As the Mustangs surge toward a primetime showdown in South Bend, analysts rank Kevin Jennings and his explosive playmakers as the second-most dangerous threat on the Irish schedule.
DALLAS - SMU football is going to find itself under an intense national spotlight via its 2026 schedule. ...
And Notre Dame isn't taking lightly that very same spotlight.
The Mustangs’ late-November road game at Notre Dame will be played in primetime, giving SMU one of its biggest regular-season stages since joining the ACC and continuing its rise as a College Football Playoff contender.
For SMU, this is exactly the kind of matchup that can change a season. Notre Dame is expected to be one of the most-watched teams in the country in 2026 after narrowly missing the 2025 College Football Playoff.
The Irish return most of a roster that stayed in the CFP race deep into last season, and South Bend will be buzzing for multiple night games.
But SMU won’t be showing up as a pushover - at least not in the eyes of the folks who cover the Irish.
IrishBreakdown, part of the Roundtable family, naturally lists Miami as Notre Dame's biggest challenge when it comes to opposing offenses on its schedule.
The site writes, "Let's get the obvious one out of the way. Miami might have one of the best offenses in the country, let alone the best on Notre Dame's schedule. They return key players like wide receiver Malachi Toney and running backs Mark Fletcher and CharMar Brown. They also bring back Ryan Rodriguez and Matthew McCoy along the offensive line. ...''
But who does the site think is the No. 2 offensive threat on the Irish slate?
That would be your SMU Mustangs.
They write ...
"Quarterback Kevin Jennings is the most experienced quarterback the Irish will face in the regular season. He's going into year three as the starter and will have some young and talented weapons at his disposal. They return both Yamir Knight and Jalen Cooper at wide out and brought in Yannick Smith from East Carolina in the transfer portal. They also snagged running back Kendrick Raphael from Cal who's coming off of a season where he rushed for 843 yards and 13 touchdowns.''
That's a flattering - but accurate - summation.
The Mustangs have already proven they belong in the national conversation. After making the CFP field in 2025 as an ACC representative, SMU followed with a 9-4 season and stayed relevant on the national stage.
Now, with starting quarterback Jennings back, the Mustangs have a chance to push back into playoff contention.
That makes the Notre Dame game more than just a fun TV slot. It’s an SMU opportunity. ... and, if you believe the Irish media, maybe even an opportunity for an upset success.
