First Look: SMU Mustangs

vs.

10/10 BAYLOR (0-0) vs. NR/NR SMU (0-0) Aug. 31, 2014 | 6:30 p.m. CT Waco, Texas | McLane Stadium (45,140) TV: FOX Sports 1

Listen | Gametracker | Notes | Tickets |  Gameday Central

OPPONENT: SMU Mustangs
ODB GAME HUB: Baylor Bears vs. SMU Mustangs 2014
OFFICIAL WEBSITE: SMUMustangs.com | Baylor vs. SMU Game Preview
SMU GAME NOTES: Click for .pdf
LAST MEETING: 59-24 Baylor win in 2012
LAST GAME (for SMU): SMU vs. UCF 2013
SB NATION BLOG: None
SPREAD: Baylor -33
TV COVERAGE: FS1 (DISH Network subscribers beware)
WEATHER FORECAST: Sunny, along with a few afternoon clouds. High 96F. Winds S at 10 to 20 mph.  Potential for isolated thunderstorms in the evening. Low 76F.
BAYLOR UNIFORMS: Unknown

SB NATION SMU PREVIEW: Mustangs Stay the Same, Remain Interesting
BAYLORBEARS.COM PREVIEW: Opening McLane Stadium

STUDENT TICKETS: Apparently gone? Game is SOLD OUT.

Baylor begins a new era with the opening of McLane Stadium this weekend, welcoming old foe SMU back to town after a one year hiatus.  With Garrett Gilbert holding a clipboard in St. Louis, the Mustangs turn now to sophomore Neal Burcham to lead June Jones' run-and-shoot offense, which will look to take advantage of Baylor's youth in the secondary immediately.  In 2013, Burcham completed 64 out of 109 passes for 556 yards, 2 TDs, and 4 INTs.

SMU's 2014 Schedule

With this being the opening game for both teams, we don't have much to go on beyond last year's results.  That's why I suggest you take a close look at Bill C's SMU Preview, linked above, and digest the information in it.  After finishing 70th in overall F/+ in 2012, SMU fell to 84th last season.  Their offense (71st) and defense (79th) were pretty much equally bad, and that was before they graduated their QB, two top receivers, both guards, and 3 of their top 4 secondary players.  One place they do have a lot of returning talent is in the front seven; SMU brought back everyone at DT and DE and only lost one of three starting linebackers.  That combined group could actually be a pretty decent early test for our offense, especially when compared to Northwestern State and Buffalo.

One thing to  is almost bound to be a very pass-heavy SMU offense on Sunday.  They had the #8 passing offense last season by yardage, and threw the ball over 600 times.  Baylor, by comparison, threw it just 448 times.  SMU is going to throw and throw often, especially if they think they can beat our secondary.

Like last year, my plan is to avoid delving too deeply into the stats for these First Looks.  The idea here isn't to preview the team in-depth but rather provide a one-stop shop for general information for that week's game.  Maybe we'll go a little deerp than this once we have more information from this season available, but for now, this should be sufficient.

Question Time!

• FIRST -- On a scale of 1-turnt, how turnt are you?  Gifs are appropriate mediums for answers to this question.
  
• SECOND -- The current spread is Baylor -33.  The O/U is between 73 and 74.  Were you a betting man or woman, and were betting legal, what would you bet?
  
• THIRD -- Do you have any specific questions about SMU that we can get answered in the coming days?
  
• FOURTH -- Uniform prediction for this game: Go.
  
• FIFTH -- What are you most concerned about going into this game at this exact moment (or the moment you read/answer this question)?