The Duke Blue Devils enter Week 9 as one of the best pass defenses in the country, and now, the SMU Mustangs won’t have their best weapon available in Durham on Saturday.
SMU head coach Rhett Lashlee announced on Tuesday that tight end RJ Maryland, the team’s leading receiver, will miss the rest of the season due to an injury he suffered against Stanford on Saturday.
Maryland leads the Mustangs in receptions (24), receiving yards (359), and receiving touchdowns (4). He’s the only player on the SMU roster with more than 17 receptions and 260 yards, and only two of his teammates have caught multiple touchdowns.
SMU, now ranked No. 22 in the US LBM Coaches Poll thanks to a four-game winning streak, has emerged as a major player in the ACC title race. The Mustangs beat the Florida State Seminoles by 26 points before taking down Louisville on the road. Maryland caught two touchdowns against FSU and hauled in six passes for 83 yards against the Cardinals.
With quarterback Kevin Jennings at the helm, the Mustangs have scored 45.5 points per game over their winning streak. However, the Blue Devils are one of four FBS teams allowing fewer than five yards per pass attempt.
SMU receivers Jake Bailey (17 receptions for 260 yards) and Key’Shawn Smith (16 receptions for 242 yards) now become the top options for the offense.