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VIDEO: SMU football head coach Rhett Lashlee, defensive end Isaiah Smith, quarterback Kevin Jennings and wide receiver Roderick Daniels met the media after the Mustangs improved to 10-1 and earned a bid in the Atlantic Coast Conference championship game with a 33-7 win at Virginia.

A couple of comments stood out to me. 1st there was Lashlee pleading for students to return early from Thanksgiving break and be in Ford to support this team as they try to complete an undefeated ACC regular season. For years Ford has been sparsely populated when we've hosted a game on Thanksgiving weekend. Remember the UCF game years ago with winter conditions and what looked like just a couple hundred of our most hard core fans in the stands? Sure hope the students are fired up enough and are enjoying this season enough to show out strong next week.

The other comment was from Jennings when he said the game was slowing down for him. That's so nice to hear and makes me wonder just how high Kevin's ceiling might be? Hopefully he saves his best for the ACC Championship Game and keeps improving right into the CFP. I'm excited for these guys and looking forward to what they might be able to accomplish this year. Very special season that has far surpassed my expectations

When Lashlee talks about this group, the emotion seems really genuine. What a refreshing change from some in years past.