{"id":242745,"date":"2025-09-21T01:15:17","date_gmt":"2025-09-21T01:15:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/242745\/"},"modified":"2025-09-21T01:15:17","modified_gmt":"2025-09-21T01:15:17","slug":"smu-left-with-narrow-path-back-to-college-football-playoff-after-loss-to-tcu","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/242745\/","title":{"rendered":"SMU left with narrow path back to College Football Playoff after loss to TCU"},"content":{"rendered":"

FORT WORTH \u2014 When SMU started its 2025 season and nonconference schedule, it saw opportunity ahead.<\/p>\n

The Mustangs were ranked No. 16 in the nation. They faced two tune-up opponents in East Texas A&M<\/a> and Missouri State<\/a> and two potential r\u00e9sum\u00e9-builders against Baylor<\/a> and TCU. A 4-0 record could\u2019ve placed them firmly in the top 25 \u2014 or even top 10 \u2014 with a possible path back to the College Football Playoff.<\/p>\n

All of those possibilities, though, were before SMU played its first snap of the season.<\/p>\n

Four weeks later, the Mustangs sit at 2-2. They\u2019ve already lost more games than they did last regular season. They\u2019ve lost multiple starters to injuries while having others continue to play through them. They\u2019ve blown two fourth-quarter leads to in-state rivals. And they handed the Iron Skillet back to TCU, possibly for good, after a 35-24 loss at Amon G. Carter Stadium Saturday<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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\u201cIt\u2019s two games this year where we\u2019ve gotten the lead in the fourth quarter, and they made the plays down the stretch, and we didn\u2019t,\u201d SMU head coach Rhett Lashlee said.<\/p>\n

SMU\u2019s many paths back to the postseason have vanished. Now, SMU has just one remaining: win the ACC.<\/p>\n

Since making the jump to a power conference, SMU has learned scheduling can be tricky. A lack of competitive opponents nearly robbed the Mustangs of their spot in the College Football Playoff a year ago. They\u2019ve been the ones adamant about the century-old series with TCU getting renewed<\/a>.<\/p>\n

But those nonconference, power conference games are only beneficial if you win them. A loss or two can make a team\u2019s ultimate postseason goals seem out of reach in September.<\/p>\n

A year ago, SMU set itself up so no matter what happened in Charlotte, N.C., in December, it had a chance to secure its first College Football Playoff berth. But now, the Mustangs have to be near perfect just to get back to that game where the result would determine their postseason fate.<\/p>\n

Related<\/p>\n

\"SMU<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re disappointed that we\u2019re sitting where we are,\u201d Lashlee said. \u201cBut I\u2019ll tell you this: I\u2019m not disappointed in our players one bit.\u201d<\/p>\n

SMU may have played better in its two games against Big 12 opponents than it did against East Texas A&M and Missouri State. Its offense did, at least.<\/p>\n

The Mustangs managed to take fourth-quarter leads against TCU and Baylor. But just as Sawyer Robertson did two weeks ago<\/a>, Josh Hoover and the Horned Frogs offense performed better over the final 10 minutes of play. Two of wide receiver Eric McAlister\u2019s three touchdowns took place during that stretch to put the game out of reach for SMU.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey won the bookends \u2014 the start and the finish \u2014 and that\u2019s why we lost,\u201d Lashlee said.<\/p>\n

SMU showed it\u2019s lacking some key traits last year\u2019s team had: an elite defense and the ability to be opportunistic.<\/p>\n

Scott Symons\u2019 2024 defense was the best in the ACC and produced NFL-caliber players such as Elijah Roberts and Jared Harrison-Hunte. This year\u2019s, which had to replace all but one starter, has been inconsistent and ineffective against both skilled offenses it has faced.<\/p>\n

Last year\u2019s team also won games that it shouldn\u2019t have. It went down to the wire against teams like Duke and Louisville, but walked away with the win almost every time. When this year\u2019s team has found itself in close games, it hasn\u2019t been able to finish.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt is a lot of \u2018almosts\u2019, but we can definitely do better so that doesn\u2019t happen,\u201d defensive lineman Cam Robertson said.<\/p>\n

SMU still has the majority of its season left to make improvements. The ACC still appears to be wide open, especially as preseason favorite Clemson continues to show it was overrated in the first poll.<\/p>\n

But the Mustangs know there\u2019s only one path remaining. Another misstep could mean the Pop-Tarts Bowl or Duke\u2019s Mayo Bowl, at best.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re gonna lose some,\u201d SMU quarterback Kevin Jennings said. \u201cWe\u2019re gonna win some. It\u2019s about how you respond the following weeks. We\u2019ve got ACC play in front of us. All that matters is we go win all of them games right there. We put all of this behind us. It\u2019s about how we finish.\u201d<\/p>\n

Photos: TCU hoists Iron Skillet for final time, celebrates win over SMU<\/p>\n

\"TCUView Gallery<\/p>\n