A look at SMU's New Possible ACC Rivals

As SMU has played more and more games in the ACC, here is a look at some emerging rivals in football.

SMU Mustangs quarterback Kevin Jennings runs with the ball and eludes a Miami Hurricanes defensive lineman. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images | Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

As they enter their third ACC season, SMU hopes to form new football rivalries.

When SMU joined the ACC, new conference games took the place of long-standing rivalries between Texas schools like TCU and North Texas. These three teams that will be discussed here are most likely to become SMU's key ACC rivals because either they are guaranteed to play each other each season, they are both private schools, or they have already seen some early competition for the ACC conference title.

1. The "Expansion Trio" is made up of Stanford, Cal, and SMU, and the Cardinals and Golden Bears are destined to become the Mustangs' rivals in the ACC.

All three schools joined the ACC at the same time to establish the "Western Wing" of the conference. They will compete against each other every year until at least 2030. SMU, Stanford, and Cal are the only "geographic outliers" in the conference. Because these three teams will play each other every year, the rest of the ACC won't have to travel as much.

The start of the new football rivalry: They began very recently between SMU and Cal when SMU defeated Cal in the Mustangs' first year in the ACC by a final score of 38-6. However, the Golden Bears last season defeated SMU by only three points.

The three games of this football series: SMU won the first game in this football series back in 1957 and leads the overall series with a 2-1 record over Cal all-time.

Current winning streak in this new football rivalry: Cal has a one-game winning streak.

The beginning of the new ACC football rivalry: They first played one another all the way back in the year 1936, when Stanford defeated SMU 7-0 in the Rose Bowl. Fast forward to 202, SMU beat Stanford 40-10, as it was also a road victory for the Mustangs. SMU last season once again defeated the Cardinals and won the game by 24.

The overall record of this football series: SMU leads the overall series with a 2-1 record against Stanford all-time.

Current winning streak in this new football rivalry: SMU has a two-game winning streak.

2. The fight between Florida State and the "New Power"

SMU's victory over Florida State 42-16 in Dallas in 2024, the inaugural year of the ACC, left a significant impact. FSU has consistently advocated for changes in the league's structure and the distribution of funds, as they feel that they are, along with Clemson, a school that has carried the ACC in football throughout the years. Conversely, SMU made the well-known decision to forgo conference media money for nine years to join the ACC, and they qualified for the college football playoffs in 2024, signaling to teams like Florida State that they were in the conference to compete for championships.

SMU wants to be perceived as a rich powerhouse that isn't concerned about the ACC's old money. If SMU keeps beating the conference's usual heavyweights, like FSU, a rivalry can easily be formed. Both schools were football powerhouses in the early 80's, and both teams looked to compete for championships in the following years.

Football History between SMU and Florida State: These two schools have only played each other once in football. They played in 2024, and the Mustangs defeated the Seminoles by a wide margin, with the final score being 42-16. They will play again on Labor Day on national TV, which will only increase the possibility of these two teams becoming a genuine rivalry.

3. The "Battle of the Southern Private Schools."

There will undoubtedly be a "Battle of the Private/Prestigious Schools," like the last rivalry similar to it between SMU and Rice, but on a far larger scale. Dallas and Miami are two of the only two private schools in the "Power Four" that have a high-glitz, high-NIL (Name, Image, and Likeness) profile. In the 1980s, both teams gained significant recognition in college basketball, prompting the NCAA to closely monitor their activities. SMU was handed the "death penalty," and touchdown celebrations would later be limited due to Miami's elaborate touchdown celebrations. They are now competing for the same top talent in Florida and Texas.

Football History between SMU and Miami (FL): These two football programs have only played each other twice. The first meeting between these two schools on the football field took place in 1965 when the Mustangs defeated the Hurricanes by a final score of 7-3. Last season, SMU achieved an upset by defeating Miami 26-20.

Regardless of who actually becomes SMU's new rivals in the ACC, the Mustangs are ready to continue to do well and compete for conference championships from here on out.

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