SMU Mustangs vs Nevada Wolf Pack Betting Pick & Prediction 8/24/24
At 8:00 ET, SMU and Nevada will kick off their seasons at Mackay Stadium in Reno on Saturday, August 24th. The game will be broadcast on CBSS, and SMU is favored by -27.5 points in this week one non-conference matchup. The over/under line is currently set at 56 points.
SMU MUSTANGS VS NEVADA WOLF PACK BETTING PICK
The Pick: SMU Mustangs -27.5
This game will be played at Mackay Stadium at 8:00 ET on Saturday, August 24th.
WHY BET THE SMU MUSTANGS:
- We have the SMU Mustangs winning this one by a score of 43 to 15
- Not only do we have the SMU Mustangs winning straight-up, we have them covering the spread at -27.5
- Look for this game to go over the line of 56 points
Will The SMU Mustangs Win As Road Favorites?
SMU enters the season ranked 25th in our power rankings after finishing last season with an 11-3 record. The Mustangs were perfect at home, going 6-0, and finished 5-3 on the road. As underdogs, they went 3-0 and were 8-3 as the favorite. Currently, we are giving them a 90.4% chance of being bowl-eligible and a 9% chance of winning the Atlantic Coast Conference.
Looking at the futures odds, SMU is +1120 to win the Atlantic Coast, giving them an 8% chance based on the implied odds. Our projections also place them 20th in the country with a 16.6% chance of making the college football playoff this season.
SMU’s offense was one of the most potent units in the country last season, averaging 38.7 points per game, which was the 5th best in college football. They were also 5th in the country in passing yards per attempt, averaging 8.4 yards. The Mustangs were also 5th in the country in passing yards per game, averaging 278.9 yards per game. On the ground, SMU averaged 179.4 rushing yards per game, placing them 22nd nationally.
Preston Stone returns as the top quarterback for SMU after throwing for 3,204 yards and 28 touchdowns last season. He finished the season with a passer rating of 110.7 and threw just 8 interceptions. Jaylan Knighton, who rushed for 745 yards last season, is back to lead the ground game, and the Mustangs have also added Brashard Smith from Miami to bolster their receiving corps.
SMU’s defense was strong last season, allowing just 17.8 points per game, which ranked 14th in the nation. They were particularly effective against the pass, giving up only 182.2 passing yards per game (31st). The Mustangs also excelled in limiting yards per pass attempt, ranking 10th nationally at 5.7 yards. In the running game, they finished 41st in rushing yards allowed per game, giving up 122.6 yards.
Are The Nevada Wolf Pack Going Win In At Upset At Mackay Stadium
Nevada enters the season with the 11th worst odds out of 12 teams in the Mountain West Conference, according to the futures odds, with a +19500 long shot to win the conference. The futures odds give them just a 0.8% chance of winning the Mountain West title. Their chances of making it to the Mountain West final are set at +6000, which implies a 2% chance, placing them 9th in the conference.
Last season, Nevada finished with a 2-10 overall record, including going 1-5 both at home and on the road. They are currently 120th in our pre-season power rankings, with a 23.7% chance of being bowl-eligible. However, their odds of making it to the Conference title game are slim, based on the futures odds.
Quarterback Brendon Lewis, who threw for 1,313 yards last season, is the top returning quarterback for the Nevada Wolf Pack. Overall, the Wolf Pack offense ranked 102nd in the country, averaging 17.3 points per game. Last season, they struggled on third down, converting just 29.9% of their opportunities (119th in the nation).
On the ground, Nevada averaged 127.3 rushing yards per game, which ranked 97th nationally. Sean Dollars, who rushed for 527 yards and six touchdowns, is the top returning running back. The Wolf Pack also added Pat Garwo III from Boston College to their backfield.
Opposing offenses found success on the ground against Nevada last season, rushing for an average of 189.2 yards per game. The Wolf Pack also struggled in the passing game, allowing 253.9 passing yards per game. Overall, Nevada’s defense allowed 33.4 points per game, ranking 81st in the nation. Quarterbacks completed 65.1% of their passes and had a combined passer rating of 103.7.