Friday, September 6: BYU vs SMU Odds, Spread & Prediction

Oct 20, 2023; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; SMU Mustangs quarterback Preston Stone (2) runs with the ball against the Temple Owls during the first half at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: Gregory Fisher-USA TODAY Sports

• Friday night college football features BYU vs SMU on ESPN 2
• The Mustangs are favored by 11.5 points in Dallas, Texas
• Read below for BYU vs SMU odds, spread and prediction for Friday

Week 2 of college football begins with the BYU (1-0) traveling to the Lone Star State to take on the SMU (2-0) on Friday night, September 6. The action kicks off at 7:00 PM EDT at Gerald J. Ford Stadium in Dallas, and you can catch all the hard-hitting plays on ESPN2.

The Friday night college football odds favor the Mustangs by a wide margin despite the Cougars winning the most recent meeting with a dominant rushing performance. Who prevails this time?

Here’s a look at the BYU vs SMU odds for Friday night football, along with our betting prediction.

BYU vs SMU Odds

The Mustangs enter this game as the heavy favorites, with the spread set at -11.5 points. This means that for bettors to win on an SMU wager, the Mustangs must win by at least 12 points. Conversely, for those betting on BYU, the Cougars must either win outright or lose by no more than 11 points.

Odds as of Sep. 4, at ESPN Sportsbook. Sign up with the ESPN Bet promo code to wager on Friday night college football.

The CFB moneyline odds further emphasize SMU’s favored status, with the Mustangs at -450 (implying an 81.8% probability of winning) and the Cougars at +350 (implying a 22.2% chance of an upset).

The over/under for total points scored is set at 56, suggesting that oddsmakers expect a relatively high-scoring affair. This could be due to both teams’ offensive performances in their opening games.

SMU vs BYU Head-to-Head

The most recent meeting between these two teams was a thriller, with BYU edging out SMU 24-23 in the 2022 New Mexico Bowl. In that contest, the Cougars rushed for 209 yards, but SMU actually outgained BYU 389-256 in total yardage.

The Cougars have had the Mustangs’ number historically, winning all four previous matchups. However, with both programs undergoing significant changes since then, it’s hard to put too much stock in the head-to-head record.

BYU Betting Trends

BYU turned heads in their season opener, trouncing Southern Illinois 41-13. Junior QB Jake Retzlaff, who won the starting job over the more experienced Gerry Bohanon, looked poised, throwing for 348 yards and three touchdowns.

The Cougars’ ground game was effective, if not spectacular, with the duo of LJ Martin and Hinckley Ropati combining for 124 yards and two scores. If BYU can establish the run early and control the clock, it could go a long way in keeping this game competitive.

Defensively, the Cougars held their own against Southern Illinois, allowing just 231 total yards. However, they did struggle to contain the Salukis’ mobile QB, which could be a concern against SMU’s dual-threat tandem of Preston Stone and Kevin Jennings.

SMU Betting Trends

SMU comes into this matchup with a 2-0 record, having survived a scare against Nevada in Week 0 before dominating Houston Christian 59-7 last week. The Mustangs’ offense has been firing on all cylinders, averaging 501.5 yards and 44 points per game.

Head coach Rhett Lashlee has employed a two-quarterback system, with Preston Stone and Kevin Jennings both seeing significant playing time. Stone, a junior from Dallas, has thrown for 332 yards and three touchdowns, while Jennings, a senior from Texas, has added 202 passing yards, one TD, and 58 rushing yards.

PRESTON STONE DIME. 🎯

SMU LEADS. pic.twitter.com/9iWuwSyJRM

— CFB Kings (@CFBKings) August 25, 2024

The Mustangs’ receiving corps is led by TE RJ Maryland, who has nine receptions for 173 yards and a touchdown. Senior RB Brashard Smith has been a force on the ground, rushing for 175 yards and three scores on just 20 carries (8.8 yards per carry).

Defensively, SMU has allowed just 15.5 points and 227.5 yards per game. They’ve been particularly stingy against the run, giving up only 91 yards per contest. However, they’ve only generated four sacks and three turnovers, which could be an area for improvement against a potent BYU offense.

BYU vs SMU Prediction

While SMU is the clear favorite on paper, some interesting trends suggest BYU could keep this one closer than expected. The Cougars have a history of playing well as underdogs, especially in September road games. In fact, BYU is a stellar 7-1 ATS in their last eight Friday night contests.

Additionally, the line movement leading up to kickoff has been in BYU’s favor, with the spread dropping from SMU -12 to -11.5. This indicates that the sharp bettors are leaning towards the Cougars to cover.

Prediction

BYU 37
SMU 33 pic.twitter.com/cWupxwIVwR

— CFB Home (@CFBHome) September 4, 2024

Considering BYU’s impressive Week 1 performance and SMU’s somewhat shaky outing against Nevada, I think the Cougars can hang around in this one. Not to mention, the Mustangs have failed to cover in six of their past Friday home games.

My official prediction is for BYU to cover the 11.5-point spread in another close matchup. I expect the Cougars to lean on their running game, control the clock, and keep the high-powered SMU offense on the sidelines. It wouldn’t shock me if BYU pulls off the outright upset, but I’ll play it safe and take the points.

Friday CFB Pick:

• BYU +11.5 (-110)

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