For the second-straight year, SMU is ranked prior to its opening kickoff.
The Mustangs garnered a ranking of No. 19 in the preseason AP Top 25.
It’s the second time since 1985 they’ve started a season in the AP Poll. Last August, SMU ended a 37-year drought with an appearance at No. 16 in the preseason rankings. At No. 19, SMU is the second-highest ACC team, only trailing reigning national runner-up Miami (FL) which sits at No. 7. The Mustangs are the fourth-highest ranked team in the state of Texas, following No. 5 Texas, No. 8 Texas A&M, and No. 12 Texas Tech.
SMU is fresh off a 9-4 campaign where it finished unranked. After defeating a ranked Arizona team in the Holiday Bowl, the Mustangs barely missed the final cut and were the third-highest team in the “receiving votes” category. It marked the first time since head coach Rhett Lashlee’s 2022 debut season that SMU concluded a season without a number beside its name.
The Mustangs return 11 primary starters from 2025, including starting quarterback in Kevin Jennings who enters his third year as QB1. Jennings guided the Mustangs to a 2023 American Conference championship, a 2024 ACC Championship Game appearance, the 2024 College Football Playoff, and a 2025 Holiday Bowl victory. SMU aims to add to that list of accolades as the quarterback prepares for his final season in Dallas. Other key returning pieces include Holiday Bowl MVP receiver Yamir Knight, All-ACC offensive tackle PJ Williams, and starting linebacks Alex Kilgore and Brandon Booker.
All eyes will be on the No. 19 Mustangs, as they open in a standalone Monday night game at Florida State on Sept. 7. SMU is 14-2 in conference play since joining the ACC, and the result of the team’s first-ever road contest in Tallahassee could set the tone for a season with lofty expectations.
Here is the full preseason AP Top 25:
| Rank | Team | 2025 Record | Conference |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ohio State | 12-2 | Big Ten |
| 2 | Oregon | 13-2 | Big Ten |
| 3 | Georgia | 12-2 | SEC |
| 4 | Notre Dame | 10-2 | Independent |
| 5 | Texas | 10-3 | SEC |
| 6 | Indiana | 16-0 | Big Ten |
| 7 | Miami (FL) | 13-3 | ACC |
| 8 | Texas A&M | 11-2 | SEC |
| 9 | Ole Miss | 13-2 | SEC |
| 10 | Oklahoma | 10-3 | SEC |
| 11 | LSU | 7-6 | SEC |
| 12 | Texas Tech | 12-2 | Big 12 |
| 13 | Alabama | 11-4 | SEC |
| 14 | BYU | 12-2 | Big 12 |
| 15 | USC | 9-4 | Big Ten |
| 16 | Michigan | 9-4 | Big Ten |
| 17 | Washington | 9-4 | Big Ten |
| 18 | Penn State | 7-6 | Big Ten |
| 19 | SMU | 9-4 | ACC |
| 20 | Tennessee | 8-5 | SEC |
| 21 | Utah | 11-2 | Big 12 |
| 22 | Iowa | 9-4 | Big Ten |
| 23 | Houston | 10-3 | Big 12 |
| 24 | Louisville | 9-4 | ACC |
| 25 | Missouri | 8-5 | SEC |