Overview
- Kickoff is Saturday at 12:00 p.m. ET on ESPN in Dallas, marking Miami's first game outside Florida this season.
- Both teams need a win to stay in realistic contention for the ACC title, and Miami must keep winning to preserve College Football Playoff hopes.
- The Hurricanes lead the ACC defensively, allowing about 14.1 points and roughly 270 total yards per game.
- SMU is coming off a 13-12 loss at Wake Forest that ended a 20-game conference win streak, and coach Rhett Lashlee — formerly Miami's offensive coordinator — called it their worst offensive performance under him.
- Key matchups: Miami's receivers against an SMU secondary yielding 303.5 passing yards per game, and the Hurricanes' pass rush against a Mustangs line graded among the ACC's best in pass protection.