The No. 21 SMU Mustangs football team is set to take on the Duke Blue Devils Saturday at 7 p.m. in a road conference matchup, where the Mustangs will look to improve upon their impressive four-game winning streak.
The Mustangs are having one of the most successful seasons in recent memory. They began the year with a 6-1 overall record and won against TCU, Florida State, No. 22 Louisville, and Stanford over the last four weeks.
SMU has also begun its first season as a member of the Atlantic Coast Conference with a 3-0 conference record, which puts it in a tie for first place with Clemson, Miami, and Pittsburgh.
According to a news release from the SMU Athletic Department, the Mustangs beginning the season with a 3-0 conference record is a “first for a team jumping into a Power-4/5 conference from a Group of Five in their first season.”
Duke is not currently ranked heading into this Week 9 matchup, but the Blue Devils have also put together an impressive season with a 6-1 record, including a 2-1 record to begin their ACC schedule.
The biggest difference between these schedules is how the teams have won their games. The Blue Devils have played in four one-score games this season, while the Mustangs have only played in two one-score games.
One of the most significant factors in this Week 9 matchup will be the performance of the Mustangs’ defense, which has been one of the best in the country at forcing turnovers to begin the season.
SMU has forced 17 turnovers by the opposing team to begin the 2024 season, trailing only James Madison and San Jose State for the most in the country this year.
The Mustangs have now forced at least one turnover in six consecutive games and 16 of their last 17 games dating back to the 2023 season, according to the SMU news release.
