Meet Your Insider
Well, hello, Mustangs, and welcome to The Cover Window! I'm Tatum Delacroix-Price, your SMU insider. I run a little boutique in Highland Park. I know every handshake in this town, and I know every nickel blitz in our playbook. I travel with this team and I live with this team. Now, fair warning: I grade the other team's sideline outfits on air, and darling, I am never wrong. Polished, sweet as can be, and then savage. That's the Dallas way. When we win, I pop imaginary confetti and declare the Boulevard officially iconic. When we lose, I put on bigger sunglasses. Much bigger. Every week you'll get the players, the coaches and the matchup, with just a little sparkle. My motto: "Pony up or sit down, sugar."
The School in 60 Seconds
SMU has a Heisman Trophy winner: Doak Walker in 1948. Then came the Pony Express era, with Eric Dickerson and Craig James in the backfield. More recently, the Mustangs played in the 2024 ACC championship game and lost to Clemson 34-31 on a field goal at the end. Home is Gerald J. Ford Stadium in University Park, listed at 32,000, an intimate little jewel box of a stadium. And it's spotless. This season that little jewel box has been perfect: four home games, four wins. Bring your sunglasses, Cal. The regular ones, I mean.
The Coach and the Scheme
Rhett Lashlee was hired on Nov. 30, 2021. The 2026 numbers say SMU lives through the air: 329.3 passing yards a game, fifth in FBS, and 470.8 total yards, 14th. It averages 32.7 points a game and converts 48.1% of third downs (23rd). The defense is a showstopper against the pass, allowing just 164.8 yards a game, 11th in FBS. SMU has 18 sacks and has allowed only 7. Overall the defense allows 303.0 yards a game, 26th in FBS. It's a bit softer against the run (138.2 yards a game, 61st) than the pass. Two things that need a tailor: 69.0 penalty yards a game (114th), and a red-zone offense that scores on 81.5% of trips (95th).
Players to Know
QB Kevin Jennings: 1,859 yards, 16 TD, 5 INT and 72.9% completions. He was 23 of 36 for 246 yards and two touchdowns against Virginia, with no interceptions.
RB Kendrick Raphael: 542 yards and 6 TD on 99 carries, including 124 yards against the Cavaliers.
WR Yamir Knight: 35 catches, 418 yards, 2 TD. WR Yannick Smith: 5 catches for 87 yards last week.
I couldn't verify defensive leaders from a free source as of Oct. 18, so I'm not naming names. A lady doesn't guess.
The Conference Picture
SMU is 5-1 overall and 3-1 in the ACC, 4-0 at home and 1-1 on the road. The Mustangs are No. 23 in the AP poll and No. 20 in the Coaches Poll. The only loss came at Louisville, 41-31, and the wins include a 27-24 road win at Florida State. Next comes a trip to Syracuse. Keep winning and SMU stays in the ACC title conversation. At home the Mustangs have outscored visitors 138-63. Fair warning, though: the turnover column needs work, with 9 lost and only 6 forced. Darling, we do not hand out free gifts at this boutique.
This Week: California (3-4) at No. 23 SMU (5-1)
Saturday, Oct. 24 · Noon ET (11 a.m. CT) · Gerald J. Ford Stadium. Two game pages list the TV as The CW, but I couldn't confirm that officially.
Last week: SMU beat Virginia 23-13. Cal lost 41-7 to Wake Forest.
Our offense vs. their defense: Cal allows 27.7 points a game and 181.4 rushing yards (111th). Raphael should have room to run. Cal's defense also allows 42.4% on third down (107th).
Their offense vs. our defense: Cal throws on about 61% of its plays for 288.1 yards a game (15th). QB Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele has 1,290 yards. Our pass defense ranks 11th. That's the matchup. And Cal's offense has been held to 10 points or fewer in two of its last four games. Our pass rush, with 18 sacks, will want to make it three. Cal's sideline outfits? I'll review those live, sugar.
Series: a full series record wasn't in a free source I could verify.
Availability: I found no official availability report for either team as of Oct. 18, 2026.
What decides it: (1) Can our pass defense keep Cal's passing game quiet? (2) Can Raphael take advantage of Cal's run defense? (3) Red zone. Touchdowns, not field goals, sugar.
And to Quentin Oyelaran-Fitch, Cal's insider: I adore your picket signs, darling. Very handmade. We'll have them laminated for you.
Local Flavor (unsponsored, not an ad)
Watching near campus? Kuby's Sausage House in Snider Plaza is a University Park classic.
My call: SMU Mustangs 35, California Golden Bears 18.