© Tim Flores-USA TODAY Sports
Players to watch: SMU
Quarterback Tanner Mordecai
Four-star Oklahoma transfer from Waco, TX. Redshirt Junior
Mordecai is off to a hot start to begin his collegiate career in Dallas, having won the AAC Offensive Player of the week award twice in three weeks and leading the nation in touchdown passes (16) heading into Week 4. Last week against Louisiana Tech he threw for 395 yards and five touchdowns including a game winning Hail Mary to steal the win. He added 51 yards on 8 carries in that game including a key 20-yard scamper. He currently sits at sixth in the nation in passing yards (1,036) and did not record a turnover in two of his first three games, although he had two interceptions and two fumbles in the other game against UNT.
Tight End Grant Calcaterra
Four-star Oklahoma transfer from Rancho Santa Margarita, California. Redshirt Senior
Wait, that Calcaterra? Yes. The former Oklahoma star tight end who had 26 catches for 396 yards and 6 touchdowns during his 2018 sophomore year, which was good enough to land him on 2019's John Mackey Award watch list is now a Mustang. Unfortunately, he was forced to retire three games into the 2019 season due to concussions. After sitting out the 2020 season, it looked as if Calcaterra would transfer to Auburn, but after a coaching change in Auburn, Calcaterra ended up in Dallas. So far, his decision has paid off to the tune of 12 catches for 193 yards and three touchdowns through his first three weeks at SMU. In 2018 while at OU, he recorded three catches for twenty yards against TCU.
**Trash Talk Alert**
Wide Receiver Rashee Rice
Three-star class of 2019 from North Richland Hills, TX. Junior
The 6'3 206 lb. Rice has scored a touchdown in each of the first three games to start his junior year, compiling a total of 10 catches for 207 yards (20.7 average) and four touchdowns to date. Even more so, he had this to say about TCU earlier in the week:
"Freshman year, I didn't get to play them. I thought I was going to redshirt. I didn't redshirt. Sophomore year, after we won the Skillet our freshman year, they scared to play us. I'm going to say that again. They were scared to play us sophomore year. Now junior year, I get to come out and ball back in Fort Worth where I went to high school, and you know I can't wait for that." Rice didn't stop there, "Personally, I don't think the rivalry, it's never going to change. It's always going to be like Dallas versus Fort Worth, but no one comes to Texas for Fort Worth. They come for Dallas. The fact that a bunch of us were waiting for them. They're ranked, I don't know why, but they're ranked and we're just ready to go take that." When asked if the fans or players are more excited for this game Rice exclaimed, "Players are more excited, we just don't show it as much on social media because we're about business."
Honorable Mention
Defensive Tackle Mike Williams
Four-star Stanford graduate transfer from All Saints Episcopal, Fort Worth, TX. Senior
Listed at 6'3, 299lbs, the 23-year old Covid super senior from the class of 2016 originally chose Stanford over OU and TCU and had a long list of offers including Miami, Michigan, Ohio St, Penn St, and Texas.
