For the first time in nine years, the No. 17 SMU Mustangs and the Baylor Bears renew a 125-year-old rivalry Saturday afternoon in Dallas.
SMU (1-0) began its 2025 regular season with a 42-13 rout of FCS side East Texas A&M before welcoming its first power conference test in Baylor (0-1). In the lopsided Mustangs victory, the reigning College Football Playoff participant controlled both the ground and the air despite losing their top returning receiver Jordan Hudson on the first play of the game with a shoulder injury on a 7-yard reception.
On the defensive end, SMU also lost a key member of its linebacker group when Alex Kilgore injured his left ankle on a 10-yard interception return for a touchdown.
“Good news is both X-rays were negative, so there’s no long-term fractures or breaks,” said head coach Rhett Lashlee. “I’d say they’re both day-to-day. It could be anywhere from, best-case scenario, play this week to a few weeks.”
With Hudson out, fifth-year senior Romello Brinson lit up East Texas’ secondary with the best receiving day of his career. He posted 121 yards and a touchdown, his fourth in three seasons at SMU.
The Mustangs have their work cut out for them against the Bears’ secondary, which held Auburn’s starting wide receivers to 104 total yards in a 38-24 season-opening loss at home Friday night.
However, the running game was difficult for Baylor against Auburn quarterback Jackson Arnold, who had a team-high two rushing touchdowns with 137 rushing yards on 16 attempts. The Bears’ defense allowed Arnold to rush for 24- and 27-yard scores in the double-digit defeat. Now, Baylor will match up against Kevin Jennings, who ran for 354 yards and five touchdowns last season for SMU.
“Kevin’s feet give a defense trouble,” said Lashlee. “So, hopefully, that plus our running game can be good this week. We need to take a jump from Week 1.”
For Baylor, the loss to Auburn takes away one of only two nonconference chances to earn a power conference win to help bolster its playoff resume before the nine-game Big 12 schedule begins Sept. 20. Regardless, the Bears are not looking at SMU as their last chance to compete for postseason football so early in the season, but it’s an opportunity for Baylor to continue to improve.
“There are things that are in our control, the opponent sometimes isn’t,” said head coach Dave Aranda. “But there’s things that are in our control that we have to do better. And if we do those things and play the standard of what we can, what we’re capable of, then all the other things are going to fall into place. And so, the emphasis is really on that.”
Despite the difficulties stopping the run for Baylor, on offense, senior quarterback Sawyer Robertson showed the Bears’ ability to hurt teams when they have the ball. He threw for 419 yards and three touchdowns in the season opener.
The in-state rivalry leans in Baylor’s favor, as the Bears have a 37-35-5 record and 12 straight wins against SMU.
–Field Level Media
