Preview: Tight Spread, Points Expected in Maryland Football's Matchup vs. SMU

Maryland moved to 2-0 after a 56-21 win at Charlotte on Saturday. Now the Terps move onto undoubtedly its toughest opponent in their nonconference schedule when the SMU Mustangs come to College Park this weekend for a 7:30 PM kickoff. Maryland opens up as a three-point favorite against SMU with the over/under set at 70 points, according to Caesars Sportsbook. Maryland is 1-1 against the spread through the first two weeks of the season while Maryland is averaging 43.5 points per game to SMU’s 46.5 points. ESPN gives Maryland a 67.4% chance to top SMU this weekend. The Mustangs enter the matchup 27-10 since the start of the 2019 season and have won at least seven games for the last three seasons. We dive deeper into the Terps’ next opponent. Buy your single game tickets for Maryland football here

SMU Mustangs Head Coach: Rhett Lashlee, 2-0, 1st year at SMU 2021: Overall: 8-4, Conference: 4-4

Offense It’s a Rhett Lashlee coached team. To the surprise of no one, they throw the ball well as Laschlee is a former SMU offensive coordinator under Sonny Dykes and it’s going to crank up the production. The offense is loaded with experienced parts, good skill guys, and the line to make it all work from the No. 1 AAC attack last year. It led the league with 466 yards and 38 points per game last season. Lashlee and offensive coordinator Casey Woodshave their veteran quarterback to make it all go. Former Oklahoma transfer Tanner Mordecai threw for over 3,600 yards and 39 touchdowns with 12 picks in an All-AAC season, and Preston Stone is a rising talent. Mordecai currently is 41-63 with 644 yards, seven touchdowns and one interception. He is also their leading rusher with 19 carries for 137 yards and two touchdowns. The receivers are there to make it all rock, even with Danny Gray, Reggie Roberson, and TE Grant Calcaterra. Leading receiver Rashee Rice leads the team this season with 17 receptions for 298 yards and three touchdowns. Longtime all-around factor Ulysses Bentley is off to Ole Miss, but former North Texas transfer Tre Siggers is back for the Mustangs after averaging five yards per rush with nine scores and with a team-high 727 yards. TJ McDaniel is back after suffering an injury, and ready to roll is Alabama transfer Camar Wheaton. The talent is there from Wheaton and the rest of the backs to do the job. The SMU line will play around with the veteran parts, four starters are back from the end of last year, but Alan Ali is off to TCU and the depth will have to come from the transfer portal. Overall, the group that was the best in the AAC in pass protection.

Defense The Mustangs allowed 415 yards and 28 points per game last year, doing a nice job against the run but had their problems through the air, giving up 200 yards or more against everyone but Navy. So far they've only given up a total of 16 points in two games against North Texas and Lamar. The front three is the strength. Leading pass rusher DeVere Levelston is back at one end after coming up with 6.5 sacks, Elijah Chatman is an all-star who can get into the backfield from the other side, and it all works around 324-pound Terrance Newman who is a monster in the interior. The outside linebackers will be factors again, too. Turner Coxe has been a solid four-year producer, and Jimmy Phillips was second on the team with 60 tackles. Isaac Slade-Matautia was a good three-year defender at Oregon State and brings the size and thump again in the middle of the Mustang linebacking corps.

SMU Mustangs: Key TransferRB Camar Wheaton, Fr. Rice wide receiver transfer Jake Bailey is going to make a huge impact but Wheaton might be the best of the transfer bunch. SMU already has a good enough running back in Tre Siggers, but the 5-11, 190-pound Wheaton has next-level talent as a five-star get for Alabama last year. Related Links Offense takes command in 56-21 win over Charlotte Watch: Locksley, players review win over Charlotte Instant reactions: Maryland 56, Charlotte 21 VIP: Coaches on the Road; 2023 Tidbit (+) Maryland heating up pursuit of 2024 four-star Darren Harris Maryland basketball conference schedule released 2024 WR Eric Smith recaps second visit to Maryland (+)