SMU vs. Baylor odds: Early point spread updated, how to watch

The SMU Mustangs are 3-point favorites according to BetMGM over the Baylor Bears ahead of Saturday’s matchup in Gerald J. Ford Stadium. The total is set at 65.5 points for the contest between former Southwest Conference rivals.

SMU is 27-2 under Rhett Lashlee when scoring over 30 points and in Week 1, the Mustangs got by East Texas A&M, 42-13. It wasn’t pretty, but Lashlee’s team improved to 15-1 in its last 16 home games.

“This is 18 years for me and I’ve learned to not be surprised by anything in the first game. I mean, I’m dead serious,” Lashlee said after Saturday’s game. “So, I would have liked to have played better in a lot of areas, but I don’t know if I’ve ever left the first game and not felt that way. So, we celebrated the win in the locker room and we’re 1-0. The reality of it is, no matter how we played, we couldn’t get more than one win tonight. We got one, lost some guys.

“I was proud of how the guys that had to come in as freshmen played. I really was, I mean, they’re freshmen, but I don’t know, I don’t think one thing surprised me. That’s just Game 1s.”

How to Watch: SMU vs. Baylor

SMU vs. Baylor – Saturday, September 6 – 11am CT
Gerald J. Ford Stadium – Dallas, Texas
TV: The CW
Radio: KTCK 96.7 FM/1310 AM | SMU Mobile App/Varsity Network | Sirius XM
Tickets: smumustangs.com/tickets

As SMU approaches its matchup with the Bears, a key member of Dave Aranda’s defense will be watched for an injury. Baylor defensive lineman Jackie Marshall was injured during the first quarter of the Bears’ loss to Auburn on Friday night. He did not return.

Aranda was able to provide Marshall’s initial diagnosis to media following the game. Aranda revealed it to be a high-ankle sprain and labeled his day-to-day.

“That was a hit for us. He’s one of our better players on defense,” Aranda revealed after the loss. “… Not having him, we don’t really have that ability to do that. So we have to play more just in your gap and one man, one gap, which becomes an issue with the quarterback a little bit. But (we) tried to blitz a little bit more too when he was gone.”

Baylor’s defensive front was only able to force one sack against the Auburn offensive line and gave up over 300 yards and four touchdowns on the ground. In the end, the Bears lost 38-24 on their home field.