After going head-to-head in the Fenway Bowl last December, No. 14 SMU welcomes Boston College to Dallas for the teams’ first meeting as Atlantic Coast Conference foes on Saturday.
The Eagles (5-4, 2-3 ACC), who concluded last season as 23-14 winners over SMU at Boston’s historic ballpark, are back above .500 after beating longtime rival Syracuse 37-31 last week.
The Mustangs (8-1, 5-0) are fresh off a bye but dropped one spot in the latest College Football Playoff rankings. Their most recent game was a 48-25 win over then-No. 18 Pitt on Nov. 2.
“(BC has) a new team, I think they’re better this year. We have a new team, I think we’re better this year,” SMU coach Rhett Lashlee said. “They’ve got a new coach (Bill O’Brien). Yeah, some of the players are the same. Obviously, we didn’t like the outcome of that game … but it’s not going to have any bearing on Saturday.”
BC has Grayson James slated to make his second start at quarterback after he relieved Thomas Castellanos in the third quarter against Syracuse.
“I think what’s best for the team right now is for Grayson James to be the starter,” O’Brien said. “Tommy has done a great job for us. He’s an awesome competitor. … Obviously, he wasn’t real thrilled with that. He’s taking a couple days.”
An FIU transfer, James helped the Eagles score 23 of their 37 points in the second half last week. Castellanos threw for just 14 yards and rushed for minus-10.
With Castellanos injured against Western Kentucky, James was 19-for-32 for 168 yards and a game-winning touchdown in the fourth quarter of a 21-20 Week 4 win. He also ran for a score.
The Eagles’ run game was key in their most recent victory. Kye Robichaux and Jordan McDonald combined for 331 total yards and three touchdowns.
“The line played well, the tight ends played well, the running backs ran well. It was a good day,” O’Brien said. “They’re both big, they’re downhill guys.”
Led by quarterback Kevin Jennings (178.6 passer efficiency rating in ACC play) and a balanced receiving corps, the Mustangs have averaged 43 points across a six-game win streak.
Their defense has allowed a conference-low 90 rushing yards per game and forced 19 turnovers, including one in seven of the last eight contests.
It has added up to SMU becoming the first team to start 5-0 in conference play as a first-year program moving from the Group of Five to a power league.
“I think we’ve proven that we belong in the conversation,” Lashlee said. “I’m not going to worry about us and (rankings) right now because we’ve got to take care of business. … If we don’t win the next three games, we don’t really have an argument.”
The Mustangs have improved health-wise since the Pitt game, as starting linebacker Kobe Wilson is expected to return, and wide receiver Jake Bailey and defensive end Elijah Roberts could be game-time decisions.
“Everybody’s beat up, everybody’s got guys out (late in the season),” Lashlee said. “Who’s the next man up? Guys going that aren’t 100 percent, how fresh can they feel on Saturday? It’s going to come down to depth and toughness.”
Last season in the Fenway Bowl, which is one of just two SMU losses in its last 19 games, Jennings was 24-of-48 passing for 191 yards and a touchdown.
