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It’s an ACC vs. Big Ten matchup to kick off the first of three games on Saturday. SMU got into the College Football Playoff over Alabama as the Crimson Tide lost three regular season games.
Time: Noon ET | TV: TNT | Line: Penn State -8.5 | Total: 54.5
How these teams got here
SMU: The Mustangs were the last at-large team to make the field after their ACC title game loss to Clemson. SMU trailed 31-14 late in the third quarter before scoring 17 straight points to tie the game with 16 seconds to go. Yet Clemson got the win with a 56-yard field goal.
SMU went 9-0 in conference play to get to the title game in its first year in the ACC. The Mustangs avoided regular season games against Clemson, Miami and Syracuse while surviving a six-turnover performance to escape with a win at Duke.
Penn State: The Nittany Lions’ two losses came to the two best teams on their schedule. Penn State was 7-0 before the offense sputtered in a 20-13 home loss to Ohio State. It was a familiar scene for PSU fans as the team’s only TD came on a pick-6. The offense was much, much better in the Big Ten title game against Oregon, but the defense couldn’t pull its weight in a 45-37 loss to the Ducks.
How the QBs stack up
SMU’s Kevin Jennings didn’t open the season as the team’s starter. He replaced Preston Stone in the team’s loss to BYU on Sept. 6 and hasn’t relinquished the job. Jennings has completed 66% of his passes for 3,050 yards and 22 TDs while also rushing for 379 yards and five scores.
PSU QB Drew Allar is 224-of-324 passing for 2,894 yards and 21 TDs and has also rushed for six scores. His completion percentage is up nearly 10 points from 2023 and he’s averaging two more yards per pass than he did a season ago. Penn State has been running a package of plays per game for No. 2 QB Beau Pribula, but Pribula is now in the…
Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/cfp-players-to-watch-key-to-the-game-smu-at-penn-state-155139120.html
Author : Yahoo Sports
Publish date : 2024-12-18 15:51:00
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