SMU Mustangs vs Syracuse Orange Preview & Odds — October 31, 2026
SMUOffense2026 regular season to dateSYR
SMUDefenseSYRSMURecent formSYRSMUHome and roadseason to dateSYRSMULast 10 gamesSYRRest & travelrest and travel
SMURest & travelSYRAbout these numbers
2026 regular season to date, captured before kickoff. League rank in small type (138 teams); the gold side ranks higher. Bars show rank, longest = 1st. Source: Gridiron & Wine public Analytics tables.
Last five results this season, oldest to newest. Records are season to date, with home and road splits. Against-the-spread (ATS) and over–under records use the consensus closing line.
Margin of each of the last 7 games this season, oldest to newest (gold = won). Hover a bar for the score margin.
Distance is straight-line from each team's home arena; time-zone change is at game time. Rest counts days since each team's previous game.
Matchup preview
SMU (5-1) visits Syracuse (2-4) on Saturday, October 31 at 12:00 PM ET.
SMU has the 38th-ranked offense by EPA per play (expected points added per snap) and the 63rd-ranked defense (ranks among the 138 teams with play-by-play data). Meanwhile, Syracuse has the 65th-ranked offense and the 67th-ranked defense. When SMU has the ball, a 38th-ranked offense (+0.150 EPA per play) meets a 67th-ranked defense (+0.064 allowed); when Syracuse has it, a 65th-ranked offense (+0.064) meets a 63rd-ranked defense (+0.050 allowed).
By success rate (the share of plays that gain expected points), the SMU offense is at 48.8% (47th) and the Syracuse offense at 45.5% (87th). SMU scores 33.2 points per game (27th) and allows 23.0 (43rd); Syracuse scores 25.8 (68th) and allows 30.2 (102nd).
SMU is 6-1 and 2-3-2 against the spread; its last game was a 59-20 win over California. Syracuse is 3-4 and 4-3 against the spread; its last game was a 31-30 win over North Carolina.
SMU is a 10-point road favorite, with Syracuse getting the points at home. The spread opened at SMU -10.5. The total is 58.5, up from 56.5 at the open. After removing the vig, the moneyline (SMU -375, Syracuse +290) prices SMU at 75% and Syracuse at 25%.
Built from public team and player data; ranks are league-wide and update daily until kickoff.
Market
Odds and line movement
SMU -10.5 (-115)
SMU -10 (-110)
Syracuse +315 23%
Syracuse +290 25%
Consensus of US sportsbooks. The Now column updates from our odds board. Percentages are the moneyline's no-vig market-implied chances.
Best available prices on Oct 28
- SMU -10-108Caesars
- Syracuse +10-107Bally Bet
- Over 58.5+104Novig
- Under 58.5-108Novig
- SMU-310ProphetX
- Syracuse+310BetRivers
Members
G&W Line
G&W’s own number for this game, next to the market. Analytics
Matchup
Players to watch
- Attempts215
- Completion %72.6%6th
- Passing yards2,08223rd
- Yards per attempt9.714th
- TD–INT19–5
- Rushing yards64125th
- Season line121 carries, 641 yds, 8 TD
- Receiving yards44379th
- Season line38 catches, 443 yds, 2 TD
- Tackles39312th
- Attempts90
- Completion %51.1%
- Passing yards558
- Yards per attempt6.2
- TD–INT2–4
- Rushing yards46177th
- Season line88 carries, 461 yds, 1 TD
- Receiving yards8874th
- Season line54 catches, 887 yds, 8 TD
- Tackles51124th
Season passing totals from public box scores, captured before kickoff. Ranks among the 264 quarterbacks with at least 60 attempts. Rushing, receiving and tackle leaders: season totals captured October 28, 5:34 a.m. ET; ranks among FBS players.
Success by situation
| Situation | SMU | Syracuse |
|---|---|---|
| Early-down success rateSMU offense vs Syracuse defense | 44.8%48th | 44.6%91st |
| Early-down success rateSyracuse offense vs SMU defense | 41.8%48th | 40.5%101st |
| 3rd-down conversion rateSMU offense vs Syracuse defense | 44.0%40th | 39.7%63rd |
| 3rd-down conversion rateSyracuse offense vs SMU defense | 31.6%8th | 41.7%57th |
| Explosive play rateSMU offense vs Syracuse defense | 8.6%23rd | 8.2%109th |
| Explosive play rateSyracuse offense vs SMU defense | 5.9%42nd | 7.9%33rd |
| Pass rateshare of plays that are passes or sacks | 49.6%81st-highest | 50.6%71st-highest |
On 3rd down SMU converts 44.0% (40th) against a Syracuse defense allowing 39.7% (63rd).
On 3rd down Syracuse converts 41.7% (57th) against a SMU defense allowing 31.6% (8th).
2026 regular season before kickoff, from play-by-play with garbage time removed; ranks among the 138 teams in the play-by-play data (defense: 1st = allows the least). Success = a play that gains expected points.
Coaching staff
| Staff | SMU | Syracuse |
|---|---|---|
| Head coach | Rhett Lashlee | Fran Brown |
| Tenureat this school | 5th season | 3rd season |
| Record at schoolthis season included, as of the date below | 44–18 | 16–16 |
| Career recordas an FBS head coach | 44–18 | 16–16 |
| Offensive coordinator | Garin Justice / D'Eriq King / Rob Likens | Mike Johnson / Jeff Nixon |
| Defensive coordinator | Maurice Crum Jr. / Rickey Hunley Jr. | Vince Kehres |
Staff list as of October 27, 6:50 a.m. ET.
Head-to-head
The teams have met 1 time since 2021: SMU won 1 and Syracuse 0.
| Date | Score | Line | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 4, 2025 | Syracuse 18, SMU 31 SMU won |
Meetings since 2021, most recent first. Line and total are the consensus closing numbers where line history is available.
Result
After the final: score vs the closing line, Drive X-Ray and the graded official play, if there was one, appear here on this same page.
Teams
SMU Mustangs
- SMU Mustangs team stats
- California Golden Bears 20, SMU Mustangs 59 (Oct 24)
- Virginia Cavaliers 13, SMU Mustangs 23 (Oct 17)
- Boston College Eagles 16, SMU Mustangs 25 (Oct 3)
Syracuse Orange
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