Cincinnati-SMU a Top 25 game like no other on Dallas campus

[AfricanMustang]

DALLAS (AP) — There has never been a game quite like this on the SMU campus.

A meeting of undefeated Group of Five teams when No. 9 Cincinnati plays the No. 16 Mustangs on Saturday night.

The American Athletic Conference’s top defense trying to stop one of the league's best offenses, and the first game there matching two Top 25 teams since SMU (5-0, 3-0 AAC) resumed playing on campus three decades ago.

Now is either team ready for a big game?

Cincinnati (3-0, 1-0) is coming off an unexpected extra week off, with its scheduled trip to Tulsa last weekend pushed back to December because of positive COVID-19 tests among Bearcats players.

SMU, No. 1 Clemson and No. 12 BYU are the only 5-0 teams going into the weekend while the Big Ten is just getting started in this pandemic-altered season.

Cincinnati is only the fourth top 10 team to visit Gerald J. Ford Stadium since it opened 20 years ago, replacing SMU's earlier campus home. The previous three top 10 teams won by average margin of 36 points: No. 4 TCU in 2010, No. 6 Texas A&M in 2014, and No. 5 Baylor in 2015.


Cincinnati won at SMU two years ago when safety James Wiggins returned an interception 86 yards for a touchdown in overtime. Wiggins is now a senior who is the team’s second-leading tackler with 15 (11 solo, four assists). SMU sophomore cornerback Brandon Crossley has an AAC-high three interceptions, one in each of the last three games, including in overtime against Tulane.

SMU will try to improve to 6-0 for the second year in a row. They haven’t been 6-0 in consecutive seasons since 1981-82.

To read more, visit https://tylerpaper.com/ap/sports/cincin ... 72741.html

[SMU Pony Mom]

Just a shame the stadium can’t be packed with a great Homecoming crowd!!