Ten Thoughts on Auburn Loss, SMU Prediction
BY CRAIG SMOAK | 365 Sports
Fireworks, flyovers, drones, special uniforms, legends, a national television audience and a name SEC opponent you thought was ripe for the picking. Friday night had it all at McLane Stadium except for a Baylor win.
Here are Ten Things I’ve thought about post-Auburn, and am wondering about pre-SMU.
1) Is Jackie Marshall a first-team All-American if he stays healthy? I’m eager to believe, given his evident importance to the entire defensive enterprise on Friday night. His absence was felt immediately and triggered a chain reaction that helped unravel Baylor’s path to victory. A high ankle sprain has no strict timetable, so they’ll need to find answers for the foreseeable future. And based on the Auburn game, that’s much easier said than done.
2) Legends in the Building: It was cool to see the group picture of RGIII, Bryce Petty, Nick Florence, and Seth Russell circulating from the game. Just some of the many Waco luminaries in attendance, but I’m glad someone captured that specific moment, place and grouping. You never know how many times all four will cross paths, especially for a big event like Friday.
3) Big Game Atmosphere: There was that special and elusive college football buzz in the air in and around McLane Stadium. And few empty spots to be found compared to lots of other games in recent memory. The tailgate scene was thriving. Auburn brought a respectable following, as expected, since it just means more, but Baylor fans showed out as well. The only thing missing from Friday’s festivities was an actual win.
4) Fun WR group: Color me impressed with our first proper glimpse at the new wide receivers. Kole Wilson was a difference maker; seeing Kobe Prentice find the endzone was a real treat. Louis Brown IV had a big catch on an otherwise relatively quiet night, but the signs are there for a robust receiving group. There’s a high ceiling with this group, along with mainstays in Josh Cameron, Ashtyn Hawkins and TE Michael Trigg. I’m not worried about the passing game and its options.
5) Run Game Questions: The rushing attack, on the other hand, is a big TBD post-Auburn. Robertson is healthy, according to Aranda, and I’d expect him to take off more this weekend if necessary. Bryson Washington and Caden Knighten had a couple of fun runs, but for the most part, the Baylor rushing threat was a non-factor.
6) Sawyer Robertson: He landed some big shots against Auburn’s defense, but the Tigers landed a bunch of their own shots too, rocking him regularly throughout the night. Too many to be sustainable over the long haul, and SMU has talent to bring the heat, too. I thought Robertson had a solid game, and it feels silly to try to spin a 400+ yard, 3 TD performance as anything less than stellar, but they still left too many opportunities on the table, and his lack of dual-threat was a head-scratcher exiting Saturday night.
7) Fourth Down Decisions: It’s been a rollercoaster of risk throughout his tenure, but it was front and center for better and worse against the Tigers. Let the debates rage.
8) Modern Day Rivalry?: SMU is in a much different position than when these two programs last tangled in 2016 at McLane Stadium. A game that marked the Bears’ 13th consecutive victory over the Ponies dating back to 1989. That streak is very much in jeopardy on Saturday, and no one could ever have guessed SMU would be a member of the ACC a decade later. And making the College Football Playoff before every Texas school except TCU and UT. For recruiting and general perception purposes, this matchup has tripled in importance since their last meeting.
9) Rankings Curse: The Bears haven’t beaten a ranked opponent since Ole Miss in the 2021 Sugar Bowl. In that time, Rebels freshman QB Luke Altmeyer has grown from getting crushed by Pitre and Bernard into a fifth-year senior at Illinois. Thanks to the latest rankings, the Bears can reset that clock with a win on the Hilltop this Saturday.
10) Prediction: I’m taking the Bears in a close one. The similarities between Auburn and SMU are apparent, so one would think that’d be beneficial in preparing for this one. Then again, that works both ways. This prediction is very vibes-based, as these two teams appear evenly matched. Usually, I have a good feel, but this one is a toss-up.