The SMU Mustangs (5-1) face off against the Stanford Cardinal (2-4) on Saturday, October 19th. This game will be played at Stanford Stadium in Stanford and televised on ACCN. SMU is coming off a win in their previous game, while Stanford is looking to get back on track from a loss to the Notre Dame. Kickoff is set for 8:00 ET.

SMU Mustangs vs Stanford Cardinal

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SMU Offense Breakdown

SMU’s offense is averaging 40.8 points per game heading into week 8, placing them 13th nationally. They rank 24th in rushing, with 213.3 yards per game on 40 attempts. Brashard Smith leads the ground attack with 558 yards, averaging 6 yards per carry, and has scored seven touchdowns.

Quarterback Kevin Jennings has thrown for 1,014 yards, completing 66.7% of his passes. He has six touchdown passes and one interception, with a passer rating of 106. SMU ranks 27th in third-down conversions, converting 46.2% of their attempts. They are 44th in our offensive power rankings.

Stanford Offense Breakdown

Stanford’s offense has struggled this season, averaging just 20.3 points per game, which ranks 81st nationally. They are 117th in our offensive power rankings heading into week 8. The Cardinal have focused on their ground game, with 37.5 rushing attempts per game, but they are only 77th in rushing yards, averaging 148.7 yards per game.

Chris Davis Jr. leads the team with 233 rushing yards and is averaging 6 yards per carry, though he has yet to score a touchdown. Quarterback Ashton Daniels has thrown for 707 yards, with five touchdowns and six interceptions, giving him a passer rating of 68. Elic Ayomanor has 333 receiving yards and three touchdowns.

SMU Team Defense

SMU’s defense is ranked 38th nationally, allowing 22.3 points per game. In their recent game against Louisville, they gave up 27 points and 408 total yards, including 177 rushing yards and 231 passing yards, while forcing one interception.

Opponents have averaged 240.2 passing yards per game against SMU, but quarterbacks have completed just 52.6% of their passes, the 12th-lowest rate in the country. SMU’s defense has also been strong against the run, allowing just 98.5 rushing yards per game, ranking 19th nationally.

SMU Team Defense

Stanford’s defense has struggled recently, allowing 49 points in their last game against Notre Dame. They gave up 477 total yards, including 229 rushing yards and four rushing touchdowns, along with 248 passing yards and three touchdowns.

On the season, Stanford’s defense is allowing 30.8 points per game. Opponents are averaging 266.7 passing yards per game, while Stanford ranks 36th nationally in rushing defense, giving up just 113.2 yards per game on 28.7 attempts, the 14th fewest in the country.

SMU vs Stanford Trends

• In their last three games away from home, the SMU Mustangs have a straight up record of 2-1 while going 1-2 vs the spread. The team averaged 25 points per game in this stretch.
• Through their last three home games, Stanford has an ATS record of just 1-2. However, their overall record was 1-2 while averaging 15 points per game.
• Going back to their last ten games as the underdog, the Stanford Cardinal have a straight up record of 2-8. But, their mark vs the spread was just 4-6.
• Through their last three games as the favorite, the SMU Mustangs have an ATS record of 2-1 and a straight up mark of 2-1.

Mustangs vs Cardinal Prediction

SMU is favored by -14.5 points in their week eight matchup against Stanford, and we expect them to cover the spread comfortably with a final score of 35-17. With the over/under line set at 54.5 points, our projection of 52 points suggests that taking the under is the best play.

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All odds are courtesy of Action247 Sportsbook. Good luck!!

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* All odds are provided by Action247 Sportsbook and all odds subject to change.**All views expressed are my own. My picks are my own and are not a guarantee, bet at your own risk.Action247 does not warrant the accuracy of completeness of the information, text, graphics, links or other items contained within these post.