They might not get back.
David Pollack Names College Football Playoff Team that Could Regress in 2025 originally appeared on Athlon Sports.
The 2024 college football season was notable for several teams making their debut in a new conference.
The Oregon Ducks, Texas Longhorns, SMU Mustangs and Arizona State Sun Devils all qualified for the College Football Playoff in their first year in a new conference. Now, these teams are looking to show that their success last year was not a fluke and aim to replicate it in 2025.
On the show "See Ball, Get Ball with David Pollack," the college football analyst shared his expectations for the ACC in the upcoming season. He expressed concern that SMU could experience a setback after finishing last season with an 11-3 record.
"They just walked in and said, 'This wasn't that bad, This ain't that hard,'" Pollack said. "[They] had a chance to beat Clemson late, too. They didn't show up in the first half, and that's their fault. I would think more, the defensive side of the football, that regression, I think, happens a little bit. Then maybe a little bit on offense, and maybe you're not nearly as good as you were."
Several challenges lie ahead for SMU as it heads into the new season. The Mustangs rank No. 78 in returning production, with only 53% of their previous season's output coming back. However, there is a bright spot in quarterback Kevin Jennings.
Jennings had an impressive season, throwing for 3,245 yards, 23 touchdowns and 11 interceptions, while also rushing for 354 yards and five touchdowns. Despite his overall success, Jennings would likely prefer to forget his last performance, where he threw for 195 yards, one touchdown and three interceptions, completing just 55.6% of his passes in a 38-10 loss to the Penn State Nittany Lions in the first round of the College Football Playoff.
ESPN's Football Power Index (FPI) serves as a measure of team strength and is designed to predict a team's future performance throughout the season. This year, the FPI holds a favorable view of the Mustangs, ranking them as the No. 3 team in the ACC, behind the Miami Hurricanes and Clemson Tigers.
The FPI predicts that SMU will take a small step back this season, forecasting an 8-4 record. It also gives them a 10.8% chance of winning the conference and a 21.1% chance of returning to the playoffs.
SMU will kick off the season at home against the East Texas A&M Lions at 9 p.m. ET on Aug. 30.
Related: Paul Finebaum Names Program That Had 'No Business' Being in the College Football Playoff
This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 12, 2025, where it first appeared.
Category: General Sports
