A Dive Dive Break Down SMU Footballs First Four Opponents

DALLAS, Texas – In college football, the first four games of a team's schedule are a crucial foundation for building a season resume over a long season. The SMU Mustangs kick off their 2026 season in just six days. Let's look at the Mustangs' first four opponents before SMU gets into its ACC schedule.

The Florida State Seminoles

Aug 29, 2026; Tallahassee, Florida, USA; Florida State quarterback Ashton Daniels (14) runs in the pocket under pressure from New Mexico State linebacker Tory Gethers (6) during the fourth quarter at Doak S. Campbell Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Melina Myers-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Florida State Seminoles opened up Week 0 of the college football season with a 34-17 win over New Mexico State in what is a crucial season for head football coach Mike Norvell.

Since going 13-0 in the 2023 regular season and famously being left out of the College Football Playoff that season. Florida State under Norvell and his team has won just seven games across the last two seasons, with just three ACC wins under their belt in that span. The Seminoles finished 5-7 last season, going 2-6 in the ACC, the second-worst conference record in the program's history since joining the conference in the 90s.

A week-one win over Alabama in Tallahassee kicked off a 3-0 start for Florida State. However, the team would only win two of its final eight games, wrapping up another disappointing year under Norvell. It's no secret that heading into his seventh season at the helm, Norvell is on the hot seat, making a crucial start to the season all the more important for the Seminoles.

FSU brought in former Auburn and Stanford senior quarterback Ashton Daniels, who was named the starter during the spring. Daniels played in four games for Auburn last season; his three starts all came in losses. However, throughout the spring, Daniels has stated that since coming to Tallahassee, he has enjoyed a major confidence boost.

The fifth-year senior will have an array of weapons on offense heading into his first season with FSU. Senior wide receiver Duce Robinson had a breakout season last year after transferring from USC. Robinson recorded a career-high 56 receptions, cracking over 1,000 yards to go along with six scores in the end zone.

The 6'6" wideout leads a young pass-catching group that includes sophomore wide receiver Micahi Danzy and four-star freshman pass catcher Jasen Lopez, who has stood out in camp. Florida State also grabbed former Texas running back Tre Wisner out of the portal, pairing him with sophomore running back Ousmane Kromah in the backfield. Both were named to the 2026 Doak Walker Award watch list.

Defensively, FSU returns sophomore edge Mandrell Desir, who led the Seminoles in sacks with 6.5 last season. The Seminoles also returned senior defensive back Ashlynd Barker, who was second in the squad in total tackles, with his own 3.5 sacks along with a plethora of notable pieces. Defensive Coordinator Tony White's defense added a ton of talent via the portal, notably including former Southern Miss linebacker Chris Jones via the portal, who had over 100 total tackles in 2025.

Nonetheless, traveling to Tallahassee will be a tough environment for the Mustangs to kick off their season in Week 1. Norvell and company will look to start the season on the right foot in his team's second week of action, given the heat surrounding his seat heading into the year. Meaning it should be a close contest for SMU to start the season. If Rhett Lashlee’s team is able to pull out a win on the road in a hostile environment from the opening gate, it could set up SMU for early success.

The UC Davis Aggies

Sep 6, 2025; Seattle, Washington, USA; UC Davis Aggies running back Matteo Perez (19) celebrates with offensive lineman Zaire Collier (52) after rushing for a touchdown against the Washington Huskies during the second quarter at Husky Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Since arriving in 2023, UC Davis Head Coach Tim Plough has led the Aggies to three consecutive seasons well above .500. He earned a five-year extension through 2031 in the offseason. Last season, Plough and the Aggies finished 9-4 overall, going 6-2 in Big Sky play.

The Aggies finished third in the conference at the end of the season, with losses to Montana State and Idaho State in conference play. UC Davis reached the NCAA Division I Football Championship quarterfinals, where the Aggies' season ended in a 31-42 loss to Illinois State. UC Davis lost former starting quarterback Caden Pinnick to Washington State. However, the Aggies have a ton of returning talent from last season that could help Plough’s team contend atop the Big Sky once again.

The Aggies' leading receiver, senior wideout Samuel Gbatu Jr., returns after going for over 1,000 yards last season on 70 catches and grabbing 11 touchdowns. While junior running back Jordan Fisher anchors the backfield after also eclipsing over 1,000 yards from the line of scrimmage, averaging 6.1 yards per carry. Both will play pivotal roles as capstones of the offense. Defensive end Sam Goligoski returns after posting 6.5 sacks last season. The Aggies boast other key defensive pieces like senior inside linebacker Porter Conners, former FCS Football Central Freshman All-American Drew Cofield, and senior safety Rex Connors, who leads the program in tackles.

The Aggies will face SMU in Week 2 as the Mustangs' home opener opponents at Gerald J. Ford Stadium. UC Davis has not seen recent success against FBS opponents on the road. Last season, the Aggies lost 70-10 to Washington on the road at Husky Stadium.

The Louisville Cardinals

Louisville’s Issac Brown gets a first down against SMU this Saturday. Oct. 5, 2024 | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Coming off a second 9-4 season under head football coach Jeff Brohm, Louisville enters 2026 a lot like SMU, a potential contender in the ACC. Both sides meet in Week Three, which will undoubtedly be a key fixture for the Mustangs on the calendar. SMU handed Louisville a 38-6 loss at Gerald J. Ford Stadium in late November. A loss that mathematically took the Cardinals out of contention for a spot in the ACC Conference Championship.

With that, Brohm and company lost a sizable chunk of last season's roster, forcing a major overhaul heading into 2026. Starting at quarterback, senior gunslinger Miller Moss entered the draft, leaving Brohm and company to hit the portal. They landed Lincoln Kienholz from Ohio State, bringing him to Louisville out of Columbus. The junior quarterback primarily served as a backup for the Buckeyes after being the 11th-best quarterback and four-star prospect in the class of 2023. The real seller for Kienholz is his dual-threat ability that could add another dimension to the offense.

Louisville crucially held onto junior running back Issac Brown, who was initially set to enter the portal in the spring before opting to stay with the Cardinals. Brown played in nine games last season, rushing for over 884 yards, averaging 8.8 yards per carry, and punching in seven scores on the ground. The Cardinals holding onto Brown was a key point in the offseason; Brown will undoubtedly play a massive role for Louisville on offense heading into his third season behind a veteran offensive line. In the pass-catching category Louisville landed Vanderbilt transfer Tre Richardson, who finished last season with 46 catches for 800 yards and seven touchdowns. The Cardinals also nabbed junior wide receiver LaWayne McCoy from Florida State via the portal. Returning senior wide receiver Treyshun Hurry is among others to make up a solid group of pass catchers for Kienholz.

On defense, Louisville returns senior edge rusher Clev Lubin, who had 8.5 sacks in his first season last year with the Cardinals. They also return junior edge rusher AJ Green, who had 4 sacks last season alongside Lubin. While on the inside of the d-line, the Cardinals added Purdue transfer Demeco Kennedy and App State transfer Joshua Donald. Louisville returns a plethora of continuity in the linebacker and secondary. The Cardinals did add Iowa safety Koen Entringer and Tennessee safety Kaleb Beasly.

As mentioned previously, SMU will face Louisville on the road at L&N Federal Credit Union Stadium in Week 3. The Cardinals will be a challenge for the Mustangs before they begin ACC play. Ultimately, the result of this matchup will be significant in the conference early in the season.

The Missouri State Bears

SMU rounds out its first four opponents with a home stand against Missouri State before the Mustangs head full swing into ACC play. In the Bears' first season in Conference USA and first season as an FBS school, Missouri State was 7-6 overall, going 5-3 in the conference.

The Bears' head coach, Ryan Beard, left this offseason to become the head coach at Coastal Carolina. In December, Missouri State hired a familiar face: former SMU offensive coordinator Casey Woods.

Woods served as the Mustang offensive coordinator for four seasons before heading to Springfield. As with any regime change, a lot of turnover followed the Bears this offseason.

Missouri State brought in senior quarterback Henry Belin IV from Duke via the portal. Belin played in 13 games across three seasons for the Blue Devils. Belin IV brings a veteran arm and presence to Springfield. After losing senior wide receiver Ronnel Johnson and sophomore wide receiver Tristian Gardner via the portal, Missouri State brought in Charlotte senior wideout Isaiah Myers and former Vanderbilt sophomore tight end Witt Edwards, who was a four-star prospect and the second-best player in Oklahoma in the 2024 recruiting class.

The Bears also brought in Boise State running back Breezy Dubar and Skyler Locklear from UTEP. While adding to the offensive line, former SMU offensive lineman King Large and Jackson State offensive lineman Isaiah Villanueva.

While on the defensive side of the ball, notable transfers include former Tennessee defensive lineman Kellen Lindstrom after losing edge rusher DJ Wesolak and former UTEP linebacker Stratton Shufelt among others. In what will be a return to North Texas for Woods to end off SMU’s first four games adds another wrinkle into what would be considered just another non-conference battle between the two sides.

Notably, when the Mustangs enter fully into ACC play SMU will take on the likes of Virginia, CAL, and Notre Dame later in the year among other games in the conference. Each matchup down the line will be pivotal as the calendar continues for the Mustangs.

Nonetheless, SMU will kick off its 2026 season against Florida State on Labor Day at Doak S. Campbell Stadium in Tallahassee, on Monday September 7th at 6:30 CST.

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