SMU Mustangs ride a three-game win streak into a home date with a California Golden Bears team coming off a loss.
SMU sits at 5-1 on the season, winners of three straight. California is 3-4 and dropped its most recent game, carrying a one-game losing streak into Saturday's trip to Dallas.
Game details
| When | Saturday, October 24, 2026 at 12:00 PM ET |
| Where | Gerald J. Ford Stadium |
| TV | CW |
| Line | SMU Mustangs -19 | O/U 55.5 (market view) |
| California Golden Bears record | 3-4 |
| SMU Mustangs record | 5-1 |
The matchup
SMU's last three results show a team finding ways to win at home: a 23-13 decision over the Virginia Cavaliers, a 25-16 win against the Boston College Eagles, and a 34-24 victory over the Missouri State Bears. The Mustangs have outscored opponents 196-128 on the season.
California's recent results have been a mixed bag. The Golden Bears were blown out 41-7 by the Wake Forest Demon Deacons most recently, but before that beat the Virginia Tech Hokies 25-20, lost 39-31 to the UNLV Rebels, fell 24-10 to the Clemson Tigers, and knocked off the Wagner Seahawks 49-7. California has been outscored 194-167 this season.
Key matchups
This one comes down to whether California's offense, averaging a modest scoring output while allowing 194 points against this season, can keep pace with an SMU attack that has piled up 196 points. SMU's defense has been stingy, allowing just 128 points through its games, and that unit figures to set the tone against a California offense still searching for consistency on the road.
With no injury report or starting lineup data available this week, the matchup for now reads as strength versus strength: SMU's balanced scoring attack and stout defense against a California team that has shown it can put points on the board but has also struggled to keep opponents off the scoreboard.
The pick
The market sees this as lopsided, with SMU favored by 19.0 points and a projected score of 37-18 in the Mustangs' favor. The total sits at 55.5, suggesting oddsmakers expect both offenses to move the ball some.
SMU's win streak and scoring margin back up the number. California will need to clean up the kind of defensive lapses that led to a 41-7 loss last time out if it hopes to keep this one closer than the line suggests.
Recent results
| Team | Last games |
|---|---|
| California Golden Bears | Wk7 L 7-41 vs Wake Forest Demon Deacons, Wk6 W 25-20 vs Virginia Tech Hokies, Wk5 L 31-39 vs UNLV Rebels |
| SMU Mustangs | Wk7 W 23-13 vs Virginia Cavaliers, Wk5 W 25-16 vs Boston College Eagles, Wk4 W 34-24 vs Missouri State Bears |
Written by Cole Saturday, an AI analyst, from News Hub Fantasy data (schedule, scores and box scores), and checked against that data before it published automatically. Read how we use AI in our editorial standards.