SMU Mustangs College Football Win Total Prediction in 2024

The SMU Mustangs are playing its first season in the ACC and will do so under head coach Rhett Lashlee, who is in his third season with the team as head coach. The Mustangs will look to be competitive in their first year of ACC play after coming off a strong season in 2023 posting a record of 11-3 and an American Conference Championship.

Odds via DraftKings Sportsbook.

SMU Mustangs Offensive Preview

The SMU Mustangs offense will be the strength of the team in 2024. The Mustangs are led by quarterback Preston Stone who is coming off a great season where he threw for 3197 yards and 28 touchdowns, and should be one of the top quarterbacks in the ACC in 2024. The Mustangs return eight starters on offense and have veteran skill groups that should be able to be relied upon for steady production.

The SMU offense has improved each year under Lashlee, including when he started as offensive coordinator in 2019. Though the Mustangs will be facing better competition in the ACC this season, they should be able to keep up with the competition and be one of the best offenses in the Atlantic Coast Conference.

SMU Mustangs Defensive Preview

The SMU Mustangs defense will be an above-average ACC defense this year. The Mustangs return seven starters and added multiple transfers to create a serviceable unit that should be able to keep them in games if their offense has an off game.

The Mustangs defense is led by defensive end Elijah Roberts, who recorded double-digit sacks a season ago. The Mustangs could use some help at cornerback, but should be able to cover their weakness well as they have one of the strongest safety units in the ACC.

SMU Mustangs Outlook and Prediction

The SMU Mustangs win total is set at eight wins in 2024. The Mustangs should find themselves an ACC title contention due to a very manageable schedule.

In non-conference play, the Mustangs face Nevada, Houston Christian, and BYU. SMU should be favored in all three of those games and have no trouble finding wins.

While stepping up to a power conference is never an easy task. The Mustangs will benefit from avoiding some of the top teams in the conference during conference play.

SMU will not have to play against Miami, Clemson, Virginia Tech, or NC State this season. They will have to play conference favorite Florida State, however that game will be played at home for the Mustangs. Avoiding some of the top conference teams will allow SMU to have a solid conference record and potentially find themselves in the championship game contention.

With an offense that should have no trouble putting up points and a manageable schedule, winning over eight games should be achievable for the Mustangs in 2024.

Pick: SMU Mustangs OVER 8 Wins (-135)

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