There’s a chill in the air, and it’s only going to get colder ahead of SMU vs. Penn State on Saturday. The Mustangs are traveling north to face the Nittany Lions in Happy Valley for the first round of the CFP, where it’s expected to be in the 20s. Both teams are making their CFP debut.
Keep reading for how to watch Saturday’s matchup, a preview, players to watch, betting odds, and the head-to-head record between the two teams.
How to watch SMU vs. Penn State College Football Playoff first round matchup
Sixth-seed Penn State will face eleventh-seed SMU on Saturday, Dec. 21 at 12 p.m. ET on TNT & Max. The game will be played at Beaver Stadium in University Park, Pennsylvania.
- Date: Saturday, December 21, 2024
- Time: 12:00 PM ET
- Where: Beaver Stadium in University Park, Pennsylvania
- TV/Streaming: TNT & Max
SMU vs. Penn State preview
All of the first round CFP matchups are interesting, but SMU vs. Penn State is potentially the most intriguing, especially factoring in weather.
“But what about Indiana vs. Notre Dame!?”
Indiana and Notre Dame are used to potentially treacherous conditions (the chance for snow is a possibility on Friday night, after all), but wind chills for SMU-Penn State could be in the 10s. And if you didn’t know, SMU is located in Texas... where their average game temperature is in the 70s.
Penn State is the favorite here — not just because of the weather (and home-field advantage), although those factors certainly help. The Nittany Lions and Mustangs are both 11-2, but Penn State has “better” losses: No. 4 Ohio State (20-13 in early November) and No. 1 Oregon (45-37 in the Big Ten title game). SMU fell to a hot BYU team back in early September, 18-15, before No. 17 Clemson hit a 56-yard field goal as time expired to win the ACC title, 34-31.
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This should be a high-scoring matchup between two potent offenses (SMU through the air, Penn State on the ground). The most interesting matchup comes between the SMU offense and Penn State defense. The Mustangs are averaging 440+ yards per game – the Nittany Lions’ offense is as well – but Penn State is only allowing 16 points per game. SMU is allowing 20 points, but that’s with a much weaker schedule. The Mustangs will need to strike fast and keep that momentum with their slew of playmakers (see below) to make sure the Nittany Lions don’t leave them in the dust.
An unexpected wrench thrown into the Nittany Lions’ game plan was backup QB Beau Pribula opting out of the CFP and entering the transfer portal less than a week before the matchup. Before leaving, Pribula saw time under center and made a difference with his legs as the team’s fourth-best rusher.
SMU vs. Penn State players to watch
SMU
- QB: Sophomore Kevin Jennings - Jennings has logged 3,050 yards this season, with a 66% completion rate, 22 touchdowns and 8 interceptions. He’s also the occasional threat on his feet — which may prove important in this game — putting up 379 rush yards this season, including 5 touchdowns.
- RB: Senior Brashard Smith - The Miami transfer went from scoring 1 rushing touchdown in three seasons with the Hurricanes to 14 in one season with the Mustangs. He’s the team’s top producer on the ground by far, racking up 1,270 yards and averaging 5.9. Out of SMU’s 13 games so far, Smith has rushed for 100+ in seven. While at Miami, most of his touchdowns came through the air, and although that is no longer the case, watch out for when he flexes.
- WR: Seniors Roderick Daniels Jr. and Key’Shawn Smith - Anytime Jennings connects with one of his senior wideouts, chances are it’s a first down and then some. Each has amassed over 500 yards and a handful of touchdowns.
- DL: Senior Jared Harrison-Hunte - Harrison-Hunte does a little of everything and is not someone you want to line-up across from, especially if you’re under center. He’s currently sitting at 6 sacks, 1 interception, and 38 tackles (17 solo).
- LB: Senior Kobe Wilson - Wilson has 110 total tackles this season (50 solo), 3 sacks, 1 forced fumble and 2 interceptions. SMU could use a little of each to emerge victorious from Happy Valley.
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Penn State
- QB: Junior Drew Allar - This isn’t the junior’s college curtain call as some may have expected – Allar will return for his senior season in 2025 – but he’d certainly like to return with a national title under his belt (or at least some CFP wins). This season, he’s thrown for 2,894 yards, 21 touchdowns and 7 interceptions. On the ground, he may not get close to his dangerous running back duo, but he’s put up 279 yards and 6 touchdowns.
- TE: Senior Tyler Warren - Warren is projected to be a first-round draft pick next spring. One look at his stats and you understand why: Penn State’s leading receiver with 1,062 receiving yards (12.1 average) and 6 touchdowns, plus 191 rush yards (8.3 average) and 4 touchdowns.
- RB: Juniors Nicholas Singleton and Kaytron Allen - Penn State splits reps between Singleton and Allen, and they’re still pushing 1,000 yards each this season. Singleton has 838 yards with 7 touchdowns (three 100+ yard games), and Allen has 822 yards with 6 touchdowns (three 100+ yard games). Give either the ball and they’re likely to pick up 5-7 yards on any given play.
- DL: Junior Abdul Carter - Carter is Jennings’ worst nightmare, having racked up 10 sacks and 2 forced fumbles this season.
- DB: Senior Jaylen Reed - Reed is a difference-maker for the Penn State defense. He’s racked up tackles (43 solo), forced a fumble, made 3 interceptions (and tipped just as many balls), and scored a touchdown. He was in an apparent car crash last week, but head coach James Franklin said he’s “full go” this week.
SMU vs. Penn State odds
*odds courtesy of BetMGM
- Moneyline: Penn State (-350), SMU (+260)
- Spread: Penn State (-8.5)
- Over/Under: 54.5 points
The spread opened at Penn State -8 but has since inched up to -9 in some spots and could steam up to the key number of -10 by kickoff. PSU’s moneyline dropped at -298 and is up to a high of -350, while SMU has improved from +240 to +270. The game total opened at 52.5 but that has since spiked to a high of 54.
Read our full betting breakdown of the matchup here.
SMU vs. Penn State head-to-head record
This is the third meeting all-time between the schools, with Penn State holding a 1-0-1 advantage over SMU. The Nittany Lions won the last meeting in 1978 when they played in State College. Before that, the teams tied 13-13 in the 1947 Cotton Bowl in Dallas.
