No. 22 SMU looks to stay unbeaten in ACC play with visit to Duke in key league matchup

No. 22 SMU (6-1, 3-0 Atlantic Coast Conference) at Duke (6-1, 2-1), Saturday, 8 p.m. ET (ACC Network)

College Football Odds: SMU by 11.

Series record: Duke leads 2-0.

What's at stake?

This is a critical matchup as the ACC title chase takes shape, though it comes with teams picked to finish seventh (SMU) and 11th (Duke) in the preseason. The Mustangs are still unbeaten in the ACC to stay in that crowded chase headlined by No. 9 Clemson (5-0) and No. 6 Miami (3-0), while the Blue Devils are lurking right behind that group and No. 19 Pitt (2-0).

Key matchup

Duke's defensive front against SMU's offense. The Mustangs are ranked 11th nationally by averaging 40.7 points per game. That unit will face an opponent that ranks in the top 25 nationally for total and scoring defenses. And that unit has been particularly effective in getting in the backfield, with Duke leading the country in tackles for loss (9.9 per game) and seventh in sacks (3.43).

Players to watch

SMU: QB Kevin Jennings. He has eight TD passes and one interception over the past four games, and is coming off a career-high 322 yards passing in a 40-10 win at Stanford with touchdown passes of 87, 45 and 38 yards in the first quarter. The Mustangs are 4-0 since he took over as the starter.

Duke: RB Star Thomas. With Jacquez Moore sidelined by injury, Thomas has carried the load with a physical style. He ran for 88 yards and a touchdown in last week's win against Florida State, and has three 100-yard rushing efforts this year.

Facts & figures

SMU coach Rhett Lashlee was the offensive coordinator at Miami from 2020-21, when Duke's Manny Diaz was the head coach of the Hurricanes. ... SMU has won eight straight road games. ... Duke won both of the previous meetings by similar low scores, first 14-7 on the road in 1952 and then 14-6 at home in 1956. ... Diaz has the Blue Devils off to their first 6-1 start since 2015 and just the fourth since 1960. ... Duke has won eight of nine going back to last season.

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