The Week 0 headliner between Florida State and Georgia Tech shouldn’t be the one sport of the weekend that includes some ACC motion.

One of many conferences’s three new members this 12 months, SMU, will get a season it enters with excessive expectations underway at 8 p.m. ET on CBS Sports activities Community.

That is when the Mustangs meet Mountain West foe Nevada in a highway matchup during which the previous are favored by a large margin.

The Wolf Pack was terrible in 2022 and 2023, with 2-10 data in each of these seasons. Saturday’s sport marks Jeff Choate’s head teaching debut at Nevada after current stints as head coach at Montana State, then three years as co-defensive coordinator at Texas.

SMU completed the 2023 season ranked No. 22 within the nation after successful the American Athletic Convention in its remaining season within the AAC. Mustangs coach Rhett Lashlee led one of many highest-scoring offenses within the nation final 12 months, and this offense promises to be potent once again in 2024.

SMU averaged 38.7 factors per sport final 12 months and brings again its star QB and almost all of its high skill-position gamers.

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SMU vs. Nevada Betting Odds

DraftKings FanDuel ESPN BET bet365
SMU unfold -25.5 (-110) -26.5 (-110) -26 (-110) -26 (-110)
Nevada unfold +25.5 (-110) +26.5 (-110) +26 (-110) +26 (-110)
SMU ML -3200 -4000 -3500 -3000
Nevada ML +1400 +1400 +1500 +1400
Whole 55.5 (o-110; u-110) 55.5 (o-110; u-110) 55.5 (o-105; u-115) 55.5 (o-110; u-110)

Find out how to Guess SMU vs. Nevada

At first look, the Mustangs are laying a ton of factors on Saturday night time, particularly on the highway in opposition to an unkown opponent. Beneath Choate, whose solely head-coaching expertise was his four-year stint at Montanta State from 2016-19, Nevada is an unknown coming into 2024.

What we do know is that the Wolf Pack was not aggressive in both of the final two seasons, and even when Choate is ready to enhance this group, it is going to most likely take a while to make it aggressive in opposition to opponents like SMU.

The Mustangs’ over-under win complete this 12 months is about at 8.5 regardless of the leap as much as the ACC, which speaks volumes concerning the upside for veteran SMU QB Preston Stone and Co. This group’s tendency to run the rating up makes it a tempting one for bettors to again, even when the unfold is as lopsided as it’s on Saturday night time.

In 2023, SMU gained seven video games by 20 or extra, together with a 69-point romp over Praire View A&M and three wins in AAC play by at the least 45 factors (over Temple, Tulsa and Navy).

Stone, who threw for 3,197 yards, 28 touchdowns and 6 interceptions a 12 months in the past, is coming off a leg damage late final 12 months and may come out slinging over the subsequent two weeks to get himself in rhythm. After early-season tune-ups in opposition to Nevada and Houston Baptist subsequent week, SMU faces BYU, TCU and Florida State in September.

The Mustangs are wager to win large every of the subsequent two weeks as they appear to hit their stride as quickly as potential.

SMU vs. Nevada Greatest Bets

We’ve liked SMU in this spot since we took an early stab at Week 0 back in July.

Our confidence hasn’t wavered, because the Mustangs’ observe file from final 12 months makes them as reliable as anybody on the board in Week 1. The unfold for this sport has moved in SMU’s path all week, so be sure you lock in any SMU bets you will have ASAP to keep away from needing them to win by 30 to cowl.

Greatest bets:

  • SMU -27 (finest odds: -112 at DK)
  • SMU Workforce Whole Over 41.5 (finest odds: -125 at DK)
  • SMU First Half -16.5 (finest odds: -110 at bet365)

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