Analysts believe SMU has one of the best upset opportunities of the 2026 season, citing Kevin Jennings and the Mustangs' recent success as reasons to be optimistic.
When SMU travels to South Bend, Indiana, on Nov. 21, Notre Dame will be favored. David Cone does not think the spread should be overwhelming.
The On3 host picked SMU to upset Notre Dame as one of his five biggest upset predictions for the 2026 college football season. His list also included Georgia Southern over Clemson, USC over Ohio State, Virginia Tech over Miami and Oklahoma State over Oregon. His reasoning started with the quarterback.
"SMU beat Miami a year ago, made the College Football Playoff two years ago," Cone said. "You don't think returning your quarterback in Kevin Jennings, you can go to South Bend and get a win up there?"
Jennings gives SMU a chance; the Mustangs finished 9-4 overall and 6-2 in ACC play last season, defeated Miami and closed the year with a Holiday Bowl victory over Arizona. This is a program that expects to compete in games like this.
Kickoff is set for 6:30 p.m. CT on NBC. The game will be played in primetime at Notre Dame Stadium against a team expected to rank among the nation's best by late November.
That also makes this the biggest opportunity on SMU's schedule.
Rhett Lashlee has spent his tenure pushing the program into new territory. A win in South Bend would rank among the biggest road victories in program history and strengthen SMU's national profile heading into the postseason. This game could make or break both teams' College Football Playoff chances.
Both teams missed the 12-team field last season; Notre Dame, as an independent, has no conference championship game to strengthen its resume late in the year. A November home loss would deal a major blow to its playoff hopes. For SMU, a road win over a top-five opponent would become one of the strongest victories any ACC team could claim.
Notre Dame will likely be favored by double digits and will have home-field advantage. Cone included the game on his upset list because the odds favor the Irish.
Crain & Cone also ranked SMU No. 19 in its way-too-early Top 25 for 2026. If the Mustangs arrive in South Bend playing their best football, with Jennings leading the offense, they will have an opportunity to change the national conversation.
Notre Dame's schedule has drawn criticism throughout the offseason. SMU has a chance to become the game that shouldn't be overlooked.
