept. 15, 1984.
• The Mustangs now 13-2 in their last 15 road contests in the regular season and 13-3 in their last 16 road games overall.
LAST 16 ROAD GAMES
Oct. 12, 2023 W, 31-10 at ECU
Oct. 20, 2023 W, 55-0 at Temple
Nov. 4, 2023 W, 36-31 at Rice
Nov. 18, 2023 W, 38-34 at Memphis
Dec. 2, 2023* W, 26-14 at No. 17 Tulane
Aug. 24, 2024 W, 29-24 at Nevada
Oct. 5, 2024 W, 34-27 at No. 22 Louisville
Oct. 19, 2024 W, 40-10 at Stanford
Oct. 26, 2024 W, 28-27(OT) at Duke
Nov. 23, 2024 W, 33-7 at Virginia
Dec. 21, 2024* L, 38-10 at No. 6 Penn State
Sept. 13, 2025 W, 28-10 at Missouri State
Sept. 20, 2025 L, 35-24 at TCU
Oct. 18, 2025 W, 35-24 at Clemson
Oct. 25, 2025 L, 13-12 at Wake Forest
Nov. 8, 2025 W, 45-13 at Boston College
* Denotes Postseason Contest
