SMU Mustangs vs Stanford Cardinal Matchup

Check out our free SMU Mustangs vs Stanford Cardinal pick and preview for this CFB week 8 game in Stanford. See who we like to win and cover the spread in this week 8 CFB matchup.

At 8:00 ET, this SMU Mustangs vs. Stanford Cardinal matchup will be played at Stanford Stadium. The game is being televised by ACCN, and the over/under line is currently set at 54.5 points. SMU comes in with a 5-1 record, while Stanford is 2-4 on the season. The Mustangs are the heavy favorite at -14.5 points over the Cardinal. The money line odds have SMU at -670 and Stanford at +468.

Mustangs vs. Cardinal Matchup At A Glance

Sport: CFB
Teams: SMU Mustangs at Stanford Cardinal
Where: Stanford at Stanford Stadium
Date: Saturday, October 19th
Betting Odds SMU -14.5, SMU -670 | STAN +468 O/U 54.5

Mustangs Preview:

SMU heads into Week 8 against Stanford with a 5-1 record, ranked 18th in our power rankings. They are a lock for bowl eligibility and have a 20.4% chance of winning the Atlantic Coast. SMU also holds the 15th best odds to make the playoff at 27.8%.

The Mustangs have a +18.5 average scoring margin this season and are 3-2 against the spread. They’ve been favored in three games, going 1-2 ATS as the favorite and 2-0 as the underdog.

SMU’s over/under record is 3-2, with their games averaging 63.2 points. This week’s line is set at 54.5 points, just above their average line of 54.4 points.

Mustangs Offense Breakdown

SMU’s offense has been driven by their ground game, ranking 24th nationally with 213.3 rushing yards per game. They are 20th in rushing attempts, averaging 40 per game. Brashard Smith leads the team with 558 rushing yards, seven touchdowns, and an average of 6 yards per carry. Overall, SMU is 13th in scoring, putting up 40.8 points per game, and they are 44th in our offensive power rankings heading into week 8.

Quarterback Kevin Jennings has thrown for 1,014 yards, completing 66.7% of his passes, with six touchdowns and one interception. He has a passer rating of 106. SMU ranks 27th in third-down conversions, converting 46.2% of their attempts. Jake Bailey leads the receivers with 214 yards and one touchdown.

Mustangs Team Defense

SMU's defense has been strong against the run this season, ranking 19th nationally by allowing just 98.5 rushing yards per game. In their recent game against Louisville, they gave up 177 rushing yards on 31 attempts and 231 passing yards, while also forcing an interception.

Opposing quarterbacks have completed just 52.6% of their passes against SMU, the 12th-lowest percentage in the country. However, SMU’s defense is allowing 240.2 passing yards per game, ranking 112th nationally.

Cardinal Preview:

The Mustangs have a +18.5 average scoring margin this season and are 3-2 against the spread. They’ve been favored in three games, going 1-2 ATS as the favorite and 2-0 as the underdog.

SMU’s over/under record is 3-2, with their games averaging 63.2 points. This week’s line is set at 54.5 points, just above their average line of 54.4 points.

Cardinal Offense Breakdown

Heading into week 8, Stanford’s offense is averaging 20.3 points per game, ranking 81st nationally. They are 117th in our offensive power rankings. Their passing game is struggling, with 165.8 yards per game, and they are 111th in passer rating. Ashton Daniels has thrown for 707 yards, with five touchdowns and six interceptions, giving him a passer rating of 68.

Stanford is 28th in rushing attempts, averaging 148.7 yards per game. Chris Davis Jr. leads the team with 233 rushing yards and is averaging 6 yards per carry. Elic Ayomanor has 333 receiving yards and three touchdowns this season.

Cardinal Team Defense

Stanford's defense has struggled recently, allowing 49 points in their latest game against Notre Dame, giving up 477 total yards, including 229 rushing yards and four rushing touchdowns. They also allowed 248 passing yards and three touchdowns through the air.

For the season, Stanford is allowing 30.8 points per game. Opponents are averaging 266.7 passing yards per game, completing 65% of their passes. Stanford ranks 36th nationally in rushing defense, giving up 113.2 yards per game on the ground.

Mustangs vs Cardinal Betting Odds, Trends & Analysis

When looking at their past three road matchups, SMU has an ATS record of 1-2 while averaging 25 per game. The team went 2-1 overall in these games.
Across the Stanford Cardinal last three home games, the team averaged 15 points per game while allowing 37. Their record vs the spread in these contests was 1-2, while going 1-2 straight-up.
Looking back on the team's last three games as the underdog, the Stanford Cardinal have a straight up record of 0-3. Their record vs the spread in these games was 0-3.
Going back to their previous ten games as the favorite, SMU has an ATS mark of 5-5 while going 8-2 straight up.