SMU's Offense Has One Glaring Flaw: Can Boston College Take Advantage of It?
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On Saturday, the Boston College football program takes on the No. 21 SMU Mustangs on the road.
That ranking, however, would probably be much higher if SMU's high-powered offense knew how to do one thing.
That would be preventing turnovers, which have moderately plagued the Mustangs' offense over the past few years.
Can the upset-hopeful Eagles take advantage of SMU's turnover-prone offense?
SMU Has Been Held Back Massively by Turnovers
Quarterback Kevin Jennings has been great at SMU. In fact, so great that he broke the school's passing records for both yards and touchdowns last week.
Through four starts in 2026, the senior has manufactured 1,453 yards and 12 touchdowns on a completion rate of 77.0 percent, along with 76 yards and a touchdown on 22 carries.
But he has struggled with turnovers, especially through the air, which has been a recurring theme in his career.
Jennings threw 11 interceptions in 2024 and 13 in 2025. He already has five this year, which puts him on pace to throw 15 over the course of a 12-game regular season.
In Week 1, SMU opened on the road against the Florida State Seminoles, and the Mustangs totaled 585 yards of offense while only surrendering 324. They won by just three points, however, and turnovers were the culprit.
Jennings threw two picks, and wide receivers Jalen Hale and Yamir Knight each fumbled in the triumph, preventing the game from being a blowout in SMU's favor.
Fast forward to Week 3, where the Mustangs hosted the No. 23 Louisville Cardinals with a chance to make a statement.
Once again, the Mustangs out-gained their opponent in total yards, though only 479-442 this time.
Nevertheless, Jennings threw two interceptions again and also lost a fumble. The Cardinals won the turnover margin 3-0 and, as a result, won the game 41-31.
Last week, SMU played with fire against the Missouri State Bears and went down 10-0 after Jennings threw a pass that was intercepted and returned for six.
Luckily, the Mustangs quickly rallied to win 34-24, but they lost the turnover margin 2-1 after Knight fumbled again.
So far this season, the Eagles have forced nine turnovers, not including special teams, with six interceptions and three fumbles recovered, which are tied for first and second in the ACC, respectively.
Linebacker Anthony Palano and safety KP Price, who both are top 10 in total tackles in the conference, have done the brunt of the work with two picks apiece, while defensive backs Carter Davis and Charlie Comella each have one.
To have a chance at an upset on the road, BC must find a way to get some takeaways, because SMU's high-caliber passing attack, complemented by its sturdy run game, will not be an easy offense to stop without them.
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Born in Utah and raised in Nebraska, Tyler Crum became a Nebraska fan watching Ameer Abdullah and Tommy Armstrong. He attends the University of New Hampshire and is a huge fan of all major sports. His articles have been published by Last Word on Sports and Utah On Ice.
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