The Southern Methodist University Mustangs (7-5, 3-3 Away) travel to face the Brigham Young University Cougars (7-5, 4-2 Home) at University Stadium on Saturday. The Mustangs are 3.5-point favorites, and the total is 64.
SMU is coming off a tight 34-31 win over Memphis at Gerald J. Ford Stadium on November 26. Tanner Mordecai threw for 228 yards and two touchdowns. Tyler Lavine ran 25 times for 64 yards and two touchdowns. Rashee Rice caught 13 passes for 147 yards and a touchdown.
BYU won for the third straight game on November 26, beating Stanford 35-26 at Stanford Stadium. Jaren Hall was 7 of 11 for 93 yards and two touchdowns. Christopher Brooks carried 23 times for 164 yards. Isaac Rex scored twice. He caught two receptions for 44 yards.
TALE OF THE TAPE
The Mustangs are averaging 38.4 points per game for the season, 11th in FBS, and they are facing a Cougars defense that has surrendered 30.0 PPG (101st). Meanwhile, BYU has scored 31.9 points a game this season, 41st in the country, and SMU is allowing 34.7 PPG (123rd).
The Mustangs rank as one of the nation’s top teams in passing yards per game (324.9, 5th), while they are 66th in rushing yards (154.9). The Cougars are 83rd in passing yards allowed per game (235.7) and 98th against the run (174.0).
BYU is 33rd in the country in passing yards per game (266.6) and 50th in rushing (173.5). SMU’s defense has been most susceptible on the ground, as the Mustangs are 121st in the country in rushing yards allowed per game (203.2). Against the pass, the Mustangs are 92nd (242.8).
TOP PERFORMERS
Through 11 games, Tanner Mordecai has thrown for 31 touchdowns (9 INT) and 300.5 yards per game to lead SMU in passing. In five games away from home this season, he has 11 TDs (5 INT) and an average of 334.8 yards passing. Tyler Lavine leads the team in rushing with an average of 55.1 yards a game over 10 games.
He has nine touchdowns on the ground and one through the air. Rashee Rice is the Mustangs’ leading receiver with 112.9 yards a game and 10 TDs. Jaren Hall has 31 passing touchdowns (6 INT) with 264.2 yards per game through 12 games to lead BYU.
Christopher Brooks has been the team’s leading performer on the ground, averaging 72.5 yards a game through 10 games. He has five touchdowns. Puka Nacua has been a key target in the Cougars’ aerial attack. He has five touchdowns and a 69.4 yard per game average through nine appearances.
SportsTips’ College Football Pick:
BYU ML (+150)
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*Odds correct at time of publication, courtesy of BetMGM.
